The Meaning of Psalms 105:42 Explained

Psalms 105:42

KJV: For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.

YLT: For He hath remembered His holy word, With Abraham His servant,

Darby: For he remembered his holy word, and Abraham his servant;

ASV: For he remembered his holy word, And Abraham his servant.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For he remembered  his holy  promise,  [and] Abraham  his servant. 

What does Psalms 105:42 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 105:31-45 - Led By A Mighty Hand
Notice in this enumeration of the plagues that the emphasis in each is laid on God's direct act. He is the great agent of his own purposes. The tenth plague, Psalms 105:36, is followed by the triumphant exodus, when Israel went forth, enriched with treasure and strong for the march. However sad and weary our life may be, it will one day be rich and strong as it goes forth to serve under new and loftier conditions. How good it is to realize that God hath prepared for us things that surpass human thought, and which are proportioned not according to intellect but according to heart; not according to deeds but according to character!
God is all-sufficient for us. He was everything that Israel needed. Can He not suffice for us? We have good hope, not because of our deserts, but because of the covenant into which He has entered with our Savior, who is our Representative and Federal Head. Not for our sakes, but for His holy Name's sake, God has pledged Himself to make us His heirs, joint-heirs with His Son, and sharers in all that joy and bliss which await us on the other side. Ought we not, then, to love Him and to keep His statutes and laws? Hallelujah! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 105

1  An exhortation to praise God, and to seek out his works
7  The story of God's providence over Abraham
16  Over Joseph
23  Over Jacob in Egypt
26  Over Moses delivering the Israelites
37  Over the Israelites brought out of Egypt, fed in the desert, and planted in Canaan

What do the individual words in Psalms 105:42 mean?

For He remembered - promise His holy - [And] Abraham His servant
כִּֽי־ זָ֭כַר אֶת־ דְּבַ֣ר קָדְשׁ֑וֹ אֶֽת־ אַבְרָהָ֥ם עַבְדּֽוֹ

זָ֭כַר  He  remembered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
דְּבַ֣ר  promise 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
קָדְשׁ֑וֹ  His  holy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אַבְרָהָ֥ם  [And]  Abraham 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
עַבְדּֽוֹ  His  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.