The big picture
Psalms 105 opens in verse 1 with “O give thanks unto the LORD ; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 23 with “Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.”, and closes in verse 45 with “That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD .” Repeated or prominent terms include land, people, LORD, servant, word. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 45Psalms 105:1-8
1–8: O give thanks unto the LORD ; call upon his name: make known his deeds…
Psalms 105:1–8 opens with “O give thanks unto the LORD ; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.” and reaches “He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 105 develops its own movement around land, people, LORD, servant, word, with particular weight carried by LORD, seek, judgments.
Context that brings the passage to life
“O give thanks unto the LORD ; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.” The line’s distinctive content terms include call, deeds, known. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
Psalms 105:1-8
King James Version1O give thanks unto the LORD ; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.
2Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.
3Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD .
4Seek the LORD , and his strength: seek his face evermore.
5Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
6O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.
7He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.
8He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
Psalms 105:9-16
9–16: Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;
Psalms 105:9–16 opens with “Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;” and reaches “Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 105 develops its own movement around land, people, LORD, servant, word, with particular weight carried by covenant, land, Abraham.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
Psalms 105:9-16
King James Version9Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;
10And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:
11Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:
12When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.
13When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people;
14He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;
15Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
16Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.
Psalms 105:17-24
17–24: He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
Psalms 105:17–24 opens with “He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:” and reaches “And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 105 develops its own movement around land, people, LORD, servant, word, with particular weight carried by LORD, people, ruler.
Context that brings the passage to life
“He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:” Naming Joseph keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Psalms 105:17-24
King James Version17He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
18Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:
19Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.
20The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.
21He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:
22To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.
23Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
24And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.
Psalms 105:25-32
25–32: He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his…
Psalms 105:25–32 opens with “He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.” and reaches “He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 105 develops its own movement around land, people, LORD, servant, word, with particular weight carried by land, turned, Aaron.
Context that brings the passage to life
“He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.” The line’s distinctive content terms include deal, hate, heart. Its relationship to verses 26 shows what work it does in this passage.
Psalms 105:25-32
King James Version25He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.
26He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.
28He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word.
29He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.
30Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings.
31He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.
32He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.
Psalms 105:33-40
33–40: He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of…
Psalms 105:33–40 opens with “He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.” and reaches “The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 105 develops its own movement around land, people, LORD, servant, word, with particular weight carried by land, smote, trees.
Context that brings the passage to life
“He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.” The line’s distinctive content terms include trees, brake, coasts. Its relationship to verses 34 shows what work it does in this passage.
Psalms 105:33-40
King James Version33He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.
34He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,
35And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.
36He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.
37He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
38Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.
39He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.
40The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
Psalms 105:41-45
41–45: He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry…
Psalms 105:41–45 opens with “He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.” and reaches “That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD .” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 105 develops its own movement around land, people, LORD, servant, word, with particular weight carried by people, Abraham, chosen.
Psalms 105:41-45
King James Version41He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.
42For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.
43And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:
44And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people;
45That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD .
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 105:1 begins with “O give thanks unto the LORD ; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 105:19 forms a natural hinge: “Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.”
The final note
Psalms 105:45 leaves the reader with “That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD .”
A word trail through the chapter
The words land, people, LORD, servant, word, Abraham help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- hath
- has
- spake
- spoke
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.