The Lord glorified in His redeeming acts towards Israel

This is thought to be written by David because of the likeness of verses 1-16 to 1 Chronicles 16:8-22. There is given a précis of some events in the history of God’s ancient people. Chiefly, it speaks of them dwelling in Egypt, and the afflictions that resulted. Then there is the providential deliverance by the hand of Moses, and the great Exodus into the wilderness. God’s provision for them is described and their entrance into Canaan, the promised land.

But this short history is given to excite God’s people, and to remind them that it all happened by His “holy promise” in the “covenant that He made with Abraham”. The children of Jacob, the elect, continue in this world of tribulation, because the Lord has “remembered His covenant for ever.” His people’s sins, their weakness and their enemies will not nullify the Word that He has commanded to a thousand generations. On the basis of His covenant loyalty, let us seek His face and His strength in our day.

Pastor Jeff O’ Neil

Recommended Tune: Petersham

Psalm 105

¹Give thanks to GOD, call on his name;
To men his deeds make known.
²Sing ye to him, sing psalms; proclaim
His wondrous works each one.

³See that ye in his holy name
To glory do accord;
And let the heart of ev’ry one
Rejoice that seeks the LORD.

⁴The LORD Almighty, and his strength,
With steadfast hearts seek ye:
His blessed and his gracious face
Seek ye continually.

⁵Think on the works that he hath done,
Which admiration breed;
His wonders, and the judgments all
Which from his mouth proceed;

⁶O ye that are of Abr’ham’s race,
His servant well approv’n;
And ye that Jacob’s children are,
Whom he chose for his own.

⁷Because he, and he only, is
The mighty LORD our God;
And his most righteous judgments are
In all the earth abroad.

⁸His cov’nant he remember’d hath,
That it may ever stand:
To thousand generations
The word he did command.

⁹Which covenant he firmly made
With faithful Abraham,
And unto Isaac, by his oath,
He did renew the same:

¹⁰And unto Jacob, for a law,
He made it firm and sure,
A covenant to Israel,
Which ever should endure.

¹¹He said, I’ll give Canaan’s land
For heritage to you;
¹²While they were strangers there, and few,
In number very few:

¹³While yet they went from land to land
Without a sure abode;
And while through sundry kingdoms they
Did wander far abroad;

¹⁴Yet, notwithstanding suffer’d he
No man to do them wrong:
Yea, for their sakes, he did reprove
Kings, who were great and strong.

¹⁵Thus did he say, Touch ye not those
That mine anointed be,
Nor do the prophets any harm
That do pertain to me.

¹⁶He call’d for famine on the land,
He brake the staff of bread:
¹⁷But yet he sent a man before,
By whom they should be fed;

Ev’n Joseph, whom unnat’rally
Sell for a slave did they;
¹⁸Whose feet with fetters they did hurt,
And he in irons lay;

¹⁹Until the time that his word came
To give him liberty;
The word and purpose of the LORD
Did him in prison try.

²⁰Then sent the king, and did command
That he enlarg’d should be:
He that the people’s ruler was
Did send to set him free.

²¹A lord to rule his family
He rais’d him, as most fit;
To him of all that he possess’d
He did the charge commit:

²²That he might at his pleasure bind
The princes of the land;
And he might teach his senators
Wisdom to understand.

²³The people then of Israel
Down into Egypt came;
And Jacob also sojourned
Within the land of Ham.

²⁴And he did greatly by his pow’r
Increase his people there;
And stronger than their enemies
They by his blessing were.

²⁵Their heart he turned to envy
His folk maliciously,
With those that his own servants were
To deal in subtilty.

²⁶His servant Moses he did send,
Aaron his chosen one.
²⁷By these his signs and wonders great
In Ham’s land were made known.

²⁸Darkness he sent, and made it dark;
His word they did obey.
²⁹He turn’d their waters into blood,
And he their fish did slay.

³⁰The land in plenty brought forth frogs
In chambers of their kings.
³¹His word all sorts of flies and lice
In all their borders brings.

³²He hail for rain, and flaming fire
Into their land he sent:
³³And he their vines and fig-trees smote:
Trees of their coasts he rent.

³⁴He spake, and caterpillars came,
Locusts did much abound;
³⁵Which in their land all herbs consum’d,
And all fruits of their ground.

³⁶He smote all first-born in their land,
Chief of their strength each one.
³⁷With gold and silver brought them forth,
Weak in their tribes were none.

³⁸Egypt was glad when forth they went,
Their fear on them did light.
³⁹He spread a cloud for covering,
And fire to shine by night.

⁴⁰They ask’d, and he brought quails: with bread
Of heav’n he filled them.
⁴¹He open’d rocks, floods gush’d, and ran
In deserts like a stream.

⁴²For on his holy promise he,
And servant Abr’ham, thought.
⁴³With joy his people, his elect
With gladness, forth he brought.

⁴⁴And unto them the pleasant lands
He of the heathen gave;
That of the people’s labour they
Inheritance might have.

⁴⁵That they his statutes might observe
According to his word;
And that they might his laws obey.
Give praise unto the LORD.