Psa 105:3 | KingComments | STEP | This psalm recounts what the LORD has done to fulfill His covenant with Abraham. The psalmist describes the great and powerful acts of God at the origin of His people, acts that the people should hold in grateful memory. He sings of the LORD’s faithfulness toward His people. In Psalm 104 we find the glory of the LORD in connection with creation. In Psalms 105-106 we find the glory of the LORD in connection with His people Israel. Psalm 105 describes the ways of the LORD with His people before the law of Sinai, that is, the ways of God’s grace. The basis of those ways is the covenant He made with Abraham. We see an example of the ways of God’s grace in the family of John the baptist in the Gospel according to Luke, which can be called the Gospel of God’s grace. His mother’s name is Elisabeth, which means God has promised (covenant). His father’s name is Zechariah, which means the LORD has remembered. The name of their son, John, means the LORD is gracious. That means that the LORD’s faithfulness to His covenant is only possible by the way of His grace, through the Mediator Who shed the blood of the new covenant. We recognize that here in Psalm 105. The psalm begins at the beginning of Israel’s history and ends with the people’s entry into the promised land. We find these paths described in the section from Genesis 15 to Exodus 17. There is not a word about the sins and deviations of God’s people. Psalm 105 is only about what God has done. Finally, the remnant of the people are introduced into the promised land ( ). Psalm 106 describes the ways of the LORD with His people after the law at Sinai, that is, the failure of the people because of their rebellion and sin. That psalm skips the period described in Psalm 105. We can compare the difference between the two psalms to the difference between the books of Chronicles and the books of Kings. In the books of Chronicles the emphasis is on the grace of God and in the books of Kings the (failing) responsibility of man, the people of Israel, is emphasized. The history of God’s grace to Israel described in Psalm 105 is the history of Abraham ( ), Joseph ( ) and Moses ( ). Compare the speech of Stephen in Acts 7 where he also speaks of the history of Abraham ( ), Joseph ( ) and Moses ( ). In Psalm 105 we find in the story of Abraham the promise of God’s grace, in that of Joseph the source of God’s grace, namely the suffering of Christ, and in that of Moses the effect of God’s grace, the redemption of the people. In 1 Chronicles 16 we can find the words of of this psalm almost word for word. There the words used here are attributed to David ( ). The fact that no poet of this psalm is named places even greater emphasis on its content as the expression of every believing heart. These verses first mention the activities to which God’s people are called ( ; ) and then the promises of God ( ; ). As we read , we see the activities to which the people are called as descendants of Israel and Jacob. The activities include to give thanks, call upon, make known ( ), sing, sing praises, speak ( ), glory, be glad ( ), seek ( ), remember ( ). The psalmist begins by calling to give thanks to the LORD, the God of the covenant ( ). Then he says that God’s people must call upon His Name, that is, mention His Name when they speak of His wonders. Only those who are in a covenant relationship with Him can do that. This connection with God also has an outward aspect, to the nations around them. “Among the peoples” God’s people are to give testimony of God’s deeds. We see in this verse that the people are “a holy priesthood” toward God ( ; ) and that they are also “a royal priesthood” toward the nations around them ( ; ). In all these activities, the wonders of the LORD are made the subject of the song, and the deeds are displayed in which He reveals Himself, also to the nations. We may consider that for us all this is far exceeded by the wonders of the Lord Jesus at His coming in the flesh, His work on the cross, His resurrection and His glorification. What occasions for us to ‘display’ all this in worship before God! God’s people have every reason to sing to Him and to do so with singing praises to Him ( ). Connected to that is the next call: they are to “speak of all His wonders”. God has done so many wonders for His people. Several are mentioned later in the psalm. “Speaking” means that they are to meditate on God’s wonders and bear witness to them (cf. ). The glory of the people lies “in His holy name” ( ). God’s name is holy. This is how He has made Himself known ( ). That they are joined to Him, or rather, that He has joined them to Himself, is only His work. They are sanctified by Him and for Him. Nothing is due to them. The heart that is full of the LORD, “seeks the LORD” ( ) and “seeks His face” ( ). God is the source of joy. His actions are a cause of joy. The call to “seek the LORD and His strength” ( ) is the call to call on Him and His strength for help. He who seeks the LORD also seeks for “His strength” that has become manifest in his redemption. God has shown His power for his benefit. The consequence of this in turn is the desire to “seek His face continually”, that is, to live continually in His presence. Asking help of the LORD is not just asking for something from a distance, it is seeking His face, that is, He Himself comes to us with His strength (cf. ; ; ). The last thing God’s people are called to here is to think “of His wonders which He has done, His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth” ( ). The wonders He has done are each one worth thinking about and admiring. Wonders are events that provoke wonder. The psalmist mentions two aspects of them: His marvels and the judgments of His mouth. These marvels are signs, that is, wonders with a meaning, with a message. In this case, the wonder implies that God was behind Moses’ message. These marvels are an endorsement, a seal, for the message being brought (cf. ). These wonders are also judgments, that is, God wondrously defeats the enemies and their gods. With His mouth He has pronounced His judgments on the enemies. Therefore, His people have nothing to fear from them. The call to all these activities is made to a people who are in a special relationship with Him. That relationship is given in two names, each with a different addition. They are the “seed of Abraham”, to which is added “His servant” ( ). With the patriarch Abraham begins the history of the people, a people set to serve God. They are also “sons of Jacob”, to which is added “His chosen ones” ( ). With “sons of Jacob” the emphasis is on the weakness of their dedication to God and the wrong ways the people have gone. That is why it is so beautiful that the very addition “His chosen ones” appears after this name, which speaks of the fact that God chose them despite their weakness and wrong ways.

