What is the meaning of Psalm 105:32? He gave them – “He” points unmistakably to the LORD Himself. Scripture presents Him not as a distant observer but as the direct Initiator of these events (Exodus 9:23–24; Isaiah 45:7). – In Psalm 105 the psalmist is recounting the historical plagues on Egypt, emphasizing God’s faithfulness to His covenant people (Psalm 105:8–15). – By stating that God “gave” the plague, the text underscores His sovereign authority over nature; creation obeys His commands just as surely as Israel must trust His promises (Job 37:6; Jeremiah 10:13). – This act of giving also reveals divine justice—Pharaoh’s hardness met with God’s righteous response (Exodus 7:13; Romans 9:17). hail for rain – “He gave them hail for rain” swaps what should have been a life-giving blessing for a destructive judgment. Instead of nourishing showers, Egypt received pounding hailstones (Exodus 9:18–26). • Hail signals both power and precision: God can withhold or redirect the normal cycles of weather to achieve moral purposes (Joshua 10:11; Haggai 1:10–11). • The plague devastated crops and livestock, exposing the futility of Egypt’s gods—especially those linked to fertility and weather (Numbers 33:4; Isaiah 19:1). • For the believing reader, the literal event becomes a reminder that obedience invites blessing, while rebellion courts loss (Deuteronomy 28:12, 24). with lightning throughout their land – The phrase adds, “with lightning throughout their land,” heightening the terror. Lightning (or fire flashing amid the hail) emphasized that the storm was no ordinary meteorological occurrence (Exodus 9:24). • The entire land, from royal palace to peasant field, felt the strike; no corner of Egypt could claim immunity (Psalm 78:48). • Lightning often depicts God’s holiness and might (Psalm 29:7; Revelation 4:5). Here it exposes Egypt’s idols and magnifies the LORD’s unmatched glory. • For Israel, watching from Goshen, the plague reinforced that the covenant-keeping God distinguishes His people (Exodus 9:26), emboldening their faith for the coming exodus. summary Psalm 105:32 recounts the seventh plague in two vivid strokes—hail replacing rain and lightning ripping through the land—to showcase the LORD’s sovereign power, righteous judgment, and faithful guardianship of His covenant people. The verse invites us to trust the same God who can turn the forces of nature to fulfill His promises, comfort His own, and confront hardened hearts. |
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