Psalms 105

The first fifteen verses of this psalm are found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-22, and are there assigned to David on occasion of the second removal of the ark. It was a moment in the national history for a review of the mercies and faithfulness of God along the ages, keeping covenant with his people in all their changing conditions. It is not necessary to seek further for the date of the poem. The Septuagint makes it a praise-psalm by inserting “hallelujah” in the title. In its subject it is an exhortation to praise God and faithfully keep his covenant, urged by a rehearsal of his judgments in the accomplishment of his promises to Abraham and the fathers. The poet simply follows down the order of events, aiming at nothing beyond giving the history a lyrical form. The poetic form is exceedingly simple, and the verses, which are throughout distichs, may be grouped as follows: Psalms 105:1-6, an earnest exhortation to give thanks and sing unto God, and to speak of and remember his works; Psalms 105:7-11, a rehearsal of God’s faithful remembrance of his covenant with Abraham, to give to his seed the land of Canaan; Psalms 105:12-24, the providence of God to his people in their earliest history, prior to the exodus; Psalms 105:25-38, the ever wonderful story of the exodus; Psalms 105:39-45, the desert life of Israel and their settlement in Canaan. See also introductions to Psalms 96, 106