Psalm 105:44 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples ' toil,

NIV: he gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for—

NASB: He also gave them the lands of the nations, So that they might take possession of the fruit of the peoples’ labor,

CSB: He gave them the lands of the nations, and they inherited what other peoples had worked for.

NLT: He gave his people the lands of pagan nations, and they harvested crops that others had planted.

KJV: And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people;

NKJV: He gave them the lands of the Gentiles, And they inherited the labor of the nations,

Psalm 105:43–45 completes a summary of God's provision for Israel from the first covenant with Abraham to the nation's arrival in Canaan. This is a cause for praise and worship of God. The books of Joshua and Judges explain what happened when Israel arrived. Though they were meant to honor the Lord, they often failed. However, the fact that God made good on His promises proves His loyal, merciful love for the nation.

This song celebrates God's faithfulness as demonstrated in the history of the nation of Israel. God made promises to Abraham, which were carried along to his descendants through Isaac and Jacob. One of Jacob's sons, Joseph, would rise from slavery in Egypt to become the nation's governor. Israel moved into Egypt under Joseph's protection but fell into slavery. Then God sent Moses and a series of tremendous plagues to break Israel's slavery. God provided protection and food for the people in the wilderness and eventually brought them to the Promised Land. For this, the Lord ought to be worshipped.

Psalm 105 summarizes how God's chosen people came into Egypt and were rescued from slavery. God's first promises were to Abraham (Genesis 12:1–4). His descendant Joseph rose to power in Egypt (Genesis 41:39–40) and the entire people of Israel settled there (Genesis 47:11–12). After centuries of slavery (Exodus 1:8–14), God used Moses and tremendous miracles to free the people (Exodus 3:19–20; 12:41). After providing for them in the wilderness (Exodus 16:13–15; 17:5–6), the Lord brought Israel into the Promised Land of Canaan (Joshua 1:2–3). Psalm 106 emphasizes the nation's many failures, in contrast to the Lord's faithfulness.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/23/2024 5:13:45 PM