FROM EGYPT TO CANAAN.
Psalm 105:1-6, Psalm 105:37-45.
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!
(i). The Exodus.
PSALM 105:37. After the smiting of the firstborn in Egypt, the LORD brought forth His people with both wealth and wellness (cf. 3 John 2). The Egyptians sacked their own houses in order to pay the children of Israel some back pay for all those years of hard labour. And of the Israelites, even after having been under the lash for so long, there was yet “not one feeble among them.”
PSALM 105:38. By contrast, amongst the Egyptians every household had lost their firstborn. So it is no wonder that the Egyptians were glad to see the back of Jacob’s descendants. “Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.” To say nothing of the fear of God.
(ii). The Wilderness.
PSALM 105:39. Tokens of God’s presence with them from the Red Sea to the promised land: a cloud to cover them by day; “and a fire to give light in the night.”
PSALM 105:40. Sustenance in the barren wilderness. No mention of their murmurings, but God “brought” quails, and “satisfied” them with “the bread of heaven” (manna). Jesus, the One who came down from heaven, is the bread of life (cf. John 6:35; John 6:48-51).
PSALM 105:41. Furthermore He “opened the rock and the waters gushed out.” They ran in streams through the whole camp of the Israelites, to nourish them for the journey. Our blessings flow from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Rock of our salvation (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:1-4), who gives us ‘rivers of living water’ (cf. John 7:38).
PSALM 105:42. “For” introduces a reason for all these God-given miracles. ‘Because’ (if you like) God remembered His covenant with Abraham their father. The holy God kept His “holy promise.”
PSALM 105:43. “And He brought forth His people with joy.” This speaks of His rejoicing over them. “And His chosen with gladness.” This speaks of the gladness and relief of the children of Israel at their deliverance. The LORD rejoices to save us, and we rejoice in Him for our salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
iii). The Promised Land.
PSALM 105:44. As we move on from the days of Moses to the days of Joshua, we see that it was the LORD who “gave them the lands of the heathen.” The LORD gave Israel ‘a land for which you did not labour, and cities which you built not,’ and fruit from vines and olives which they had not planted (cf. Joshua 24:13).
PSALM 105:45. But why was Israel delivered from their bondage? Why were they given all this? It was so that they might be a holy people to the LORD, “observing His statutes, and keeping His laws.” We are saved not BY good works, but ‘UNTO good works’ (cf. Ephesians 2:8-10), that we too might be a holy people unto the LORD – the laws having now been written upon our hearts (cf. Jeremiah 31:32).
And having reflected upon all that the LORD had done for Israel; it is no wonder that they raised up their Alleluias in response to the imperative, “Praise ye the LORD.” Shall not we do likewise when we think of the great salvation which is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord?
Amen. Alleluia. “Praise ye the LORD.”
