Psalm 105

This article is about Psalm 105 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 105 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 106.

Psalm 105 is the 105th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O give thanks unto the LORD". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate version of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 104. In Latin, it is known as "Confitemini Domino". Alexander Kirkpatrick observes that Psalms 105 and 106, the two historical psalms which end Book 4 of the Hebrew psalms, are closely related. Psalm 105 gives thanks for God's faithfulness to the covenant he made with Abraham; Psalm 106 is a psalm of penitence, reciting the history of Israel’s faithlessness and disobedience.

Psalm 105
"O give thanks unto the LORD"
Verse 3 quoted with a statue of Joseph in Diedesfeld
Other name	Psalm 104 Confitemini Domino
Language	Hebrew (original)

Psalm 105
← Psalm 104 Psalm 106 →
Book	Book of Psalms
Hebrew Bible part	Ketuvim
Order in the Hebrew part	1
Category	Sifrei Emet
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	19

Psalm 105 is used as a regular part of Jewish, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. It has been set to music.

Psalm 105 and Psalm 106, both long historical Psalms, delineate contrasting narratives within the thematic spectrum of divine fidelity and human unfaithfulness. Psalm 105 serves as a chronicle of God's unwavering faithfulness, while Psalm 106, concluding Book 4 of Psalms, presents a historical account marked by the unfaithfulness of God's people. Noteworthy is O. Palmer Robertson's discernment that both Psalms draw inspiration from disparate sections of 1 Chronicles 16. A distinctive feature of Book 4 is a pronounced prevalence of references to Chronicles.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse	Hebrew	English translation (JPS 1917)
1	הוֹד֣וּ לַ֭יהֹוָה קִרְא֣וּ בִשְׁמ֑וֹ הוֹדִ֥יעוּ בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִילוֹתָֽיו׃‎	O give thanks unto the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His doings among the peoples.
2	שִֽׁירוּ־ל֭וֹ זַמְּרוּ־ל֑וֹ שִׂ֝֗יחוּ בְּכׇל־נִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃‎	Sing unto Him, sing praises unto Him; Speak ye of all His marvellous works.
3	הִֽ֭תְהַלְלוּ בְּשֵׁ֣ם קׇדְשׁ֑וֹ יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח לֵ֤ב ׀ מְבַקְשֵׁ֬י יְהֹוָֽה׃‎	Glory ye in His holy name; Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
4	דִּרְשׁ֣וּ יְהֹוָ֣ה וְעֻזּ֑וֹ בַּקְּשׁ֖וּ פָנָ֣יו תָּמִֽיד׃‎	Seek ye the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually.
5	זִכְר֗וּ נִפְלְאוֹתָ֥יו אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֑ה מֹ֝פְתָ֗יו וּמִשְׁפְּטֵי־פִֽיו׃‎	Remember His marvellous works that He hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth;
6	זֶ֭רַע אַבְרָהָ֣ם עַבְדּ֑וֹ בְּנֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב בְּחִירָֽיו׃‎	O ye seed of Abraham His servant, Ye children of Jacob, His chosen ones.
7	ה֭וּא יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ בְּכׇל־הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ מִשְׁפָּטָֽיו׃‎	He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth.
8	זָכַ֣ר לְעוֹלָ֣ם בְּרִית֑וֹ דָּבָ֥ר צִ֝וָּ֗ה לְאֶ֣לֶף דּֽוֹר׃‎	He hath remembered His covenant for ever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations;
9	אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּ֭רַת אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וּשְׁב֖וּעָת֣וֹ לְיִשְׂחָֽק׃‎	[The covenant] which He made with Abraham, And His oath unto Isaac;
10	וַיַּעֲמִידֶ֣הָ לְיַעֲקֹ֣ב לְחֹ֑ק לְ֝יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל בְּרִ֣ית עוֹלָֽם׃‎	And He established it unto Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant;
11	לֵאמֹ֗ר לְךָ֗ אֶתֵּ֥ן אֶת־אֶֽרֶץ־כְּנָ֑עַן חֶ֝֗בֶל נַחֲלַתְכֶֽם׃‎	Saying: 'Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance.'
12	בִּֽ֭הְיוֹתָם מְתֵ֣י מִסְפָּ֑ר כִּ֝מְעַ֗ט וְגָרִ֥ים בָּֽהּ׃‎	When they were but a few men in number. Yea, very few, and sojourners in it,
13	וַ֭יִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ מִגּ֣וֹי אֶל־גּ֑וֹי מִ֝מַּמְלָכָ֗ה אֶל־עַ֥ם אַחֵֽר׃‎	And when they went about from nation to nation, From one kingdom to another people,
14	לֹא־הִנִּ֣יחַ אָדָ֣ם לְעׇשְׁקָ֑ם וַיּ֖וֹכַח עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם מְלָכִֽים׃‎	He suffered no man to do them wrong, Yea, for their sake He reproved kings:
15	אַֽל־תִּגְּע֥וּ בִמְשִׁיחָ֑י וְ֝לִנְבִיאַ֗י אַל־תָּרֵֽעוּ׃‎	'Touch not Mine anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.'
16	וַיִּקְרָ֣א רָ֭עָב עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כׇּֽל־מַטֵּה־לֶ֥חֶם שָׁבָֽר׃‎	And He called a famine upon the land; He broke the whole staff of bread.
