Psalms 105:1

“O give thanks unto the Lord, etc.] These are the words of David, either to the singers, or rather to the whole congregation of Israel, the seed of Abraham, and children of Jacob, (<19A506>Psalm 105:6) stirring them up to praise and thankfulness for their mercies, temporal and spiritual; for the Messiah they had hope and expectation of, typified by the ark now brought home; for the word and ordinances, and opportunities of waiting upon God in them; for heaven and happiness, figured by Canaan’s land given them to enjoy. Or, “confess or celebrate the Lord” f1481; his greatness and goodness: his being and perfections; his sovereignty over all creatures: confess him as your Creator, Benefactor,…”

“This Psalm gives a detailed confession of the sins of Israel in all periods of their history, with special reference to the terms of the covenant as intimated (Psa 105:45). It is introduced by praise to God for the wonders of His mercy, and concluded by a supplication for His favor to His afflicted people, and a doxology. (Psa. 106:1-48) Praise, &c.--(See on Psa 104:35), begins and ends the Psalm, intimating the obligations of praise, however we sin and suffer Ch1 16:34-36 is the source from which the beginning and end of this Psalm are derived.”

“O give thanks unto the Lord - The design here is to show that thanks should be given to the Lord in view of his dealings with his people, as stated in the subsequent portions of the psalm. Call upon his name - More literally, “Call him by his name;” that is, Address him by his proper title; ascribe to him the attributes which properly belong to him; or, address him in a proper manner. Make known his deeds among the people - What he has done in former times. The allusion is to his acts in behalf of his people in delivering them from Egyptian bondage, and bringing them to the promised land. The word “people” here refers to the Hebrew people; and the exhortation is, that the knowledge of these…”

“Ps 105 This hymn praises the Lord’s faithfulness to Abraham and his descendants in all their journeys—from Ur to Canaan (105:12), to Egypt (105:17, 23), through the wilderness (105:37, 41), and back to Canaan (105:44). All of this fulfilled the Lord’s promise to Abraham (105:9, 42), which was the basis for Israel’s very existence. Joseph, whose suffering was changed into glory, is a paradigm of encouragement for Israel (105:16-25). • Psalm 105:1-15 (along with 96; 106:1, 47-48) is included in David’s song of praise recorded in 1 Chr 16. 105:1-5 The poet begins with the exhortation Give thanks (see also 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; 136:1). The other psalms continue with the refrain “for he is good!”…”

“am 2962, bc 1042 (Title), It appears from 1Chr. 16, where the former part of this Psalm, as far as the Psa 105:16, is found with little variation, that David composed it at the removal of the ark to Mount Zion, and he himself probably enlarged it afterwards with the glorious detail of God's merciful dealings with Abraham and his posterity till their settlement in the land of Promise. The Hallelujah, which terminates the preceding Psalm, is made the title of this by the Septuagint, Vulgate, Arabic, and Ethiopic; and the Syriac considers it a paraphrase on the words, "Fear not, Jacob, to go down into Egypt;" "and teaches us spiritually not to fear when we are obliged to contend with devils;…”

“Invitation to the praise - praise that resounds far and wide among the peoples - of the God who has become manifest wondrously in the deeds and words connected with the history of the founding of Israel. הודה לה, as in Psa 33:2; Psa 75:2, of a praising and thankful confession offered to God; קרא בשׁם ה, to call with the name of Jahve, i.e., to call upon it, of an audible, solemn attestation of God in prayer and in discourse (Symmachus, κηρύσσετε). The joy of heart (Note: The Mugrash of ישׂמח with the following Legarme seems here to be of equal value with Zakeph, Ch1 16:10.) that is desired is the condition of a joyous opening of the mouth and Israel's own stedfast turning towards Jahve, the…”