Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45

Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 (NRSV)

¹ O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,

make known his deeds among the peoples.

² Sing to him, sing praises to him;

tell of all his wonderful works.

³ Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

⁴ Seek the Lord and his strength;

seek his presence continually.

⁵ Remember the wonderful works he has done,

his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered,

⁶ O offspring of his servant Abraham,

children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

³⁷ Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold,

and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled.

³⁸ Egypt was glad when they departed,

for dread of them had fallen upon it.

³⁹ He spread a cloud for a covering,

and fire to give light by night.

⁴⁰ They asked, and he brought quails,

and gave them food from heaven in abundance.

⁴¹ He opened the rock, and water gushed out;

it flowed through the desert like a river.

⁴² For he remembered his holy promise,

and Abraham, his servant.

⁴³ So he brought his people out with joy,

his chosen ones with singing.

⁴⁴ He gave them the lands of the nations,

and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples,

⁴⁵ that they might keep his statutes

and observe his laws.

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 105-6 is an historical hymn. I Chronicles 16:8-22 quotes this psalm at a festival. Psalm 78 is like this psalm in its focus upon the mighty deeds and miracles of the Lord.  Strangely, no mention of anything associated with Sinai. Psalm 105 was originally the first half of a longer psalm, of which Psalm 106 is the continuation. While both psalms present a theological interpretation of the history of Israel, that interpretation includes a confession of the sins of Israel that led to judgment and punishment. This view of Israel's history - that faithfulness leads to blessing and prosperity, while unfaithfulness leads to punishment and suffering - is the dominant theological view of the OT. Only rarely does anyone question it. Most famously, this questioning occurs in the Book of Job. However, even an acknowledgment of Israel’s sins cannot squelch the spirit of thankfulness that characterizes Psalm 105. The psalm must have been part of the covenant festival. The focus of the festival was to help people today remember what God had done among the people of God in the past. Verses 1-6 are an introduction to the hymn. I would point first to the call to give thanks and to call upon the Lord. The focus of worship is to re-direct our attention from our natural inclination to focus upon ourselves and to direct our attention to the Lord. Such re-centering, recognizing the center of our lives is outside us, is vital to our spiritual growth. Yet, a second point centers on the “Magalia Dei” that constitutes large sections of the Old Testament. The deeds, wonderful works, miracles of the Lord is a summary way of referring to the history of the dealings of the Lord with creation, the Patriarchs, the formation of the Hebrew people or Israel under Moses and the judges, and the continuation of the nation under the kings. Interestingly, classical rabbinic Judaism never placed much emphasis upon this aspect of the exhortations we find in the Old Testament. All of this is to bring the minds and hearts of the people to a focus upon the Lord in such a way that brings praise to the Lord. Those who seek the Lord, which they are to do continually, are to rejoice. They are also to remember the judgments the Lord has uttered. Among such judgments was the election or choice of a people from among all the peoples of the earth. The people in the sanctuary assemble as the inheritors of the promises to Abraham and the patriarchs.^[1]  Even the Patriarchs received the benefit of election or choice of a people.^[2] In verses 37-38, continuing with the exodus from Egypt, Israel left Egypt with silver and gold. Egypt released these people joyfully. They did not mourn the departure of Israel. They had the attitude at that point as many of us have had, “Good riddance to bad rubbish.” Verses 39-41 refer to miracles during the wilderness wandering. In referring to the cloud and fire, the writer paints a picture of a theophany during worship. The writer says the people of the wilderness “asked” for food from the Lord. The psalmist is quite generous. Reading Exodus 16:2-15, the word “complain” occurs seven times. If Moses had a complaint desk, the desk would have been open 24/7. Yet, it reminds us of our complaints as well. What are our complaints? Do we expect God to listen? The time we complain may be dark. Do we have the faith that the food and drink we need is coming? Verses 42-45 are the conclusion, returning to fulfillment of covenant promise.  The Decalogue may have been part of the covenant festival. In remembering the promise to the servant of the Lord, Abraham, we can see that the election tradition of Israel could speak of the Patriarchs as the elected or chosen ones.^[3] Therefore, the Lord brought the people of the Lord, the chosen ones, with joy and singing out of Egypt and to a land already inhabited. The text does not deal directly with the wars and suffering that would occur in order to possess the land and wealth of these people. The purpose of this move is that these people would live in accord with the laws the Lord graciously gave them. For this history of the Lord dealing with this people, they are to offer praise to the Lord.

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[1] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 3, 443.

[2] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology, Volume 3, 455. He refers to Koch (ZNW 67, 1955, 205ff.

[3] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 3, 443.