Psalms 105:15
in Psalms 105“Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Saying, Touch not mine anointed ones, And do my prophets no harm.
KJV
Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
⋯
This verse in Psalms 105
Commentary
15 notes on this verseSaying, Touch not mine anointed,.... Or, "mine anointed ones"; my Christs, as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were, who, though not anointed with material oil, yet were all that, that such were, who in later times were anointed with it.
This site's exposition
When they were few in number
on Psalms 105:12-15
They were few, unsettled, and moving from nation to nation, and kings were rebuked on their account. The title prophet comes from Genesis 20:7, where God calls Abraham a prophet in His own words. At Genesis 26:11 Abimelech warns that whoever harms Isaac will die.
This site's exposition
Do not touch My anointed ones!
The patriarchs were never anointed with oil. The plural of mashiach here marks them as men God set apart for Himself. The same word is used of Saul at 1 Samuel 24:6, where David will not lift his hand against the LORD's anointed.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
"What time as they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people" [Psalm 105:13]. This is a repetition of what he had said, "from one nation to another." "He suffered no man to do them harm: but reproved even kings for their sakes" [Psalm 105:14]. "Touch not," He said, "Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm" [Psalm 105:15]. He declares the words of God chiding or reproving kings, that they might not harm the holy fathers, while they were small in number, very few, and they strangers in the land of Canaan. Although these words be not read in the books of that history, yet they are to be understood as either secretly spoken, as God speaks in the hearts of men by unseen and true visions, or even as announced through an Angel. For both the king of Gerar and the king of the Egyptians were warned from Heaven not to harm Abraham, and another king not to harm Isaac, [Genesis 26:8-11] and others not to harm Jacob; while they were very few, and strangers, before he went over into Egypt to sojourn with his sons: which is understood to be herein mentioned. But since it occurred to ask, before they passed over and multiplied in Egypt, how so few in number, and those strangers in a foreign land, could maintain themselves: he next adds, "He suffered no man to do them wrong," etc.
You are right to conclude that he [Jesus] is called Christ only because of the anointing, just as an apostle is so called because of his apostolic function and an angel from his office as messenger. Names like these clearly indicate certain functions rather than individual realities or specific persons. Even the prophets are called Christs, as it is sung in the Psalms: "Do not touch my Christs, and do not harm my prophets" The prophet Habbakuk also said, "You came forth for the salvation of your people, to save your Christs." But tell me this: Is it not true that even they would admit that there is only one Christ and Son, who is the Lord made man, the Only Begotten of God made flesh?
Touch not my anointed ones, and do no malice among my prophets. He speaks of the patriarchs themselves. Let the Jews therefore blush, who say that unless someone is anointed with royal ointment, he cannot be called anointed (christ). For they say this, that our Lord is not the Christ, because he is not anointed with royal ointment. Behold, before the law the patriarchs, not anointed with royal ointment, are called anointed ones (christs). But they are anointed ones (christs) who are anointed with the Holy Spirit. Therefore our Lord too is rightly called Christ.
A commentator
Archelaus of CarrhaeTHE ACTS OF THE DISPUTATION WITH THE HERESIARCH MANES 30 · Written before 278.
proposed
But after Moses had made his appearance, and had given the law to the children of Israel, and had brought into their memory all the requirements of the law, and all that it behoved men to observe and do under it, and when he delivered …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Fourthly, Even those that touch the prophets, nay that kill the prophets (as many did), cannot do them any harm, any real harm. Lastly, God's anointed prophets are dearer to him than anointed kings themselves. Jeroboam's hand was withered when it was stretched out against a prophet.
7 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
16 ), because he was always generous; and yet even in this world he was not wanting to them, but that he might appear, to do uncommon things for them, he exercised them with uncommon trials. [1.] They were few, very few. Abraham was called alone ( Isa. li.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number
The Nineteenth Century6 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The patriarch was the prophet, priest, and king of his family. my prophets--in a similar sense, compare Ge 20:7. The "anointed" are those vessels of God, consecrated to His service, "in whom (as Pharaoh said of Joseph, Ge 41:38) the Spirit of God is" [HENGSTENBERG].