17	שָׁלַ֣ח לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם אִ֑ישׁ לְ֝עֶ֗בֶד נִמְכַּ֥ר יוֹסֵֽף׃‎	He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold for a servant;
18	עִנּ֣וּ בַכֶּ֣בֶל (רגליו) [רַגְל֑וֹ] בַּ֝רְזֶ֗ל בָּ֣אָה נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃‎	His feet they hurt with fetters, His person was laid in iron;
19	עַד־עֵ֥ת בֹּא־דְבָר֑וֹ אִמְרַ֖ת יְהֹוָ֣ה צְרָפָֽתְהוּ׃‎	Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the LORD tested him.
20	שָׁ֣לַח מֶ֭לֶךְ וַיַּתִּירֵ֑הוּ מֹשֵׁ֥ל עַ֝מִּ֗ים וַֽיְפַתְּחֵֽהוּ׃‎	The king sent and loosed him; Even the ruler of the peoples, and set him free.
21	שָׂמ֣וֹ אָד֣וֹן לְבֵית֑וֹ וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל בְּכׇל־קִנְיָנֽוֹ׃‎	He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his possessions;
22	לֶאְסֹ֣ר שָׂרָ֣יו בְּנַפְשׁ֑וֹ וּזְקֵנָ֥יו יְחַכֵּֽם׃‎	To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom.
23	וַיָּבֹ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל מִצְרָ֑יִם וְ֝יַעֲקֹ֗ב גָּ֣ר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־חָֽם׃‎	Israel also came into Egypt; And Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
24	וַיֶּ֣פֶר אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ מְאֹ֑ד וַ֝יַּעֲצִמֵ֗הוּ מִצָּרָֽיו׃‎	And He increased His people greatly, And made them too mighty for their adversaries.
25	הָפַ֣ךְ לִ֭בָּם לִשְׂנֹ֣א עַמּ֑וֹ לְ֝הִתְנַכֵּ֗ל בַּעֲבָדָֽיו׃‎	He turned their heart to hate His people, To deal craftily with His servants.
26	שָׁ֭לַח מֹשֶׁ֣ה עַבְדּ֑וֹ אַ֝הֲרֹ֗ן אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַר־בּֽוֹ׃‎	He sent Moses His servant, And Aaron whom He had chosen.
27	שָֽׂמוּ־בָ֭ם דִּבְרֵ֣י אֹתוֹתָ֑יו וּ֝מֹפְתִ֗ים בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חָֽם׃‎	They wrought among them His manifold signs, And wonders in the land of Ham.
28	שָׁ֣לַֽח חֹ֭שֶׁךְ וַיַּחְשִׁ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־מָ֝ר֗וּ אֶת־[דְּבָרֽוֹ] (דבריו)׃‎	He sent darkness, and it was dark; And they rebelled not against His word.
29	הָפַ֣ךְ אֶת־מֵימֵיהֶ֣ם לְדָ֑ם וַ֝יָּ֗מֶת אֶת־דְּגָתָֽם׃‎	He turned their waters into blood, And slew their fish.
30	שָׁרַ֣ץ אַרְצָ֣ם צְפַרְדְּעִ֑ים בְּ֝חַדְרֵ֗י מַלְכֵיהֶֽם׃‎	Their land swarmed with frogs, In the chambers of their kings.
31	אָ֭מַר וַיָּבֹ֣א עָרֹ֑ב כִּ֝נִּ֗ים בְּכׇל־גְּבוּלָֽם׃‎	He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, And gnats in all their borders.
32	נָתַ֣ן גִּשְׁמֵיהֶ֣ם בָּרָ֑ד אֵ֖שׁ לֶהָב֣וֹת בְּאַרְצָֽם׃‎	He gave them hail for rain, And flaming fire in their land.
33	וַיַּ֣ךְ גַּ֭פְנָם וּתְאֵנָתָ֑ם וַ֝יְשַׁבֵּ֗ר עֵ֣ץ גְּבוּלָֽם׃‎	He smote their vines also and their fig-trees; And broke the trees of their borders.
34	אָ֭מַר וַיָּבֹ֣א אַרְבֶּ֑ה וְ֝יֶ֗לֶק וְאֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר׃‎	He spoke, and the locust came, And the canker-worm without number,
35	וַיֹּ֣אכַל כׇּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב בְּאַרְצָ֑ם וַ֝יֹּ֗אכַל פְּרִ֣י אַדְמָתָֽם׃‎	And did eat up every herb in their land, And did eat up the fruit of their ground.
36	וַיַּ֣ךְ כׇּל־בְּכ֣וֹר בְּאַרְצָ֑ם רֵ֝אשִׁ֗ית לְכׇל־אוֹנָֽם׃‎	He smote also all the first-born in their land, The first-fruits of all their strength.
37	וַֽ֭יּוֹצִיאֵם בְּכֶ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב וְאֵ֖ין בִּשְׁבָטָ֣יו כּוֹשֵֽׁל׃‎	And He brought them forth with silver and gold; And there was none that stumbled among His tribes.
38	שָׂמַ֣ח מִצְרַ֣יִם בְּצֵאתָ֑ם כִּֽי־נָפַ֖ל פַּחְדָּ֣ם עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃‎	Egypt was glad when they departed; For the fear of them had fallen upon them.
39	פָּרַ֣שׂ עָנָ֣ן לְמָסָ֑ךְ וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ לְהָאִ֥יר לָֽיְלָה׃‎	He spread a cloud for a screen; And fire to give light in the night.
40	שָׁ֭אַל וַיָּבֵ֣א שְׂלָ֑ו וְלֶ֥חֶם שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם יַשְׂבִּיעֵֽם׃‎	They asked, and He brought quails, And gave them in plenty the bread of heaven.
41	פָּ֣תַח צ֭וּר וַיָּז֣וּבוּ מָ֑יִם הָ֝לְכ֗וּ בַּצִּיּ֥וֹת נָהָֽר׃‎	He opened the rock, and waters gushed out; They ran, a river in the dry places.
42	כִּֽי־זָ֭כַר אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר קׇדְשׁ֑וֹ אֶֽת־אַבְרָהָ֥ם עַבְדּֽוֹ׃‎	For He remembered His holy word Unto Abraham His servant;
43	וַיּוֹצִ֣א עַמּ֣וֹ בְשָׂשׂ֑וֹן בְּ֝רִנָּ֗ה אֶת־בְּחִירָֽיו׃‎	And He brought forth His people with joy, His chosen ones with singing.
44	וַיִּתֵּ֣ן לָ֭הֶם אַרְצ֣וֹת גּוֹיִ֑ם וַעֲמַ֖ל לְאֻמִּ֣ים יִירָֽשׁוּ׃‎	And He gave them the lands of the nations, And they took the labour of the peoples in possession;
45	בַּעֲב֤וּר ׀ יִשְׁמְר֣וּ חֻ֭קָּיו וְתוֹרֹתָ֥יו יִנְצֹ֗רוּ הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃‎	That they might keep His statutes, And observe His laws. Hallelujah.

