Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

Psalm 105. This is a hymn celebrating God's faithful dealings with his people, particularly reflecting on episodes from the Pentateuch in which the people interacted with powerful foreigners who might have harmed them: Abimelech (Genesis 20), Potiphar (Genesis 39-41), and Pharaoh (Exodus, esp. chs. 7-14). The tone of Psalm 105 is one of gratitude (vv. 1-6): each member of the singing congregation should recognize that he is an heir and beneficiary of all these great deeds that God has done, so that each one will embrace his calling to live as a member of God's holy people (vv. 43-45). It is the only psalm to recall explicitly the promises to the patriarchs. Psalm 105 is a "historical psalm," like Psalms 78 and 106. Psalm 106 takes up events that follow those of Psalm 105, stressing God's patience with his people when they disbelieved and rebelled. The theme of the people's disbelief is absent from Psalm 105. Verses 28-36 recount eight of the 10 plagues sent upon the Egyptians, leaving out the fifth and sixth (Ex. 9:1-12). The psalm mentions the ninth plague first (Ps. 105:28), and has the third and fourth in reverse order (v. 31). There is no doubt that the psalm depends on Exodus; the difference between the two tellings is due to the different purposes behind the tellings. Exodus gives the fuller narrative, while Psalm 105 focuses on features that display God's faithfulness. Verses 1-15 also appear in 1 Chron. 16:8-22, followed by a version of Psalm 96, giving the song for moving the ark to Jerusalem.

105:1-6 Call to Give Thanks to the Lord. The opening section invites the congregation to celebrate what the Lord has done, setting a tone of gladness with terms such as give thanks, sing, sing praises, tell, glory, and rejoice. The foundation of gratitude is remembering the wondrous works that the Lord has done, particularly those on behalf of his people, the offspring of Abraham (cf. Gen. 15:5, 13, 18; 17:7).