Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 105
Overview:
A solemn
Call to praise and serve the
Lord.
(1-7) His gracious
dealings with
Israel.
(8-23) Their deliverance from
Egypt, and
their settlement in
Canaan.
(24-45)
1-7 Our devotion is here stirred up, that we may stir up
ourselves to praise
God. Seek his strength; that is, his
Grace;
the strength of his
Spirit to work in us that which is good,
which we cannot do but
By strength derived from him, for which
he will be sought. Seek to have his favour to eternity,
therefore continue seeking it while living in this world; for he
will not only be found, but he will reward those that diligently
seek him.
8-23 Let us remember the
Redeemer's marvellous
Works, his
wonders, and the judgments of his mouth. Though true Christians
are few in number, strangers and pilgrims upon
Earth, yet a far
better inheritance than
Canaan is made sure to them
By the
Covenant of
God; and if we have the anointing of the Holy
Spirit, none can do us any harm.
Afflictions are among our
mercies. They prove our
Faith and
Love, they humble our pride,
they
Wean us from the world, and quicken our prayers.
Bread is
the staff which supports
Life; when that staff is broken, the
body fails and sinks to the
Earth. The
Word of God is the staff
of spiritual
Life, the
Food and support of the soul: the sorest
Judgment is a
Famine of hearing the
Word of the
Lord. Such a
Famine was sore in all lands when
Christ appeared in the
Flesh;
whose coming, and the blessed effect of it, are shadowed forth
in the history of
Joseph. At the appointed time
Christ was
exalted as
Mediator; all the treasures of
Grace and
Salvation
are at his disposal, perishing sinners come to him, and are
relieved
By him.
24-45 As the believer commonly thrives best in his soul when
under the
Cross;
So the
Church also flourishes most in true
Holiness, and increases in number, while under
Persecution. Yet
instruments shall be raised up for their deliverance, and
plagues may be expected
By persecutors. And see the special care
God took of his people in the
Wilderness. All the benefits
bestowed
On Israel as a nation, were shadows of spiritual
blessings with which we are blessed in
Christ Jesus. Having
redeemed us with his
Blood, restored our souls to
Holiness, and
set us at liberty from
Satan's
Bondage, he guides and guards us
all the way. He satisfies our souls with the
Bread of
Heaven,
and the water of
Life from the
Rock of
Salvation, and will bring
us safely to
Heaven. He redeems his servants from all iniquity,
and purifies them unto himself, to be a
Peculiar people, zealous
of good
Works.