Psalm 105 (104)
The beginning of Salvation History. Remem bering the past can be a prayer if we try to see the work of God and thank him for it.
1 Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known his works among the nations.
2 Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
3 Glory in his holy name; let those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Look to the Lord and be strong; seek his face always.
5 Remember his wonderful works, his miracles and his judgments,
6 you descendants of his servant Abraham, you sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
7 He is the Lord our God; his judg ments reach the whole world.
8 He remembers his covenant forever, his promise to a thousand ge nera tions,
9 the covenant he made with Abraham, the promise he swore to Isaac.
10 He confirmed his decree to Ja cob, to Israel his eternal covenant:
11 “To you I will give the land of Canaan as part of your inheritance.”
12 When they were few in number, strangers in the land,
13 wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another,
14 he allowed no one to oppress them, and for their sake he rebuked kings:
15 “Touch not my anointed ones,” he warned, “do my prophets no harm!”
16 Then he sent a famine and ruined the crop that sustained the land;
17 he sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave;
18 his feet in shackles, his neck in irons
19 till what he foretold came to pass, and the Lord’s word proved him true.
20 The king sent for him, set him free, the ruler of the peoples released him.
21 He put him in charge of his household and made him ruler of all his possessions,
22 that he might train his princes and teach his elders wisdom.
23 Then Israel came to Egypt, Jacob settled in the land of Ham.
24 The Lord made his people fruitful and much stronger than their foes,
25 whose hearts he turned to hate his people, to deal deceitfully with his servants.
26 Then he sent Moses his servant and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27 They performed his signs among them, his miracles in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness to the land, but they rebelled against his words.
29 He turned their waters into blood, causing their fish to die.
30 Their land teemed with frogs, invading even the king’s bedroom.
31 He spoke, and flies and gnats swarmed throughout the country.
32 He gave them hail for rain, and lightning flashed over the land.
33 He blighted their vines and fig trees, shattered the
trees in the countryside.
34 He spoke and locusts came, grass hoppers without number;
35 they devoured all the vegetation and the produce of the soil;
36 then he smote all the firstborn, the firstfruits of their manhood.
37 He led Israel out of the alien land, laden with silver and gold, and none were left behind.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed, so filled were they with dread.
39 He spread a cloud as covering, and fire to give them light at night.
40 They asked for food; he gave them quails and fed them with bread from heaven.
41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out, flowing like a river through the desert.
42 For he remembered his promise to Abra ham, his servant.
43 So he led forth his people with joy, his chosen ones with singing.
44 He gave them the lands of the nations, and let them take the fruit of others’ toil,
45 that they might keep his statutes and remain obedient to his laws.