Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

Psalms 105

Trials and Delivery

From Abraham to Moses God’s power and holiness were manifest to the seed of Abraham, as a basis or ground of their hope in His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them an inheritance in Canaan; Even when they were few in number.

Scripture v. 1-22:

Verse 1 calls on all Israel (the redeemed) to: 1) "Give thanks to the Lord," 2) Call upon His name; and 3) make known His deeds, of goodness and judgment, as the living God among the masses of people, 1 Chronicles 16:8-36; Isaiah 12:4; Even as Abraham had done, Genesis 12:8; Genesis 13:4; Psalms 18:49; Psalms 103:7; Isaiah 63:14.

Verse 2 adds "sing ye unto him, sing PSALM unto him," in praise and adoration of Him who has redeemed you, Psalms 107:2; Matthew 5:15-16; Acts 1:8. One is further exhorted, "Talk ye of all his wondrous works," tell it wherever you go, Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Romans 1:14-16.

Verses 3, 4 exhort men to "glory" in His holy name, and "let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord," for He will be found, John 7:17. His holy name guarantees His covenant to deliver Israel out of her troubles, whereas glorying "in chariots and horses," as the heathen did, would not be a basis for glorying with joy, Psalms 20:7; Psalms 33:21; Psalms 69:6.
Verse 4 adds, "seek ye the Lord, and his strength: Seek his face (favor) evermore," without fainting or falling by the wayside, Psalms 27:8; Galatians 6:9. Seek His continued favor, presence, and power, Psalms 24:6; Psalms 27:8.

Verses 5-7 call on the seed of Abraham and children of Jacob whom He has chosen to remember (recall) God’s marvelous or miraculous works, wonders, and judgments of His mouth, as related Psalms 77:11; Psalms 103:2; Isaiah 43:18. See too Deuteronomy 7:18-19; Deuteronomy 8:2; Deuteronomy 32:7.
Verse 7 adds that, "He is (exists) as the Lord our God." His judgments are in all the earth, as expressed Isaiah 26:9. See too Genesis 15:14; Exodus 3:20; Exodus 6:3-6; Psalms 94:2.

Verses 8-10 assert that Jehovah God has remembered His covenant forever, the one He made (commanded) or certified to a thousand generations, Luke 1:72. He vowed it first to Abraham, and gave it with an oath. of assurance to Isaac; then confirmed it to Jacob for a law, extending it to Israel, as a nation, as an everlasting, unconditional covenant, as verified, Genesis 17:2; Genesis 22:16; Genesis 26:3; Genesis 28:13; Genesis 35:11; Luke 1:73; Hebrews 6:17; Psalms 68:28.

Verses 11-13 relate that He repeatedly assured them that He would give (dole out to them, of His own grace) the land of Canaan, the lot or pledge of their inheritance, Genesis 15:18. This He declared to them, even when they were but very few in number among men of the earth, while themselves strangers in that land of Canaan, as related Genesis 34:30; Deuteronomy 7:7; Genesis 17:8; Hebrews 11:9. He repeatedly gave them words of hopeful assurance, "when they went from one nation to another, (and) from one kingdom to another people," from one danger to another. This He did, not only to the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but also to Israel, in Egypt, Canaan, Syria, and among the Philistines.

Verses 14, 15 relate that He "suffered (permitted) no man to do them wrong," Genesis 35:5. "Yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm," Genesis 12:17. This alludes to Pharaoh’s warning regarding Abraham, Genesis 12:7; and Abimelech of Gerar for Isaac’s sake, Genesis 20:3. He too warned men against touching these patriarchs, whom He honored as "His anointed prophets," Genesis 26:11. This means His spirit was within and upon them as hearers of God’s message, Genesis 41:38. Isaac is termed God’s prophet, Genesis 20:7; Abraham received and related God’s prophetic words in vision and dream, Genesis ch. 15; In similar manner did Isaac at Beersheba, Jacob at Bethel, Mahanalm, and Jabbok. Men dare not touch God’s anointed, without His judgment wrath’s falling upon them.

Verses 16, 17 add that Jehovah "called for a famine upon the land (of Canaan); He brake the whole staff of bread," caused the wheat, barley, flax, and rye to wither before grain matured for bread. Yet "He sent a man before them (before Israel) even Joseph, who was sold for a servant into Pharaoh’s household of servants, as related at length, Genesis 41:54; Genesis 42:5-6; 2 Kings 8:1; Amos 3:6; Matthew 8:8; Revelation 6:8. See also Leviticus 26:26; Genesis 45:5; Genesis 50:20; Genesis 37:28.

Verses 18, 19 further relate that Joseph was put in iron prison fetters that hurt his feet until the "time that the word of the Lord tried or tested him," to pass judgment, for Divine service to God and his fellowman, even his own brethren, Genesis 40:16; Acts 16:24; See too Genesis 39:20; Genesis 39:22; Genesis 40:3; Psalms 107:10; Psalms 12:6; Psalms 18:30;1 Peter 1:7.

Verses 20-22 explain that Pharaoh made Joseph lord of his house, ruler, or steward over all his substance, or possessions, having released him from prison, to be free, Genesis 41:14; Genesis 39:4. He even extended Joseph’s power to "bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his senators wisdom," Genesis 41:44; Proverbs 1:8; Job 28:16. Without Joseph’s mandate or sanction no prince, senator , or civil ruler could lift up his hand or foot in the land of Egypt, as he taught and directed them in all affairs of state, Genesis 41:39. Such power is also attributed to the saints, Psalms 149:5-9.