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
few . . . in number--alluding to Jacob's words (Ge 34:30), "I being few in number." yea, very few--literally, "as a few," that is, like fewness itself (compare Isa 1:9). strangers--sojourners in the land of their future inheritance, as in a strange country (Heb 11:9).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Saying, touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. Abraham and his seed were in the midst of the world a generation of priests anointed to present sacrifice unto the most High God; since to them the oracles were committed, they were also the prophets of mankind; and they were kings too—a royal priesthood; hence they had received a threefold anointing. Their holy office surrounded them with a sacredness which rendered it sacrilege to molest them. The Lord was pleased to impress the wild tribes of Canaan with a respectful awe of the pious strangers who had come to abide with them, so that they came not near them to do them ill. The words here mentioned may not have been actually spoken, but the impression of awe which fell upon the nations is thus poetically described. God will not have those touched who have been set apart unto himself He calls them his own, saying, " Mine anointed" he declares that he has "anointed" them to be prophets, priests, and kings unto himself, and yet again he claims them as his prophets—"Do my prophets no harm." All through the many years in which the three great fathers dwelt in Canaan no man was able to injure them; they were not able to defend themselves by force of arms; but the eternal God was their refuge. Even so at this present time the remnant according to the election of grace cannot be destroyed, nay, nor so much as touched, without the divine consent. Against the church of Christ the gates of hell cannot prevail. In all this we see reasons for giving thanks unto the Lord, and proclaiming his name according to the exhortation of the first verse of the Psalm. Here ends the portion which was sung at the moving of the ark: its fitness to be used for such a purpose is very manifest, for the ark was the symbol both of the covenant and of that mystic dwelling of God with Israel which was at once her glory and her defence.
Saying, touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. Abraham and his seed were in the midst of the world a generation of priests anointed to present sacrifice unto the most High God; since to them the oracles were committed, they were also the prophets of mankind; and they were kings too—a royal priesthood; hence they had received a threefold anointing. Their holy office surrounded them with a sacredness which rendered it sacrilege to molest them.
Touch not mine anointed - It is supposed that the patriarchs are here intended; but the whole people of Israel may be meant. They were a kingdom of priests and kings unto God; and prophets, priests, and kings were always anointed.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Saying, Touch not mine anointed - That is, This was the language of his “providence.” It was as though God had said this. It is not meant that this was said in so many words, but this is the “poetic” form of representing the dealings of Providence. Compare Gen 26:11. The word “anointed” here means that God had, as it were, set them apart to his service, or that they were to him as kings, and priests, and prophets, sacred people, belonging to God. The “language” is not found in the Old Testament as applied to the patriarchs, but the “idea” is fairly implied there, that they belonged to God as sacred and holy men. And do my prophets no harm - As if God had thus spoken to them, and called them prophets. That is, they belonged to God as a sacred order: they were separate from other men, and God regarded them as his own.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַֽל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּגְּע֥וּ | tigeu | you touch | H5060 → | 150 times |
| בִמְשִׁיחָ֑י | vimshichai | <in> anointed [ones] my | H4899 → | 39 times |
| וְ֝לִנְבִיאַי | velinviai | and to prophets my | H5030 → | |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תָּרֵֽעוּ׃ | tareu | you do harm | H7489 → | 107 times |
אַֽל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּגְּע֥וּyou touch
tigeuH5060 →150 times
בִמְשִׁיחָ֑י<in> anointed [ones] my
vimshichaiH4899 →39 times
וְ֝לִנְבִיאַיand to prophets my
velinviaiH5030 →
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תָּרֵֽעוּ׃you do harm
tareuH7489 →107 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 John 2:27And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all…
it leads to
- John 14:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 2:20–21
You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.
- 1 Corinthians 2:13
And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
- John 16:13
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to…
- Jeremiah 31:33–34
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And…
- John 14:26
Through
Zechariah 2:8For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “After His Glory has sent Me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye—
it leads to
- Psalms 17:8
Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings
- Deuteronomy 32:10
He found him in a desert land, in a barren, howling wilderness; He surrounded him, He instructed him, He guarded him as the apple of His eye.
- John 15:21–23
But they will treat you like this because of My name, since they do not know the One who sent Me.
- Psalms 17:8
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Archelaus of Carrhae, THE ACTS OF THE DISPUTATION WITH THE HERESIARCH MANES 30; Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 105; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; Cyril of Alexandria, ON THE UNITY OF CHRIST; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Homily 31, on Psalm 104; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.