Psalm 105 1

Psalm 105:1 kjv

O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

Psalm 105:1 nkjv

Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Psalm 105:1 niv

Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

Psalm 105:1 esv

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

Psalm 105:1 nlt

Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness.
Let the whole world know what he has done.

Psalm 105 verses

Psalm 105 1 Meaning

Psalm 105:1 begins with an emphatic call to worship, urging believers to offer thanks to God. It then instructs them to invoke His name, acknowledging His presence and character. Finally, it commands them to make known His great deeds and wondrous acts among all nations, ensuring that His power and faithfulness are declared widely. This verse initiates a psalm that recounts God's historical faithfulness to Israel, providing the basis for such praise and proclamation.

Psalm 105 1 Context

Psalm 105 is a historical psalm, recounting God's covenant faithfulness and mighty acts towards Israel from the calling of Abraham through the Exodus and wilderness wanderings, culminating in their inheritance of the land of Canaan. This introductory verse sets the tone and purpose for the entire psalm: to elicit grateful praise and public testimony from the worshipping community based on a remembrance of God's redemptive history. It emphasizes that Israel's identity and blessings are rooted in God's past actions, not their own merit, providing a continuous motive for worship and mission. The psalm may have been composed for a liturgical setting, possibly for festivals that celebrated God's covenant with Israel, serving as a powerful reminder of His unfailing love and promises.

Psalm 105 1 Word analysis

• "O give thanks"

  • Hebrew: הוֹדוּ (Hodu)
  • Meaning: A plural imperative verb from the root יָדָה (yadah), meaning "to give thanks," "to praise," "to confess," or "to throw/cast." In this context, it implies an active and public expression of gratitude, often accompanied by outstretched hands or a lifting up. It is not merely a feeling but an outward declaration of acknowledgment and appreciation for God's character and deeds.
  • Significance: This call to thanksgiving is fundamental to biblical worship, acknowledging God's goodness as the source of all blessings and the appropriate response of His people. It positions gratitude as a foundational element of relating to God.

• "Call upon"

  • Hebrew: קִרְאוּ (Qir'u)
  • Meaning: A plural imperative verb from the root קָרָא (qara'), meaning "to call," "to cry out," "to proclaim," or "to summon." This refers to invoking God, addressing Him in prayer, and appealing to His authority and presence. It indicates dependence and personal relationship.
  • Significance: Invoking God's name signifies personal reliance, seeking His intervention, and recognizing His supreme authority. It's an act of worship and trust, drawing near to Him through His revealed identity.

• "His name"

  • Hebrew: בִשְׁמוֹ (bi-sh'mo)
  • Meaning: "in His name" or "by His name." In the Hebrew Bible, "name" (שֵׁם, shem) signifies much more than a mere designation. It represents God's revealed character, His nature, His authority, His reputation, and His very presence. To "call upon His name" is to call upon all that God is, as He has revealed Himself.
  • Significance: This emphasizes that worship is directed to the one true God, as He has made Himself known. It highlights the power and authority inherent in His being, encouraging worship that is grounded in an understanding of who He is.

• "Make known"

  • Hebrew: הוֹדִיעוּ (Hodi'u)
  • Meaning: A plural imperative verb (Hiphil stem) from the root יָדַע (yada'), meaning "to know." The Hiphil form means "to cause to know," "to declare," "to inform," or "to proclaim." It signifies an active, deliberate, and public declaration, implying teaching and disseminating information.
  • Significance: This is an active mandate to evangelize or testify. It’s not enough to privately acknowledge God; His deeds must be openly shared. This transitions from personal devotion to public proclamation.

• "His deeds"

  • Hebrew: עֲלִילוֹתָיו (aliylotav)
  • Meaning: "His deeds," "His mighty acts," "His exploits," or "His works." This term often refers to God's powerful interventions in human history, His acts of redemption, judgment, and providence, particularly those demonstrated for Israel throughout their history.
  • Significance: These are the tangible demonstrations of God's faithfulness and power that serve as the foundation for praise. Focusing on "His deeds" rather than merely His attributes anchors worship in verifiable, historical events that testify to His character.

• "Among the peoples"

  • Hebrew: בָּעַמִּים (ba-ammim)
  • Meaning: "among the peoples," "among the nations." This phrase stresses the universal scope of the proclamation. It is not confined to Israel alone but extends to all gentile nations.
  • Significance: This indicates a missional dimension to Israel's worship. Their purpose was not just self-contained piety but to be a light to the nations, making God's salvific acts known universally. It prefigures the New Testament call to proclaim the Gospel to all humanity.

Psalm 105 1 Bonus section

The inclusion of Psalm 105:1 (specifically 1 Ch 16:8) in 1 Chronicles 16 within the account of David bringing the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem underscores its liturgical significance. It suggests this particular phrasing was part of Israel's formal public worship. This linkage highlights the deep-seated theological truth that worship should always be informed by a historical remembrance of God's redemptive acts. The flow of thought, from internal gratitude to calling on the Divine presence, and then to outward declaration, outlines a holistic worship practice. It implicitly cautions against worship that is solely introspective or lacks a communicative, evangelistic thrust.

Psalm 105 1 Commentary

Psalm 105:1 serves as a profound triple imperative to worship, demonstrating that true devotion is expressed through a specific sequence of actions: expressing gratitude, seeking intimate communion, and engaging in outward proclamation. The command "O give thanks" emphasizes that acknowledging God's goodness is the starting point of worship, a foundational response to His benevolent character. "Call upon His name" delves deeper into personal relationship, urging an invocation of God based on His revealed identity and an humble dependence upon His power. Finally, "make known His deeds among the peoples" transforms this personal experience into a universal testimony. It mandates a public declaration of God's redemptive history and miraculous interventions, especially those recounted in Psalm 105. This verse thus articulates a comprehensive and active form of worship that is not only personal and devotional but also missional and outward-focused, inviting the world to recognize and acknowledge the one true God based on His tangible actions throughout history. It is a call to be both recipients of God's grace and His witnesses to all nations.