Psalm 105: complete, commentary


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CommentPsalm 105, which dates back to David and is also present in the first book of the Chronicles, opens with the exhortation to praise God, announcing his wonderful works to all peoples and affirming that the inhabitants of Israel should not feel inferior, if confronted with the material pomp of the pagan nations, in that they know who God is, that is, He who named them his people forever.


Psalm 105 complete

[1] Alleluia. Praise the Lord and invoke his name, proclaim his works among the peoples.

[2] Sing songs of joy to him, meditate on all his wonders.


[3] Glory ye in his holy name: rejoice the hearts of those who seek the Lord.

[4] Seek the Lord and his power, always seek his face.

[5] Remember the wonders he has accomplished, his wonders and the judgments of his mouth:


[6] you descendants of Abraham, his servant, sons of Jacob, his chosen one.

[7] He is the Lord, our God, on all the earth his judgments.

[8] He always remembers his covenant: word given for a thousand generations,


[9] the close covenant with Abraham and his oath to Isaac.

[10] He established it for Jacob as a law, as an eternal covenant for Israel:

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[11] "I will give you the land of Canaan as a legacy to you."

[12] When they were in small numbers, few and foreigners in that land,

[13] and passed from country to country, from one kingdom to another people,

[14] he did not allow anyone to oppress them and chastise the kings for them:

[15] "Do not touch my consecrated persons, do no harm to my prophets."

[16] He called hunger over that land and destroyed every supply of bread.

[17] Before them sent a man, Joseph, sold as a slave.


[18] His feet were squeezed, the iron tightened his throat,

[19] until his prediction came true, and the word of the Lord brought him justice.

[20] The king sent him to free him, the leader of the peoples set him free;

[21] he made him lord of his house, head of all his possessions,

[22] to educate leaders according to his judgment and teach wisdom to elders.

[23] And Israel came to Egypt, Jacob lived in the land of Cam as a foreigner.


[24] But God made his people very fruitful, made him stronger than his enemies.

[25] They changed their hearts and hated his people, they acted with deception against his servants

[26] He sent Moses his servant and Aaron whom he had chosen.

[27] He performed the promised signs through them and his wonders in the land of Cam.

[28] He sent darkness and went dark, but they resisted his words.

[29] He changed their waters into blood and killed the fish.

[30] Their country swarmed with frogs to the rooms of their rulers.

[31] He gave an order and the flies came to swarms and mosquitoes all over their country.

[32] Instead of the rains he sent them hail, blazes of fire on their country.

[33] He struck their vineyards and their fig trees, crashed the trees of their land.

[34] He gave an order and the locusts and caterpillars without numbers came;

[35] devoured all the grass in the country and destroyed the fruit of their soil.


[36] He struck every firstborn in their country, all the firstfruits of their vigor.

[37] He brought out his people with silver and gold, among the tribes there was no sick person.

[38] Egypt welcomed their departure because terror had fallen upon them.

[39] He spread a cloud to protect them and a fire to light them at night.

[40] When they asked, he quailed and satiated them with the bread of heaven.

[41] He broke a cliff, and waters gushed out, flowed like rivers in the desert,

[42] because he remembered his holy word given to Abraham his servant.

[43] He brought his people out with exultation, his chosen ones with songs of joy.

[44] He gave them the lands of the peoples, they inherited the toil of the nations,

[45] to keep his decrees and obey his laws. Alleluia.

Psalm 105 • A Celebration of Israel’s History (February 2024)


Tags: Biblical psalms
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