Catholic Commentary on Psalm 105

"He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made for a thousand generations." (Psalm 105:8)

The God Who Remembers

Psalm 105 is one of the great historical psalms, a sustained narration of God's faithfulness from the covenant with Abraham through the Exodus and the entry into Canaan. Its opening call, give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name, tell of all his wonderful acts, is a missionary call to make the acts of God known among the nations. Memory in the service of proclamation: this is what the psalm models. And the foundation of all the subsequent narration is a single verse: He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac.

God's faithfulness in this psalm is the faithfulness of one who remembers. He remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant. He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy. The plagues of Egypt, the pillar of cloud, the quail and the bread from heaven, the water from the rock: all are presented as acts of the God who remembers his word and will not let it fail. The Catechism presents the covenant as the master key to the whole of biblical history: God is always the initiating party, always the faithful one, always the one who remembers even when his people forget (CCC 2569).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, your Baptism is a covenant God made with you, as real as the one he made with Abraham. He remembers it even when you have forgotten it. He has not revoked it. He has not moved on. He is the God who remembers for a thousand generations. What would change in how you live if you truly believed that the God of Psalm 105 remembers the covenant he made with you?

Prayer

Lord God, you remember your covenant forever and the promise you made for a thousand generations. You remembered Abraham, you remembered Israel, you remember us. Let us never forget what you have remembered, and let our lives be a proclamation of your wonderful acts. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

105
Tell of His Wonders
(1 Chronicles 16:7–22)
1 Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name;
make known His deeds among the nations.
2 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
tell of all His wonders.
3 Glory in His holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Seek out the LORD and His strength;
seek His face always.
5 Remember the wonders He has done,
His marvels, and the judgments He has pronounced,
6 O offspring of His servant Abraham,
O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones.
 
7 He is the LORD our God;
His judgments carry throughout the earth.
8 He remembers His covenant forever,
the word He ordained for a thousand generations—
9 the covenant He made with Abraham,
and the oath He swore to Isaac.
10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
11 “I will give you the land of Canaan
as the portion of your inheritance.”
 
12 When they were few in number,
few indeed, and strangers in the land,
13 they wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
14 He let no man oppress them;
He rebuked kings on their behalf:
15 “Do not touch My anointed ones!
Do no harm to My prophets!”
 
16 He called down famine on the land
and cut off all their supplies * 105:16 Hebrew staff of food.
17 He sent a man before them—
Joseph, sold as a slave.
18 They bruised his feet with shackles
and placed his neck in irons,
19 until his prediction came true
and the word of the LORD proved him right.
20 The king sent and released him;
the ruler of peoples set him free.
21 He made him master of his household,
ruler over all his substance,
22 to instruct † 105:22 LXX and Syriac; MT to bind his princes as he pleased
and teach his elders wisdom.
 
23 Then Israel entered Egypt;
Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.
24 And the LORD made His people very fruitful,
more numerous than their foes,
25 whose hearts He turned to hate His people,
to conspire against His servants.
26 He sent Moses His servant,
and Aaron, whom He had chosen.
27 They performed His miraculous signs among them,
and wonders in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness, and it became dark—
yet they defied His words.‡ 105:28 LXX and Syriac; Hebrew for had they not defied His words?
 
29 He turned their waters to blood
and caused their fish to die.
30 Their land teemed with frogs,
even in their royal chambers.
31 He spoke, and insects swarmed—
gnats throughout their country.
32 He gave them hail for rain,
with lightning throughout their land.
33 He struck their vines and fig trees
and shattered the trees of their country.
34 He spoke, and the locusts came—
young locusts without number.
35 They devoured every plant in their land
and consumed the produce of their soil.
36 Then He struck all the firstborn in their land,
the firstfruits of all their vigor.
 
37 He brought Israel out with silver and gold,
and none among His tribes stumbled.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed,
for the dread of Israel had fallen on them.
39 He spread a cloud as a covering
and a fire to light up the night.
40 They asked, and He brought quail
and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
41 He opened a rock, and water gushed out;
it flowed like a river in the desert.
42 For He remembered His holy promise
to Abraham His servant.
43 He brought forth His people with rejoicing,
His chosen with shouts of joy.
44 He gave them the lands of the nations,
that they might inherit the fruit of others’ labor,
45 that they might keep His statutes
and obey His laws.
 
Hallelujah!§ 105:45 Or Hallelu YAH, meaning Praise the LORD

*105:16 105:16 Hebrew staff

†105:22 105:22 LXX and Syriac; MT to bind

‡105:28 105:28 LXX and Syriac; Hebrew for had they not defied His words?

§105:45 105:45 Or Hallelu YAH, meaning Praise the LORD

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