‏ Psalms 105:3

Introduction

This psalm recounts what the LORD has done to fulfill His covenant with Abraham. The psalmist describes the great and powerful acts of God at the origin of His people, acts that the people should hold in grateful memory. He sings of the LORD’s faithfulness toward His people.

In Psalm 104 we find the glory of the LORD in connection with creation. In Psalms 105-106 we find the glory of the LORD in connection with His people Israel. Psalm 105 describes the ways of the LORD with His people before the law of Sinai, that is, the ways of God’s grace. The basis of those ways is the covenant He made with Abraham.

We see an example of the ways of God’s grace in the family of John the baptist in the Gospel according to Luke, which can be called the Gospel of God’s grace. His mother’s name is Elisabeth, which means God has promised (covenant). His father’s name is Zechariah, which means the LORD has remembered. The name of their son, John, means the LORD is gracious. That means that the LORD’s faithfulness to His covenant is only possible by the way of His grace, through the Mediator Who shed the blood of the new covenant. We recognize that here in Psalm 105.

The psalm begins at the beginning of Israel’s history and ends with the people’s entry into the promised land. We find these paths described in the section from Genesis 15 to Exodus 17. There is not a word about the sins and deviations of God’s people. Psalm 105 is only about what God has done. Finally, the remnant of the people are introduced into the promised land (Psa 105:44-45).

Psalm 106 describes the ways of the LORD with His people after the law at Sinai, that is, the failure of the people because of their rebellion and sin. That psalm skips the period described in Psalm 105.

We can compare the difference between the two psalms to the difference between the books of Chronicles and the books of Kings. In the books of Chronicles the emphasis is on the grace of God and in the books of Kings the (failing) responsibility of man, the people of Israel, is emphasized.

The history of God’s grace to Israel described in Psalm 105 is the history of Abraham (Psa 105:7-15), Joseph (Psa 105:16-22) and Moses (Psa 105:23-43). Compare the speech of Stephen in Acts 7 where he also speaks of the history of Abraham (Acts 7:2-8), Joseph (Acts 7:9-16) and Moses (Acts 7:17-43). In Psalm 105 we find in the story of Abraham the promise of God’s grace, in that of Joseph the source of God’s grace, namely the suffering of Christ, and in that of Moses the effect of God’s grace, the redemption of the people.

