Read Psalm 105
Questions from the Scripture text: How does the Psalm begin (Psalm 105:1a)? How does it end (Psalm 105:45c, cf. Psalm 105:2a, Psalm 105:3a)? What is to be added to this thanksgiving and praise (Psalm 105:1b, cf. Psalm 105:3-4)? What else (Psalm 105:1c, cf. Psalm 105:2b, Psalm 105:5)? Among whom? What does Psalm 105:6 call these peoples? Who is He (Psalm 105:7a)? And to them? Where does He operate (verse 7b)? What does He remember (Psalm 105:8)? For how long? With whom did He make it (Psalm 105:9-10)? What did He promise them (Psalm 105:11)? At what time (Psalm 105:12-13)? What did He do for them then (Psalm 105:14)? What did He call them (Psalm 105:15)? What was one way He brought His covenant to pass (Psalm 105:16-22)? What was another (Psalm 105:23-25)? How was this resolved (Psalm 105:26-38)? What was it like when He brought them out (Psalm 105:39-41)? Why did He do this for a grumbling people (Psalm 105:42)? What did He give them in their hearts (Psalm 105:43)? Why—what does this verse call them? What else did He give them (Psalm 105:44)? So that they would do what (Psalm 105:45a–b)?
Why does God redeem sinners? Psalm 105 prepares us for the opening portion of public worship on the Lord’s Day. In these forty-five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God redeems sinners to display His glory in faithfulness, power, mercy, generosity, and wisdom.
God redeems sinners to display His glory, Psalm 105:1–5, Psalm 105:45c. There is nothing better for the creature than to enjoy the great glory of the Creator, which God has especially given His people to do by praising (Psalm 105:1a, Psalm 105:2a, Psalm 105:3a, Psalm 105:45c), praying (Psalm 105:1b, Psalm 105:3-4), and preaching (Psalm 105:1c, Psalm 105:2b, Psalm 105:5). God is His own pleasure from all eternity, and there is no greater gift than for Him to bring us into His pleasure in His own glory (Psalm 105:43, cf. John 15:11, John 17:13, John 17:22, John 17:24).
God redeems sinners to display His faithfulness, Psalm 105:6-12, Psalm 105:42. He makes them promises so that they are brought into fellowship with Him by His Word. This binding-promise, Psalm 105:8-10 calls a covenant. He spoke it (Psalm 105:11), when it appeared impossible (Psalm 105:12), showing that His Word will always be kept, simply because it is His (Psalm 105:42). His redemption, coming according to covenant, is a great display of His faithfulness.
God redeems sinners to display His power, Psalm 105:13-38. Whether Canaanites (Psalm 105:13-15), famine and slavery for Joseph (Psalm 105:16-22), or bondage under a hostile Pharaoh (Psalm 105:23-38), the Lord brought His people through hardship after hardship. He displayed His power in protecting them from ultimate harm, in carrying them in the midst of the hardship, and in delivering them out of the hardship. This was especially on display in the plagues. God’s redemption is a great display of His power.
God redeems sinners to display His mercy, Psalm 105:39-41. The amazing thing about this part of the Psalm is that, despite God making a display of Himself to them, they grumbled! The grumbling about food and water literally occurred before the pillar of cloud and fire. Yet, God showed them mercy with quail, manna, and even water from the rock. He redeems sinners precisely to display the riches of His glory in mercy toward them who don’t deserve it.
God redeems sinners to display His generosity, Psalm 105:43-44. As we noted in thinking about the display of His glory, this is the greatest generosity. Protection, provision, inheritance… these are all well and good. But the great generosity is the joy and gladness of knowing Him and being known by Him, of loving Him and being loved by Him. It is the joy of God Himself, and He redeems us to bring us into it. When the Lord Jesus is praying for us according to the eternal covenant within the Godhead, this is precisely what He prays for (Psalm 105:43, cf. John 15:11; John 17:13, John 17:22, John 17:24).
God redeems sinners to display His wisdom, Psalm 105:45a–b. In redeeming sinners, God makes sinners new so that they receive His Word, and as He sustains them in following that Word, they discover the goodness and fruitfulness of His wisdom in their lives. He saves them by grace through faith. And not only does He give them statutes and laws, but He works in them to make them to walk in those good works that He has prepared beforehand for them (Psalm 105:44, cf. Ephesians 2:8–10).
God redeems sinners for His own glory in their good. What a marvelous God He is! Praise the LORD!
What is your chief end? Has God redeemed you? How ought you respond? How have you been responding this way? For each attribute of His in this Psalm, what is one way that He has done this with you?
Sample prayer: Lord, we praise You for Your great glory. You have been faithful to make Your covenant and keep it. You have protected us from every evil, sustained us through every trial, and will save us out of every adversity. We praise You for the mercy in which You repay our sin with forgiveness in Christ and kindness that is according to His merity. Thus You gave your people meat, and manna, and water. And thus You have given us every blessing in our lives. Even more than that, You have made Yourself our reward and joy, bringing us into Your own glory and joy. Grant that we would observe Your statutes and keep Your laws, and glorify and enjoy You now and forever, through Jesus Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP105A “O Thank the LORD (Call on His Name)” or TPH105C “O Praise the LORD, His Deeds Make Known”
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