Psalm 105

How I love this Psalm!  It is one of the grandest illustrations of the principle of Hermeneutics (how to interpret the Bible) that says the best interpreter of Scripture is Scripture.  When studying Genesis 12-50 I found this Psalm to be of inestimable value.  Consider this as you read and study this historical Hymn.

·        105:1-6: Call to the people of Abraham to praise God for His works/deeds.

·        105:7-8: The theme: God remembers His covenant forever.

·        105:9-15: The covenant in mind is the one God made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Israel.  It is what is commonly called the Palestinian Covenant, the promise of the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendents. To emphasize God’s faithfulness we are reminded this covenant was made when they were few in number and were strangers in the land.  But even at that time God was protecting His anointed ones. You may remember God called Abraham a prophet (Gen. 20:7).

·        105:16-25: God’s covenant faithfulness was on-going in the days of Joseph, including His allowing Jacob to take the family to Egypt. Notice that God called for a famine in the land (v16).  That amazing story of Joseph was part of what God was doing in forming His people Israel.

·        105:26-41: God’s faithfulness was certainly evident in the time of Moses, in the plagues and in the major provisions in the wilderness.  It was God’s promise that the Israelites, without an army, would nevertheless plunder Egypt.

·        105:42-45:  All this was done as God faithfully kept His covenant with Abraham.  They eventually made it to the land and joy and gladness, inheriting the labor of the nations that had occupied Canaan.

For us there is tremendous application.  The New Testament says, For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Psalm 105 is about Israel.  But it declares the faithfulness of God, who is our God as well, and who has established His covenant with believers. 

This is how we use the Old Testament.  We interpret it properly; in this case it is about the history of Israel.  But we also apply it energetically!  It was written for us that we might have hope.  And this is an amazing message of hope.  We are reminded that as with Israel, so God is using the events of our lives to bring us into the likeness of Christ.  We are reminded that God never fails to keep His word.  Even if we are small or few in number we can trust God! 

Let us also give thanks to the Lord!  Let us call upon His name!