Activities of God’s People

In 1 Chronicles 16 we can find the words of Psa 105:1-15 of this psalm almost word for word. There the words used here are attributed to David (1Chr 16:7-22). The fact that no poet of this psalm is named places even greater emphasis on its content as the expression of every believing heart. These verses first mention the activities to which God’s people are called (Psa 105:1-6; 1Chr 16:8-13) and then the promises of God (Psa 105:7-15; 1Chr 16:14-22).

As we read Psa 105:1-6, we see the activities to which the people are called as descendants of Israel and Jacob. The activities include to give thanks, call upon, make known (Psa 105:1), sing, sing praises, speak (Psa 105:2), glory, be glad (Psa 105:3), seek (Psa 105:4), remember (Psa 105:5).

The psalmist begins by calling to give thanks to the LORD, the God of the covenant (Psa 105:1). Then he says that God’s people must call upon His Name, that is, mention His Name when they speak of His wonders. Only those who are in a covenant relationship with Him can do that. This connection with God also has an outward aspect, to the nations around them. “Among the peoples” God’s people are to give testimony of God’s deeds. We see in this verse that the people are “a holy priesthood” toward God (Psa 105:1a; 1Pet 2:5) and that they are also “a royal priesthood” toward the nations around them (Psa 105:1b; 1Pet 2:9).

In all these activities, the wonders of the LORD are made the subject of the song, and the deeds are displayed in which He reveals Himself, also to the nations. We may consider that for us all this is far exceeded by the wonders of the Lord Jesus at His coming in the flesh, His work on the cross, His resurrection and His glorification. What occasions for us to ‘display’ all this in worship before God!

God’s people have every reason to sing to Him and to do so with singing praises to Him (Psa 105:2). Connected to that is the next call: they are to “speak of all His wonders”. God has done so many wonders for His people. Several are mentioned later in the psalm. “Speaking” means that they are to meditate on God’s wonders and bear witness to them (cf. Psa 77:12-13).

The glory of the people lies “in His holy name” (Psa 105:3). God’s name is holy. This is how He has made Himself known (Exo 3:15). That they are joined to Him, or rather, that He has joined them to Himself, is only His work. They are sanctified by Him and for Him. Nothing is due to them. The heart that is full of the LORD, “seeks the LORD” (Psa 105:3b ; 4a) and “seeks His face” (Psa 105:4b). God is the source of joy. His actions are a cause of joy.

The call to “seek the LORD and His strength” (Psa 105:4) is the call to call on Him and His strength for help. He who seeks the LORD also seeks for “His strength” that has become manifest in his redemption. God has shown His power for his benefit. The consequence of this in turn is the desire to “seek His face continually”, that is, to live continually in His presence. Asking help of the LORD is not just asking for something from a distance, it is seeking His face, that is, He Himself comes to us with His strength (cf. Psa 23:4 ; Psa 27:8-9; Phil 3:10; Eph 1:19-20).

The last thing God’s people are called to here is to think “of His wonders which He has done, His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth” (Psa 105:5). The wonders He has done are each one worth thinking about and admiring. Wonders are events that provoke wonder. The psalmist mentions two aspects of them: His marvels and the judgments of His mouth.

These marvels are signs, that is, wonders with a meaning, with a message. In this case, the wonder implies that God was behind Moses’ message. These marvels are an endorsement, a seal, for the message being brought (cf. Mk 16:20). These wonders are also judgments, that is, God wondrously defeats the enemies and their gods. With His mouth He has pronounced His judgments on the enemies. Therefore, His people have nothing to fear from them.

The call to all these activities is made to a people who are in a special relationship with Him. That relationship is given in two names, each with a different addition. They are the “seed of Abraham”, to which is added “His servant” (Psa 105:6a). With the patriarch Abraham begins the history of the people, a people set to serve God.

They are also “sons of Jacob”, to which is added “His chosen ones” (Psa 105:6b). With “sons of Jacob” the emphasis is on the weakness of their dedication to God and the wrong ways the people have gone. That is why it is so beautiful that the very addition “His chosen ones” appears after this name, which speaks of the fact that God chose them despite their weakness and wrong ways.