Psalms of Thanksgiving: Psalm 105

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Read Psalm 105

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
    tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek his face always.

Remember the wonders he has done,
    his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,
    his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
He is the Lord our God;
    his judgments are in all the earth.

He remembers his covenant forever,
    the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
    the oath he swore to Isaac.
10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
11 “To you I will give the land of Canaan
    as the portion you will inherit.”

12 When they were but few in number,
    few indeed, and strangers in it,
13 they wandered from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another.
14 He allowed no one to oppress them;
    for their sake he rebuked kings:
15 “Do not touch my anointed ones;
    do my prophets no harm.”

16 He called down famine on the land
    and destroyed all their supplies of food;
17 and he sent a man before them—
    Joseph, sold as a slave.
18 They bruised his feet with shackles,
    his neck was put in irons,
19 till what he foretold came to pass,
    till the word of the Lord proved him true.
20 The king sent and released him,
    the ruler of peoples set him free.
21 He made him master of his household,
    ruler over all he possessed,
22 to instruct his princes as he pleased
    and teach his elders wisdom.

23 Then Israel entered Egypt;
    Jacob resided as a foreigner in the land of Ham.
24 The Lord made his people very fruitful;
    he made them too numerous for their foes,
25 whose hearts he turned to hate his people,
    to conspire against his servants.
26 He sent Moses his servant,
    and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
27 They performed his signs among them,
    his wonders in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness and made the land dark—
    for had they not rebelled against his words?
29 He turned their waters into blood,
    causing their fish to die.
30 Their land teemed with frogs,
    which went up into the bedrooms of their rulers.
31 He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,
    and gnats throughout their country.
32 He turned their rain into hail,
    with lightning throughout their land;
33 he struck down their vines and fig trees
    and shattered the trees of their country.
34 He spoke, and the locusts came,
    grasshoppers without number;
35 they ate up every green thing in their land,
    ate up the produce of their soil.
36 Then he struck down all the firstborn in their land,
    the firstfruits of all their manhood.
37 He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold,
    and from among their tribes no one faltered.
38 Egypt was glad when they left,
    because dread of Israel had fallen on them.

39 He spread out a cloud as a covering,
    and a fire to give light at night.
40 They asked, and he brought them quail;
    he fed them well with the bread of heaven.
41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
    it flowed like a river in the desert.

42 For he remembered his holy promise
    given to his servant Abraham.
43 He brought out his people with rejoicing,
    his chosen ones with shouts of joy;
44 he gave them the lands of the nations,
    and they fell heir to what others had toiled for—
45 that they might keep his precepts
    and observe his laws.

Praise the Lord.

Go Deeper

Psalm 105 is categorized as both a historical and thanksgiving psalm. Throughout its 45 verses, this psalm traces the history of Israel. However, the initial five verses are an unmistakable call to praise. Found within these verses is a road map for how to praise the Lord:

  • Give thanks to the Lord (v. 1)
  • Call upon His name (v. 1)
  • Make known His deeds among the peoples (v. 2)
  • Sing to Him (v. 2)
  • Tell of His wondrous works (v. 2)
  • Glory in His holy name (v. 3)
  • Let your heart rejoice (v. 3)
  • Seek the Lord & His strength (v. 4)
  • Seek His presence continually (v. 4)
  • Remember (v. 5)

The first 15 verses of this chapter are also found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-22 and are presented there as a composition of David. Although this psalm is not specifically attributed to King David, we can conclude that he is the author and that he is calling Israel to a time of remembrance, celebration, and to spread the works of God on Israel’s behalf.

Praise is an imperative part of worshipping God, but many of us can get stuck in a rut, thinking it is confined to singing songs at church. This psalm is a reminder to us that praising God can come in the form of singing, but it also can come in the form of giving thanks to God, of remembering His wondrous works in our lives, and of talking freely and frequently about what God has done for us.

David knows from experience that our human nature is to forget the miracles and wonders of God that have marked our lives, so the bulk of this chapter is devoted to recounting and remembering God’s works for Israel. Following the call to praise, David lists out the cause for praise (v. 7-45) as he recounts how God has protected, guided, and blessed the nation of Israel for generations.

Hebrews 13:15 is a reminder to us that our praise to God is to be ongoing: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” Psalm 105 gives us a concrete example of how to do this: Start with any of the commands laid out in the first five verses (give thanks, call upon the Lord, sing, tell of His works, etc.), and the graciousness of God will lead you to an adoring and admiring view of how He has protected, guided, and blessed your own life.

Questions

  1. What is your understanding of the word “praise”? How often do you spend time praising God?
  2. What are the miracles and wonders of God that have marked your life?
  3. Which of the commands to praise listed in verses 1-5 are easiest for you? Which are the most difficult?

A Quote

Pastor David Guzik in his Enduring Word commentary says this about Psalm 105:

“There is the constant danger that God’s people would forget His marvelous works. It dishonors God when we forget His great works, and we will always drift to forgetfulness if we do not actively remember.”

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4 thoughts on “Psalms of Thanksgiving: Psalm 105”

  1. God is good. He wants us to be His. He desires us to be obedient. He wants us to remember what ALL He has done for us. First thing is we have breath. That breath is to praise and glorify Him with. Next He has made all things new for today, right now. He wants us, as this Psalm is telling for us, to remember all the things along the way that He has shown, made, given to us for a time and purpose. There will be bad that happens because we are human and will fall short. BUT GOD has your way to come back to Him or stay in tune with Him. Bad things happen to good people. There is no way to get around that. Some of those bad things are due to others in our life and their disobedience. BUT GOD can make things new. We have to seek first this upside down Kingdom. We have to trust, listen, obey, and respond with glorifing Him in all. Trust in Him in all your ways, seek Him in all your ways. Respond to Him with His actions and not our worldly reactions.

    No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; BUT GOD is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able . . . 1 Corinthians 10:13
    My flesh and my heart may fail, BUT GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.– Psalm 73:26
    For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. BUT GOD demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8
    BUT GOD being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7

    God I thank You for Your mercy and great love that even when I was dead in my trespasses You made me alive through Christ blood. By Your grace I have been saved and raised up with Jesus. You have seated me in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. God thank You for no tempation being able to make me stumble if I look, listen and see the help that You willingly give in those moments. God help me to follow Your actions and not my reactions in this day for these minutes to glorify and honor You in Jesus name amen
    WOOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  2. Ella Snodgrass

    Once we see God’s mighty deeds we are compelled to praise him. Both Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8 declare that God is the same always and never ever changes. He is always good, always loving, always all-powerful. No matter how this world changes around us, we can trust God is consistent. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. A key word is—remember—God lovingly preserved holy scripture that we might know him. He calls us to study, meditate and employ the precepts of his Word that reveal both his character and redemption plan. How truly good he is!

  3. 5 “Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,”

    Lord, help me remember to remember!

  4. Diane Frances Rogers

    vs 45 that they might keep His precepts and observe His laws.
    This is a great rule of thumb!

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