Short answer: Psalm 105 is a history psalm that recounts God's faithfulness to his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The psalm calls the people to give thanks, to make known God's deeds among the peoples, and to remember his wondrous works. It traces God's protection of the patriarchs, the story of Joseph, the plagues in Egypt, the Exodus, and the provision in the wilderness. The purpose is to encourage praise and obedience based on God's covenant faithfulness.
The setting of the psalm
Psalm 105 is a history psalm that calls God's people to give thanks and remember his wonders. The opening verses are a call to praise — give thanks, call upon his name, make known his deeds, sing praises, tell of all his wondrous works. The purpose of remembering is to inspire worship and trust.
The psalm recounts God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Lord remembers his covenant forever, the word he commanded for a thousand generations. The covenant with Abraham included the promise of the land of Canaan as an inheritance. This covenant faithfulness is the thread that runs through the entire history.
The narrative traces God's protection of the patriarchs. He rebuked kings for their sake, saying 'Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm.' The story of Joseph is told as an example of God's providential care — Joseph was sold as a slave, but God sent him ahead to preserve life during the famine.
The psalm recounts the plagues in Egypt and the Exodus in detail. Each plague demonstrates God's power over the gods of Egypt. The psalm ends with Israel's journey through the wilderness and their settlement in the Promised Land. The purpose of the history is that they might keep God's statutes and observe his laws.
For Christians, this psalm connects to the greater exodus accomplished by Christ. The redemption from Egypt prefigures the redemption from sin through Jesus. The call to remember God's works is fulfilled in the Lord's Supper, where believers remember Christ's sacrifice until he comes.
Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on his name! Make his doings known among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him! Tell of all his marvelous works. Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice. Seek Yahweh and his strength. Seek his face forever more. Remember his marvelous works that he has done: his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth, you offspring of Abraham, his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
Psalm 105:1-6 (World English Bible)
Key words and their meaning
The Hebrew word for 'remember' (zakar) is central to the psalm. God remembers his covenant forever. The call to remember his wondrous works is a call to faith and obedience. Memory is essential to worship.
The word 'covenant' (berit) in verse 8-10 is the organizing principle of the history. God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the foundation of his relationship with Israel. The covenant is unconditional and everlasting.
The phrase 'touch not my anointed ones' (al-tig'u bimeshichei) in verse 15 uses the word messiah (anointed one). The patriarchs are described as anointed ones and prophets, indicating their special status before God.
He is Yahweh, our God. His judgments are in all the earth. He has remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac, and confirmed it to Jacob for a statute; to Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance,”
Psalm 105:7-11 (World English Bible)
What the psalm claims
First, remembering God's works is essential for faithfulness. The psalm calls God's people to give thanks, make known his deeds, and remember his wonders.
Second, God is faithful to his covenant. The entire history of Israel is a demonstration of God's covenant faithfulness to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Third, God's purposes are accomplished through his providential care. The story of Joseph shows that God works through suffering and difficulty to accomplish his purposes.
when they were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners in it. They went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people. He allowed no one to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes, “Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!”
Psalm 105:12-15 (World English Bible)
Where readers disagree
The relationship between this psalm and 1 Chronicles 16 has been discussed. Portions of Psalm 105 appear in the song of thanksgiving when David brought the ark to Jerusalem.
The historical accuracy of the psalm's account has been discussed. The psalm condenses centuries of history and selects events that serve its theological purpose.
The relationship between this psalm and Psalm 106 has been discussed. The two psalms form a pair — Psalm 105 focuses on God's faithfulness, while Psalm 106 focuses on Israel's rebellion.
He called for a famine on the land. He destroyed the food supplies. He sent a man before them. Joseph was sold for a slave. They bruised his feet with shackles. His neck was locked in irons, until the time that his word happened, and Yahweh’s word proved him true. The king sent and freed him, even the ruler of peoples, and let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all of his possessions, to discipline his princes at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom.
Psalm 105:16-22 (World English Bible)
How this psalm connects to the gospel
The themes of Psalm 105 find their ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The New Testament frequently draws on the Psalms to explain who Jesus is and what he accomplished. The psalm's language of deliverance, kingship, and steadfast love all point toward the gospel.
In Jesus, believers see the perfect fulfillment of everything this psalm celebrates. The deliverance the psalmist experienced was a foreshadowing of the greater deliverance Christ would accomplish. The kingship celebrated in the psalm points to Christ's eternal reign. The steadfast love described in the psalm is fully revealed in Jesus's sacrificial death and resurrection.
For Christians, reading this psalm is an opportunity to see God's faithfulness across the entire biblical story. The same God who heard the psalmist's cry also hears the prayers of his people today. The same deliverance finds its ultimate expression in the salvation Christ offers. The psalm invites believers to trust in this faithful God and to make his praise known to all generations.
The New Testament writers understood the Psalms as a prophetic witness to Christ. Jesus himself told his disciples that everything written about him in the Psalms must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). When the apostles preached about Jesus, they regularly quoted the Psalms to demonstrate that his suffering, death, resurrection, and exaltation were all part of God's redemptive plan.
Psalm 105 participates in this prophetic witness. Whether through its language of kingship, its descriptions of suffering and deliverance, or its celebration of God's steadfast love, this psalm contributes to the biblical portrait of the Messiah. Reading it in light of Christ does not diminish its original meaning but reveals its deepest significance.
Israel also came into Egypt. Jacob lived in the land of Ham. He increased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their adversaries. He turned their heart to hate his people, to conspire against his servants. He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen. They performed miracles among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.
Psalm 105:23-27 (World English Bible)
Biblical fidelity check
Psalm 105 is theologically sound and consistent with the broader biblical witness. Its themes of God's steadfast love, faithfulness, and righteousness are central to biblical theology. The psalm contributes to the Psalter's comprehensive portrait of God's relationship with his people. While each psalm reflects its original historical context, its truths are enduring and applicable to believers today. The New Testament affirms and deepens the themes found in this psalm, particularly through the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main message of Psalm 105?
The main message of Psalm 105 is give thanks to the lord; remember his wonders. The psalm teaches that God is worthy of trust and praise. It calls believers to respond to God's character with faith, obedience, and worship.
How does Psalm 105 point to Christ?
Psalm 105, like all Scripture, ultimately points to Jesus Christ. The themes of God's deliverance, steadfast love, and kingship find their fullest expression in Christ. The New Testament frequently quotes the Psalms to explain Christ's person and work. As Jesus himself said, the Scriptures bear witness to him (John 5:39).
How does Psalm 105 apply to Christians today?
Psalm 105 applies to believers today by providing language for prayer, praise, and lament. It teaches about God's character and how believers should respond to him. The psalm's truths are timeless, addressing the universal human experiences of joy, suffering, hope, and trust.
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