IN EGYPT’S LAND.
Psalm 105:1-6, Psalm 105:23-26, Psalm 105:45b.
PSALM 105:1. There is a call to “give thanks to the LORD.” It is always appropriate to remember and acknowledge the LORD’s gracious dealings with us.
Then there is an exhortation to “call upon His name.” We offer our praise and thanksgiving always to Him. His name (or names) represent who He is. We worship the one true and living God; the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel; and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And there is a call to “make known His deeds among the people.” Not just the people of God, but all the peoples of the earth. It is a call to witness; a summons to testimony; and a commission to world mission.
PSALM 105:2. The next imperative is to: “Sing unto Him.” It is to the LORD that we are offering our praises. It is not for the choir to entertain the congregation, but for all to lift their voices in praise to the LORD.
And the Bible even provides us with a hymn book: “sing Psalms unto Him.” The book of Psalms is full of ‘psalms, hymns and spiritual songs’ (cf. Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). And it is a part of the inspired word of God.
Then we are told what to talk about: “talk ye of all His wonderful works.” We can all find plenty to talk about, but the best conversation is godly conversation. The “ye” is plural, so that each one of His children is encouraged to speak of God’s mighty works of creation and of grace, and of mercy and love. We can share what we understand of Him from the Bible, and testify to what He has done in our own lives.
PSALM 105:3. Then there is a call to: “Glory ye in His holy name.” What a wonderful God we have! In this verse we are told that His name is holy. Everything about Him is holy.
And we are exhorted, “let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.” Our priority is to ‘seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness’ (cf. Matthew 6:33) – and it a joy to do so. Even after we have sought the Lord and found Him, it is a joy to go on seeking and learning in order to get to know Him better.
PSALM 105:4. So we are called to: “Seek the LORD and His strength.” We depend upon Him. His strength is made perfect in our weakness (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:9).
We are encouraged also to “seek His face evermore.” We desire His presence at all times, and look for the day when we shall see Him face to face, and be like Him evermore.
PSALM 105:5. And we are exhorted to: “REMEMBER His marvellous works that He hath done.” How can we forget? Yet time and time again His people do forget. Then trouble comes, and we are forced to remember: ‘Hitherto hath the LORD helped us’ (cf. 1 Samuel 7:12).
His marvellous works are described as “His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.” God spoke, and it was done. Deliverance came, enemies were scattered. Both sin and death were vanquished at the Cross.
PSALM 105:6. These imperatives are addressed to: “O ye seed of Abraham His servant, ye children of Jacob His servant.” Abraham saw the judgment on Sodom. The children of Jacob saw His marvellous works in Egypt. Yet Christians, too, are children of Abraham, chosen in Christ Jesus: and we are called to remember what Jesus has done for us!
PSALM 105:23. “Israel also came into Egypt,” along with all his progeny. There they became “sojourners.” This is what Christians are: ‘strangers and pilgrims in the earth’ (cf. Hebrews 11:13). This world is not our home, we are just passing through. The tribes of Israel/ Jacob were drawn to Egypt by their need of food during a famine, and were initially welcomed by Pharaoh.
PSALM 105:24. There the LORD “increased His people” and “made them stronger” than the Egyptians. The children of Israel were ‘fruitful, and increased abundantly, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them’ (cf. Exodus 1:7). It was as if the whole of God’s creation blessing upon man (cf. Genesis 1:28) rested in this one family.
PSALM 105:25. “He turned their heart to hate His people,” to deal unkindly with His servants. When we are told that God ‘hardened’ the heart of Pharaoh (cf. Exodus 7:13), we are also told that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (cf. Exodus 8:32). God is not the author of sin, but sin is already there in men - and God is well able to turn it to His own ultimate purposes. Men would later deal unkindly with Jesus and thus unwittingly play their part in the great act of man’s redemption.
PSALM 105:26. Into this situation, God commissioned and “sent” Moses and Aaron, just as He had ‘sent’ Joseph before. Jesus, in His turn, ‘sent’ His disciples two by two.’ Two men plus God makes ‘a threefold cord which cannot be broken’ (cf. Ecclesiastes 4:12).
PSALM 105:45b. “Praise ye the LORD.”
