Study of Psalms 105 God s Faithfulness

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1 Study of Psalms 105 God s Faithfulness Introduction Psalms 105 is an overview of God s fulfillment of His Promise to Abraham. It is about God's faithfulness. The Psalm begins by calling on Israel to thank and praise God for his marvelous works (vs. 1 6). We re then reminded of Israel s national history, which is noted by God's faithfulness to his covenant with Abraham (vs. 7 15). God did not forget them, but was faithful in providing salvation through Joseph (vs ) and through the miracles performed all during Moses' ministry: 1 The 10 plagues (Psalm 105:25 38; Exodus 7 12) The cloudy and fiery pillar (Psalm 105:39; Exodus 13:21) The deliverance from Egypt (Psalm 105:37; Exodus 14) The manna (Psalm 105:40; Exodus 16) The water from the rock (Psalm 105:41; Exodus 17) The chapter concludes with declaring how God had given them the Promised Land (43 45), which was a fulfillment of His promise to Abraham (Psalm 105:42; see Genesis 17:1 6). The first eleven verses of this psalm which David delivered to Asaph to be used (as it should seem) in the daily service of the sanctuary when the ark was fixed in the place he had prepared for it, by which it appears both who penned it and when and upon what occasion it was penned (see 1 Chronicles 16:7 below), etc. David by it designed to instruct his people in the obligations they lay under to adhere faithfully to their holy religion. 2 (1 Chronicles 16:7) Then on that day David first appointed the singing of praises to the LORD by Asaph and his kindred. For the original hearers, the historical psalms were vivid reminders of God's past acts on behalf of Israel. These history songs were written for passing on important lessons to succeeding generations. They celebrated the many promises God had made and faithfully kept; they also recounted the faithlessness of the people. Ancient history shows how consistently God's people failed to learn from the past; repeatedly turning from examples of God's faithfulness and forgiveness back into sin. These psalms remind us how often we do exactly the same thing: Having every reason to live for God, we choose instead to live for everything but God. Historical psalms include Psalms 68; 78; 95; 105; 106; 111; 114; 135; 136; Willmington's Bible Handbook 2 Matthew Henry's Commentary 3 Tyndale Handbook of Bible Charts and Maps Christian Sabbatarians Page 1

2 Exhort God, Praise Him for His Marvelous Works (Psalms 105:1 6) O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. 2 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works. 3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. 4 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually. 5 Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered, 6 O offspring of his servant Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 4 We begin with a call to praise and rejoice, because of God s wonderful acts and His holy name. It is only by His "strength" that we re protected from all dangers, and by His "presence" that we see we have light rather than darkness. God s Faithfulness to His Covenant with Abraham (Psalms 105:7 15) He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. 8 He is mindful of his covenant forever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, 9 the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, 10 which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, 11 saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance." 12 When they were few in number, of little account, and strangers in it, 13 wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people, 14 he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account, 15 saying, "Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm." (Genesis 26:1 11) Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar, to King Abimelech of the Philistines. 2 The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; settle in the land that I shall show you. 3 Reside in this land as an alien, and I will be with you, and will bless you; for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will fulfill the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. 4 I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven, and will give to your offspring all these lands; and all the nations of the earth shall gain blessing for themselves through your offspring, 5 because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." 6 So Isaac settled in Gerar. 7 When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, "She is my sister"; for he was afraid to say, "My wife," thinking, "or else the men of the place might kill me for the sake of Rebekah, because she is attractive in appearance." 8 When Isaac had been there a long time, King Abimelech of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw him fondling his wife Rebekah. 9 So Abimelech called for Isaac, and said, "So she is your wife! Why then did you say, 'She is my sister'?" Isaac said to him, "Because I thought I might die because of her." 10 Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us." 11 So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, "Whoever touches this man or his wife shall be put to death." 4 New Revised Standard Version used unless otherwise noted. Christian Sabbatarians Page 2

3 Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife Whatever may be the precise meaning of the word, it evidently implies that there were liberties taken and freedom used on the occasion, which were not lawful but between man and wife. 5 God s Faithfulness in Providing Salvation through Joseph in Egypt (Psalms 105:16 25) When he summoned famine against the land, and broke every staff of bread, 17 he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. 18 His feet were hurt with fetters, his neck was put in a collar of iron; 19 until what he had said came to pass, the word of the LORD kept testing him. The thought of the verse is a great and ever true one, that God s promise, while it remains unfulfilled and seems contradicted by present facts, serves as a test of the genuineness and firmness of a man s reliance on Him and his promise. That promise is by the psalmist almost personified, as putting Joseph to the test. Such testing is the deepest meaning of all afflictions. Fire will burn off a thin plating of silver from a copper coin and reveal the base metal beneath, but it will only brighten into a glow the one which is all silver The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free. 21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions, 22 to instruct his officials at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom. 23 Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham. 24 And the LORD made his people very fruitful, and made them stronger than their foes, 25 whose hearts he then turned to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants. turned their heart God controls men's free acts (compare 1Sa 10:9). "When Saul had turned his back to go from (God's prophet) Samuel, God turned (Margin) him another heart" (see Ex 1:8, &c.). Whatever evil the wicked man plots against God's people, God holds bound even his heart, so as not to lay a single plan except what God permits. Thus Isaiah (Isa 43:17) says it was God who brought forth the army of Pharaoh to pursue Israel to their own destruction (Ex 4:21 Ex 7:3). 1 Samuel 10:9 As he turned away to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all these signs were fulfilled that day. Ex 1:8 Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. Isa 43:17 who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: Ex 4:21 And the LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Ex 7:3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and I will multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. 5 Adam Clarke's Commentary 6 Complete Biblical Library Commentary Psalms Christian Sabbatarians Page 3

