Read & explore together
Tell of His Wonders
Psalm 105 is a song of thanks that tells Yahweh’s wonders in order. It calls his people to praise, seek, remember, and speak about what he has done.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
This poem addresses Abraham’s offspring and Jacob’s children. It remembers Yahweh’s covenant and traces his acts from the promise of Canaan, through Joseph and Egypt, to the people’s coming out with joy and the gift of land. The psalm ends by linking his gifts with obedience.
Psalms 105:1–45Main takeaway
Psalm 105 teaches that Yahweh’s people should remember and tell his works because he remembers his covenant and gave his gifts for faithful obedience.
Explore the poem and its images
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Praise, seek, rememberThe psalm opens with commands: give thanks, call on Yahweh, sing, glory in his holy name, seek him, and remember his works.
Explanation
The psalm opens with commands: give thanks, call on Yahweh, sing, glory in his holy name, seek him, and remember his works. Praise is both spoken and joyful. His marvelous works are not to be hidden, because those who seek Yahweh are called to rejoice.
02Covenant and careThe song speaks to Abraham’s offspring and Jacob’s chosen children. Yahweh’s judgments are in all the earth, yet this poem focuses on his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, including the promise of Canaan.
Explanation
The song speaks to Abraham’s offspring and Jacob’s chosen children. Yahweh’s judgments are in all the earth, yet this poem focuses on his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, including the promise of Canaan. That promise stood even when they were few, foreign, and moving between nations.
03Joseph and EgyptThe psalm says Yahweh called for famine and sent Joseph ahead, though Joseph was sold and put in irons until Yahweh’s word proved true.
Explanation
The psalm says Yahweh called for famine and sent Joseph ahead, though Joseph was sold and put in irons until Yahweh’s word proved true. Later he was freed and given rule. Israel then came to Egypt, grew strong, and Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron with wonders and judgments in the land.
04Brought out with joyYahweh brought his people out, provided cloud, fire, quails, bread from the sky, and water from the rock.
Explanation
Yahweh brought his people out, provided cloud, fire, quails, bread from the sky, and water from the rock. The reason given is that he remembered his holy word to Abraham. He gave them land so that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. The psalm ends with praise.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What do the opening commands show about how Yahweh’s works should be remembered?
Notice that the psalm includes speaking, singing, seeking, and rejoicing, not silent memory alone.
02How does the poem connect the covenant with the gift of land?
Follow the words about covenant, oath, and holy word, then compare them with the promise of Canaan and the later gift of lands.
03Why does the psalm say Yahweh gave the people the land?
Look at the final verse for the stated purpose, rather than adding another reason.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Psalms 105:1–45
1Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on his name! Make his doings known among the peoples.
2Sing to him, sing praises to him! Tell of all his marvelous works.
3Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice.
4Seek Yahweh and his strength. Seek his face forever more.
5Remember his marvelous works that he has done: his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,
6you offspring of Abraham, his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
7He is Yahweh, our God. His judgments are in all the earth.
8He has remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations,
9the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac,
10and confirmed it to Jacob for a statute; to Israel for an everlasting covenant,
11saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance,”
12when they were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners in it.
13They went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.
14He allowed no one to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,
15“Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!”
16He called for a famine on the land. He destroyed the food supplies.
17He sent a man before them. Joseph was sold for a slave.
18They bruised his feet with shackles. His neck was locked in irons,
19until the time that his word happened, and Yahweh’s word proved him true.
20The king sent and freed him, even the ruler of peoples, and let him go free.
21He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all of his possessions,
22to discipline his princes at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom.
23Israel also came into Egypt. Jacob lived in the land of Ham.
24He increased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their adversaries.
25He turned their heart to hate his people, to conspire against his servants.
26He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
27They performed miracles among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.
28He sent darkness, and made it dark. They didn’t rebel against his words.
29He turned their waters into blood, and killed their fish.
30Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the rooms of their kings.
31He spoke, and swarms of flies came, and lice in all their borders.
32He gave them hail for rain, with lightning in their land.
33He struck their vines and also their fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country.
34He spoke, and the locusts came with the grasshoppers, without number.
35They ate up every plant in their land, and ate up the fruit of their ground.
36He struck also all the firstborn in their land, the first fruits of all their manhood.
37He brought them out with silver and gold. There was not one feeble person among his tribes.
38Egypt was glad when they departed, for the fear of them had fallen on them.
39He spread a cloud for a covering, fire to give light in the night.
40They asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of the sky.
41He opened the rock, and waters gushed out. They ran as a river in the dry places.
42For he remembered his holy word, and Abraham, his servant.
43He brought his people out with joy, his chosen with singing.
44He gave them the lands of the nations. They took the labor of the peoples in possession,
45that they might keep his statutes, and observe his laws. Praise Yah!