Psalm 105:20
ESV
The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free;
NIV
The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free.
NASB
The king sent and released him, The ruler of peoples, and set him free.
CSB
The king sent for him and released him; the ruler of peoples set him free.
NLT
Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.
KJV
The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.
NKJV
The king sent and released him, The ruler of the people let him go free.
What does Psalm 105:20 mean?
Please see our chapter commentary on Psalm 105, verse-level content coming soon!Psalm 105:12–25 recalls how the Lord protected patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. One of Jacob's sons, Joseph, was enslaved in Egypt, but rose to become second-in-command over the entire nation. Joseph guided Egypt through a terrible famine. Jacob and the rest of the family settled in Egypt; they were so prosperous that the Egyptians jealously enslaved the Israelites.
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.