King James Version

1. O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.
2. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.
3. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
4. Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
5. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
6. O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.
7. He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.
8. He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
9. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;
10. And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:
11. Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:
12. When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.
13. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people;
14. He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;
15. Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
16. Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.
17. He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
18. Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:
19. Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.
20. The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.
21. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:
22. To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.
23. Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
24. And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.
25. He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.
26. He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27. They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.
28. He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word.
29. He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.
30. Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings.
31. He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.
32. He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.
33. He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.
34. He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,
35. And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.
36. He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.
37. He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
38. Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.
39. He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.
40. The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
41. He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.
42. For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.
43. And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:
44. And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people;
45. That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD.

Related Bible passages

Related Bible passages include: Va'eira, Bo (parsha), and Beshalach: Torah portions (parashot) telling the Exodus story; Psalm 78.

There are two slight differences between the wording of verses 1–15 and the parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 16:

• Verse 6: O offspring of his servant Abraham, reads O offspring of his servant Israel in 1 Chronicles 16:13
• Verse 8: He is mindful of his covenant for ever reads Remember his covenant for ever in 1 Chronicles 16:15.

Verse 1

Oh, give thanks to the Lord!

Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!

The word "Ἁλληλουιά", "alleluia", precedes this verse in the Septuagint, where it has been transposed from verse 35 of the previous psalm.

Uses

Judaism

• Recited on the first day of Passover.
• Verses 8–10 are part of the paragraph recited in the naming of a boy at a brit milah.
• Verses 8 and 42 are found separately in the repetition of the Amidah on Rosh Hashanah.

Psalm 105 is one of the ten Psalms of the Tikkun HaKlali of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.

Eastern Orthodox Church

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Psalm 104 (Psalm 105 in the Masoretic Text) is part of the fourteenth Kathisma division of the Psalter, read at Matins on Thursday mornings, as well as on Tuesdays and Fridays during Lent, at the Third Hour and Matins, respectively.

New Testament

In the New Testament, verses 8–9 are quoted in Luke 1:72–73.

Musical settings

Heinrich Schütz composed a four-part setting to a metric German text, "Danket dem Herren, lobt ihn frei", SVW 203, for the 1628 Becker Psalter.

See also

• Ipuwer Papyrus

External links

• Pieces with text from Psalm 105: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Psalm 105: Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Text of Psalm 105 according to the 1928 Psalter
• Psalm 105 in Hebrew and English - Mechon-mamre
• Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Psalm 105:1 introduction and text, biblestudytools.com
• Psalm 105 – The LORD's Blessings on His Covenant People enduringword.com
• Psalm 105 / Refrain: Remember the marvels the Lord has done. Church of England
• Psalm 105 at biblegateway.com
• Charles H. Spurgeon: Psalm 105 detailed commentary, archive.spurgeon.org
• "Hymns for Psalm 105". hymnary.org.