Psalms 105:42

Psa 105:42 For he remembered his holy promise, [and] Abraham his servant.

Ver. 42. For he remembered his holy promise] Holy, that is, firm, and inviolable, Heb. the word of his holiness, that is, his sacred and gracious engagement, whereby he had made himself a voluntary debtor to Abraham’s posterity.

And Abraham his servant] To whom he had passed his promise four hundred and thirty years before. Nullum tempus occurrit regi.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Psa 105:42-45. For he remembered his holy promise — They were unworthy and unthankful, yet he did these great things in their favour because he remembered his covenant, Psa 105:8, and his holy promise, and would not suffer one iota or tittle of it to fall to the ground. Therefore he brought forth his people with joy — Rejoicing greatly that God had so wonderfully appeared for them, and delivered them from that state of cruel and intolerable bondage, under which they had so long groaned; and his chosen with gladness — Hebrew, ברנה, berinnah, with shouting, or singing, to see the difference he made between them and the Egyptians; who were drowned in the Red sea, while they were conducted safe through it on dry land. And he gave them the lands of the heathen — Put them in possession of the country which he had promised them, many centuries before they existed, casting out seven nations to make room for them in that land. And they inherited the labour of the people — The fruits of their labour; the towns and cities which they had builded, and the vineyards and oliveyards which they had planted. That they might observe his statutes, &c. — He put them in possession of Canaan, not that they might live in luxury and pleasure, in ease and honour, and be conspicuous and glorious among the nations; not that they should regard Canaan as their paradise, and look no further; but that, being rescued from their enemies, formed into a people, placed under God’s immediate government and protection, and settled in peace and plenty, they might improve the opportunity thus afforded them of serving the Lord their God, in a due attendance upon all his ordinances, and a diligent keeping of all his commandments; and of securing to themselves, through the obedience of faith, an inheritance in an other country, that is to say, a heavenly. “And let all the children of the faithful Abraham,” says Dr. Horne, “whose lot hath fallen in a land flowing with milk and honey upon earth, reflect that God hath given them riches, and the leisure which riches procure, not for the purpose of indulging and corrupting themselves and others, but that they may glorify him, benefit their neighbours, and save their own souls; that they may observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Israel was delivered by Moses, and the church redeemed by Christ, that God might purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit 2:14.”

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

42. (Psa 105:42) Because he remembered his holy word with Abraham his servant. This brings us back to the statement in ver. 8, 9 (Psa 105:8-9), in proof of which this long array of facts has been presented. Nothing of all this would have taken place if God had been forgetful of his covenant. This covenant is here meant by his holy word, which is therefore followed by the preposition with, as in Exo 9:24, where the covenant is expressly mentioned.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

105:42-45 The story of redemption is also the story of the Lord’s faithfulness.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Which he confirmeth to the posterity, in whom after a sort the dead live and enjoy the promises.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

42. For he remembered his holy promise The Psalmist again mentions the cause why God dealt so graciously with that people, and sustained them so tenderly, namely, that he might fulfill his promise; for he had entered into a covenant with Abraham, engaging to be the God of his seed. Nor did the prophets without cause teach so carefully as we find them doing, that the free covenant is the fountain whence the deliverance, and the continual welfare of the people flowed. Thereby the grace of God became better known, since what took place, so far from happening upon the sudden, and without anticipation, was only the fulfillment of what he had promised four hundred years before. God then, for ages previous to this, gave the light of his word of promise, that his grace and truth might be brought the more distinctly into view. For this reason the prophet again repeats, that God was not led from some new cause to deliver his people, but that his design in doing so was to prove the faithfulness of his covenant, and to give it effect; just as if a man should dig up from the ground a treasure which he had buried in it. Nor is it to be doubted, that the prophet aimed at leading the faith of his countrymen still farther, — that his object was that their posterity might be persuaded beyond all doubt, that as God had then proved, in the experience of that generation, the sure and substantial truth of his promise delivered many hundred years before, so he would not be to them otherwise than their fathers had found him to be in times past. Accordingly, he signalises this promise by the epithet, holy, intimating, that after the death of Abraham it retained its virtue and efficacy unimpaired. God had spoken it to Abraham; but the force of the covenant died not with him. God continued to show himself faithful towards the posterity of the patriarch.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

42. The Psalmist returns to his theme, Psa_105:8. Faithfulness to His promise was God’s motive for redeeming Israel.

his holy promise] Lit., his holy word (Psa_105:8): the sacred promise which cannot be broken.

and Abraham his servant] Or, with A. his servant (Psa_105:9). Cp. Exo_2:24. But the A.V. may be right.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he brought forth his people with joy,.... Or "therefore" (f), in consequence of his promise, and the remembrance of it, he brought Israel out of Egypt with great joy to them, they coming out with so much health and wealth; having their liberty, and in hope of shortly being settled in a land flowing with milk and honey. And

his chosen with gladness: or "singing" (g); especially when they had got through the Red sea, their enemies drowned, and they quite clear of them, Exo 15:1. And when they are called "his chosen", this opens another source of those blessings to them, not only the promise and covenant of God, but their election of God, which was free and sovereign, to choose them above all people; not because they were better or more than others, but because he loved them; and hence he did all the above things for them. In like manner when God's elect are in the effectual calling, brought out of bondage to liberty, out of darkness to light, out of an horrible pit, and have their feet set on a rock; are brought to Christ and into his church, and have a place and a name there; it is with exceeding great joy and gladness to them; and to the church above shall they at last be brought with everlasting joy on their heads, Isa 35:10.

(f) "ideo adduxit", Junius & Tremellius, Michaelis. (g) "in ovatione", Montanus; "cum jubilo", Tigurine version, Michaelis; "cum cantu", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For he remembered ... - He was faithful to his promise made to Abraham, and did not forget his descendants in the hour of need. This is the statement made in Psa 105:8-9; and to illustrate and confirm the faithfulness of God, this reference is made to the history of the Hebrew people. See the notes at those verses.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Or rather, with (as this particle is oft used)

Abraham; made with or to Abraham.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 42. For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant. Here is the secret reason for all this grace. The covenant and he for whose sake it was made are ever on the heart of the Most High. He remembered his people because he remembered his covenant. He could not violate that gracious compact for it was sacred to him, "his holy promise." A holy God must keep his promise holy. In our case the Lord's eye is upon his beloved Son, and his engagements with him. On our behalf, and this is the source and well ahead of those innumerable favours which enrich us in all our wanderings through this life's wilderness.

Ver. 42

1. The grand sourcethe rock opened.

2. The liberal stream"gushed out".

3. The continued law"in dry places".

Psalms 105:43*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

42. This and the following verses form the conclusion of the psalm.

He remembered—These wonders were in fulfilment of God’s covenant with Abraham, (Psa_105:8-11,) and in reward of the patriarch’s fidelity.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham; i.e. his covenant with Abraham to bring his seed into the Holy Land. His servant (comp. ver. 6).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For He remembered The Holy One, blessed be He, [remembered] His holy word, which was with Abraham His servant, which He promised him (Gen. 15:14, 17): “and afterwards they will go out with many possessions...and a fourth generation will return here.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.