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Olive Trees. Vincent van Gogh, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, November 1889. Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Psalm 105

45 verses · Historical psalm

He sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave.

The line breaks below follow the poem's own punctuation.

Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations.

Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders.

Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.

Remember the wonders He has done, His marvels, and the judgments He has pronounced,

O offspring of His servant Abraham, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones.

He is the LORD our God;His judgments carry throughout the earth.

He remembers His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations—

the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac.

He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:

“I will give you the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.”

When they were few in number, few indeed, and strangers in the land,

they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.

He let no man oppress them;He rebuked kings on their behalf:

“Do not touch My anointed ones!Do no harm to My prophets!”

He called down famine on the land and cut off all their supplies of food.

He sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave.

They bruised his feet with shackles and placed his neck in irons,

until his prediction came true and the word of the LORD proved him right.

The king sent and released him; the ruler of peoples set him free.

He made him master of his household, ruler over all his substance,

to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.

Then Israel entered Egypt;Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.

And the LORD made His people very fruitful, more numerous than their foes,

whose hearts He turned to hate His people, to conspire against His servants.

He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron, whom He had chosen.

They performed His miraculous signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.

He sent darkness, and it became dark— yet they defied His words.

He turned their waters to blood and caused their fish to die.

Their land teemed with frogs, even in their royal chambers.

He spoke, and insects swarmed— gnats throughout their country.

He gave them hail for rain, with lightning throughout their land.

He struck their vines and fig trees and shattered the trees of their country.

He spoke, and the locusts came— young locusts without number.

They devoured every plant in their land and consumed the produce of their soil.

Then He struck all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their vigor.

He brought Israel out with silver and gold, and none among His tribes stumbled.

Egypt was glad when they departed, for the dread of Israel had fallen on them.

He spread a cloud as a covering and a fire to light up the night.

They asked, and He brought quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

He opened a rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.

For He remembered His holy promise to Abraham His servant.

He brought forth His people with rejoicing, His chosen with shouts of joy.

He gave them the lands of the nations, that they might inherit the fruit of others’ labor,

that they might keep His statutes and obey His laws. Hallelujah!

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