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Psalm 105

God’s Faithfulness to Israel

1

O give thanks to the L ord, 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 L ord rejoice.

4

Seek the L ord 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.

 

7

He is the L ord 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.”

 

16

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 L ord kept testing him.

20

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 L ord 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.

 

26

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.

42

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 L ord!


As Abraham was the first who was called when he was mingled with idolaters, the prophet begins with him. He, however, afterwards declares that the covenant was also confirmed in the hand of his son and his son’s son. God then deposited his covenant with Abraham, and by solemn oath engaged to be the God of his seed. But to give greater assurance of the truth of his promise, he was graciously pleased to renew it to Isaac and Jacob. The effect of such an extension of it is, that his faithfulness takes deeper hold on the hearts of men; and, besides, his grace, when it is thus testified on frequent recurring occasions, becomes better known and more illustrious among men. Accordingly, it is here declared by gradation how steadfast and immovable this covenant is; for what is affirmed concerning each of the patriarchs belongs equally to them all. It is said that God swore to Isaac. But had he not sworn to Abraham before? Undoubtedly he had. It is also said that it was established to Jacob for a law, and for an everlasting covenant Does this mean that the covenant was previously only temporal and transitory, and that then it had changed its nature? Such an idea is altogether at variance with the meaning of the sacred writer. By these different forms of expression he asserts that the covenant was fully and perfectly confirmed, so that, if perhaps the calling was obscure in one man, it might be more evident, by God’s having transmitted the testimony of it to posterity; for by this means the truth of it was the better manifested. Here again we must remember that God with great kindness considers our weakness when, both by his oath, and by frequently repeating his word, he ratifies what he has once promised to us. Our ingratitude then appears the fouler in disbelieving him when he not only speaks but also swears.


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