Trials and Delivery cont.

Scripture v. 23-45:

Verses 23, 24 recount that "Israel also came into Egypt (after Joseph); and Jacob sojourned (with all his family) in the land of Ham," in Egypt, the Goshen area, but never became a naturalized citizen, Genesis 47:4. This land of accursed Ham could be but a temporary abiding place for the elect people of God. It is added that God increased his people of Israel greatly (in population) and caused them to be "stronger than their enemies," so that Pharaoh came to be disturbed over their "more and. mightier" number of strength than the Egyptians, See also Genesis 12:10; Genesis 46:6.

Verse 25 relates that God turned the hearts of the Egyptians to hate his people, "to deal subtly with his servants," Israel; It was God who "brought forth" Pharaoh and his chariots after Israel, Isaiah 43:17; Psalms 51:4. Carnal wisdom is a devilish thing, Exodus 1:10; Acts 7:19; God takes the worldly wise in their own craftiness, Job 5:12; 1 Corinthians 3:19. See also Exodus 4:21; Proverbs 21:1; Exodus 1:11; Acts 7:6.

Verse 26 declares "He sent (commissioned) Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen;" as fit instruments for His service to the Israelites, Psalms 78:70; See also Exodus 2:2; Exodus 4:12-14; Judges 2:16; Exodus 3:10; Numbers 16:5; Numbers 17:5.

Verses 27, 28 tell that Moses and Aaron, God’s chosen emancipators or liberators of Israel, showed his (God’s signs among them) before both the Egyptians and Israelites "and wonders in the land of Ham;" the signs were the "plague-signs" that He sent upon the land of Egypt because of their oppression of His chosen Israel, Exodus 4:21. He "sent darkness, and they rebelled not against His word," after the tenth plague, as they had before, Exodus 10:22; Matthew 27:45; See also Psalms 99:7.

Verses 29-31 recount that God: 1) turned their water to blood, which slew their fish, a vital source of protein food, 2) caused frogs to come forth in masses, even into the chambers of their kings or rulers, and 3) He spoke and a plague of diverse kinds of flies and lice came upon all their lands, from their borders to the center of all parts; fish, frogs, dog-flies; lice and gnats, alive and dead, tormented the land, as an act of Divine judgment from God, Exodus 8:2; Exodus 8:4; Exodus 8:21; Exodus 7:18-21; Psalms 78:44; Ecclesiastes 10:1.

Verses 32-35 turn from recounting the plagues on the animal world to that on vegetable life, so that nigh all the food of the land was seriously damaged or totally destroyed by plagues of hail, instead of rain, and flaming fire that burned because of dry vegetation; He smote the vines and the fig trees and thus broke the trees of their coasts. He too sent caterpillars and locusts, voracious vegetation devourers to consume the green herbs that were not otherwise burned or destroyed, as described Exodus 9:23; Judges 9:10; Exodus 10:4-5; 1 Kings 8:37; Jeremiah 51:27; Psalms 78:48.

Verses 36-38 tell that he smote (with death) all the first born of the land, the chief of all their strength, Exodus 12:29; Genesis 49:3; Deuteronomy 21:17. Then He brought them out with silver and gold, borrowed from their neighbors. There was not one feeble person among their tribes, Exodus 12:35; Exodus 15:26; Genesis 2:11-12.

Verse 38 certifies that "Egypt was glad when they (Israel) departed," because of fear that came on them from the plagues, Exodus 12:31; Genesis 35:5.

Verses 39-41 recount God’s care over Israel in delivering her from Egypt. He spread a cloud over them by day and a fire-light pillow by night to protect them from their enemies, Exodus 13:21; Isaiah 4:5; Numbers 9:16; Numbers 10:34; Nehemiah 9:12; Psalms 78:14. It is added that at the prayer of the people he sent quail for meat and manna from heaven, Exodus 16:4; Exodus 16:13, called "corn of heaven" and "angel food," Psalms 78:18; Psalms 78:22-27.

Verse 41 tells of the artesian gush of water He sent from the rock to water His people and their flocks Through all their wilderness journey, Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:11; Deuteronomy 2:7. See also Isaiah 48:21; 1 Corinthians 10:4. "That rock was Christ."

Verses 42-45 conclude that the Lord (by covenant) brought forth His chosen people "with joy and gladness," or with singing, because he remembered (with integrity) His holy (sacred) promise, and Abraham His servant, Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:14; Genesis 13:17; Genesis 15:14; Exodus 2:24; Luke 1:54-55; Luke 1:73. See too Deuteronomy 7:9;1 Kings 8:46; Exodus 19:5.

They too were given "the lands of the heathen and inherited the labor of the people," as related Leviticus 20:24; Exodus 34:24; Deuteronomy 6:10; Joshua 21:43; Psalms 80:8.
Verse 45 declares they were Divinely given these "that they might observe his statutes, and keep (guard, observe) his laws. Praise ye the Lord," or Hallelujah to the Lord, Deuteronomy 4:1; Deuteronomy 6:21; Deuteronomy 26:16; Exodus 15:26; Exodus 20:6; Psalms 9:11. One should conclude: 1) God is faithful to His promise; 2) man should obey Him!