4 He turned their heart "Their heart was turned." So the Syriac and Arabic. After befriending the Hebrews on Joseph's account, to whom they were so deeply indebted, finding them to multiply greatly in the land, and at last to become more powerful than the Egyptians themselves, they turned their attention to the adoption of measures, in order to prevent the Hebrews from possessing themselves of the government of the whole land; they curtailed them of their privileges, and endeavored to depress them by all possible means, and by a variety of legal enactments. This appears to be the sole meaning of the phrase, "He turned their heart;" or, "their heart was turned." 7 God s Faithfulness in Providing Salvation during the Time of Moses (Psalms 105:26 41) He sent his servant Moses, and Aaron whom he had chosen. 27 They performed his signs among them, and miracles in the land of Ham. 28 He sent darkness, and made the land dark; they rebelled against his words. 29 He turned their waters into blood, and caused their fish to die. 30 Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the chambers of their kings. 31 He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country. 32 He gave them hail for rain, and lightning that flashed through their land. 33 He struck their vines and fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country. 34 He spoke, and the locusts came, and young locusts without number; 35 they devoured all the vegetation in their land, and ate up the fruit of their ground. 36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the first issue of all their strength. 37 Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold, and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled. 38 Egypt was glad when they departed, for dread of them had fallen upon it. 39 He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light by night. 40 They asked, and he brought quails, and gave them food from heaven in abundance. 41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river. The enumeration of the signs does not follow the order in Exodus, but begins with the ninth plague, perhaps because of its severity, and then in the main adheres to the original sequence, although it inverts the order of the third and forth plagues (flies and gnats or mosquitoes, not lice ) and omits the fifth and sixth. The reason for this divergence is far from clear, but it may be noted that the first two in the psalmist s order attack the elements; the next three (frogs, flies, gnats) have to do with animal life; and the next two (hail and locusts), which embrace both of these categories, are considered chiefly as affecting vegetable products. The emphasis is laid in all on God s direct act. He sends darkness, He turns the waters into blood, and so on. The only other point needing notice in these verses is the statement in v. 28b. They rebelled not against his word, which obviously is true only in reference to Moses and Aaron, who shrank not from their perilous embassage. The tenth plague is briefly told, for the Psalm is hurrying on to the triumphant climax of the Exodus when, enriched with silver and gold, the tribes went forth, strong for their desert march, and Egypt rejoiced to see the last of them, for they said, We be all dead men (Ex 12:33). There may be a veiled hope in this exultant picture of the Exodus that present oppression will end in like manner. The wilderness sojourn is so treated in v. 39 as to bring into sight only the leading instances, sung in many Psalms, of God s protection, without one disturbing reference to the sins and failures which darkened the forty years. These are spread out at length, without flattery or minimizing, in the next Psalm, but 7 Adam Clarke s Commentary Christian Sabbatarians Page 4

5 here the theme is God s wonders. Therefore, the pillar of cloud which guided, covered and illumined the camp and the miracles which provided food and water are touched on in vv. 39ff, and then the psalmist gathers up the lessons which he would teach in three great thoughts. 8 God Gave Them Canaan, the Promised Land, Fulfilling His Promise to Abraham (Psalms 105:42 45) For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham, his servant. 43 So he brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with singing. 44 He gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples, 45 that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. Praise the LORD! This was the fulfillment of God s promise to Abraham. In the ninety ninth year of Abram's life God again appeared to Abram and announced His name as GOD ALMIGHTY. He commanded Abram to walk perfectly before Him and proposes to renew the covenant. The covenant was clearly specified. This included changing Abram's name to ABRAHAM since God had made him the ancestor of a multitude of nations. (Genesis 17:1 8) When Abram was ninety nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous." 3 Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, 4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God." Subsequently, God explained the conditions of the covenant to be observed, not only by Abraham, but for all of his posterity. Genesis 17:9 God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. What is that covenant God is speaking about? What are the terms and conditions? A sign or token of the covenant was circumcision. (Genesis 17:10 14) This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 Throughout your generations every male among you shall be circumcised when he is eight days old, including the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring. 13 Both the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money must be circumcised. So shall my 8 Complete Biblical Library Commentary Psalms Christian Sabbatarians Page 5

6 covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant." Then we see that Sarai's name is also changed. Her s is changed to SARAH, and a promise made to her to have a son. (Genesis 17:15 16) God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her." The reason for God s merciful dealings with his people is his remembrance of his Covenant and of his servant Abraham, whose faith made a claim on God, for the fulfillment which would vindicate it. That Covenant has been amply fulfilled, for Israel came forth with ringing songs and took possession of lands which they had not tilled and houses which they had not built. The purpose of covenant and fulfillment is that the nation, thus admitted into a special relationship with God, should by his mercies be drawn to keep his commandments and, in obedience, find rest and closer fellowship with its God. The psalmist had learned that God gives before He demands or commands and that love, springing from grateful reception of his benefits, is the fulfilling of the Law (Rom. 13:10). He anticipates the full Christian exhortation, I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1). 9 Ro 13:10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Ro 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 9 Complete Biblical Library Commentary Psalms Christian Sabbatarians Page 6