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border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="http://biblehub.com/commentaries/">Commentaries</a> > Psalm 105:4</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../psalms/105-3.htm" title="Psalm 105:3">◄</a> Psalm 105:4 <a href="../psalms/105-5.htm" title="Psalm 105:5">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.</div><div id="jump">Jump to: <a href="/commentaries/barnes/psalms/105.htm" title="Barnes' Notes">Barnes</a> • <a href="/commentaries/benson/psalms/105.htm" title="Benson Commentary">Benson</a> • <a href="/commentaries/illustrator/psalms/105.htm" title="Biblical Illustrator">BI</a> • <a href="/commentaries/calvin/psalms/105.htm" title="Calvin's Commentaries">Calvin</a> • <a href="/commentaries/cambridge/psalms/105.htm" title="Cambridge Bible">Cambridge</a> • <a href="/commentaries/clarke/psalms/105.htm" title="Clarke's Commentary">Clarke</a> • <a href="/commentaries/darby/psalms/105.htm" title="Darby's Bible Synopsis">Darby</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ellicott/psalms/105.htm" title="Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers">Ellicott</a> • <a href="/commentaries/expositors/psalms/105.htm" title="Expositor's Bible">Expositor's</a> • <a href="/commentaries/edt/psalms/105.htm" title="Expositor's Dictionary">Exp Dct</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gaebelein/psalms/105.htm" title="Gaebelein's Annotated Bible">Gaebelein</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gsb/psalms/105.htm" title="Geneva Study Bible">GSB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gill/psalms/105.htm" title="Gill's Bible Exposition">Gill</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gray/psalms/105.htm" title="Gray's Concise">Gray</a> • <a href="/commentaries/guzik/psalms/105.htm" title="Guzik Bible Commentary">Guzik</a> • <a href="/commentaries/haydock/psalms/105.htm" title="Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary">Haydock</a> • <a href="/commentaries/hastings/psalms/104-23.htm" title="Hastings Great Texts">Hastings</a> • <a href="/commentaries/homiletics/psalms/105.htm" title="Pulpit Homiletics">Homiletics</a> • <a href="/commentaries/jfb/psalms/105.htm" title="Jamieson-Fausset-Brown">JFB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/kad/psalms/105.htm" title="Keil and Delitzsch OT">KD</a> • <a href="/commentaries/kelly/psalms/105.htm" title="Kelly Commentary">Kelly</a> • <a href="/commentaries/king-en/psalms/105.htm" title="Kingcomments Bible Studies">King</a> • <a href="/commentaries/lange/psalms/105.htm" title="Lange Commentary">Lange</a> • <a href="/commentaries/maclaren/psalms/105.htm" title="MacLaren Expositions">MacLaren</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhc/psalms/105.htm" title="Matthew Henry Concise">MHC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhcw/psalms/105.htm" title="Matthew Henry Full">MHCW</a> • <a href="/commentaries/parker/psalms/105.htm" title="The People's Bible by Joseph Parker">Parker</a> • <a href="/commentaries/poole/psalms/105.htm" title="Matthew Poole">Poole</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pulpit/psalms/105.htm" title="Pulpit Commentary">Pulpit</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sermon/psalms/105.htm" title="Sermon Bible">Sermon</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sco/psalms/105.htm" title="Scofield Reference Notes">SCO</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ttb/psalms/105.htm" title="Through The Bible">TTB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/tod/psalms/105.htm" title="Treasury of David">TOD</a> • <a href="/commentaries/wes/psalms/105.htm" title="Wesley's Notes">WES</a> • <a href="#tsk" title="Treasury of Scripture Knowledge">TSK</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="comtype">EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/psalms/105.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(4) <span class= "bld">Seek the Lord.</span>—Better, <span class= "ital">Enquire after Jehovah and his power. </span>The congregation is directed to the historical survey which follows. This sense seems settled by <a href="/psalms/111-2.htm" title="The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.">Psalm 111:2</a> : “The works of Jehovah are great, enquired into by all those who take delight in them.” And hence the word “strength” must be understood as used generally of the manifestation of Divine power in the wondrous deeds now to be mentioned.<p><a name="mhc" id="mhc"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/mhc/psalms/105.htm">Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary</a></div>105:1-7 Our devotion is here stirred up, that we may stir up ourselves to praise God. Seek his strength; that is, his grace; the strength of his Spirit to work in us that which is good, which we cannot do but by strength derived from him, for which he will be sought. Seek to have his favour to eternity, therefore continue seeking it while living in this world; for he will not only be found, but he will reward those that diligently seek him.<a name="bar" id="bar"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/barnes/psalms/105.htm">Barnes' Notes on the Bible</a></div>Seek the Lord and his strength - Seek strength from him; seek that his strength may be imparted to you; seek him as a Being of almighty power; as One by whom you may be strengthened. The Septuagint and Vulgate render this, "Seek the Lord, and 'be strengthened.'" Strength comes from God, and it is only by his strength that we can be strong; only by our making use of his omnipotence in our own behaIf that we can discharge the duties, and bear the trials of this life. Compare the notes at <a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/40-29.htm">Isaiah 40:29-31</a>.<p>Seek his face evermore - His favor. His smiling upon us, his lifting up the light of his countenance, is synonymous with his favor. See <a href="/psalms/24-6.htm">Psalm 24:6</a>; <a href="/psalms/27-8.htm">Psalm 27:8</a>. Compare the notes at <a href="/psalms/4-6.htm">Psalm 4:6</a>. <a name="jfb" id="jfb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/jfb/psalms/105.htm">Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary</a></div>3, 4. Seeking God's favor is the only true mode of getting true happiness, and His strength [Ps 105:4] is the only true source of protection (compare Ps 32:11; 40:16).<p>Glory … name—boast in His perfections. The world glories in its horses and chariots against the Church of God lying in the dust; but our hope is in the name, that is, the power and love of God to His people, manifested in past deliverances.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/poole/psalms/105.htm">Matthew Poole's Commentary</a></div> <span class="bld">The Lord, and his strength, </span> i.e. by a figure called <span class="ital">hendiaduo</span>, the Lord in his strength, to wit, in his sanctuary, or before the ark, which is called God’s strength, <span class="bld"><a href="/psalms/63-2.htm" title="To see your power and your glory, so as I have seen you in the sanctuary.">Psalm 63:2</a> 78:61</span>, and the ark of his strength, <span class="bld"><a href="/psalms/132-8.htm" title="Arise, O LORD, into your rest; you, and the ark of your strength.">Psalm 132:8</a></span>. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">His face, </span> i.e. his gracious presence in his sanctuary, and the blessed fruits of it. See on <span class="bld"><a href="/psalms/27-8.htm" title="When you said, Seek you my face; my heart said to you, Your face, LORD, will I seek.">Psalm 27:8</a></span>. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="gil" id="gil"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gill/psalms/105.htm">Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible</a></div>Seek the Lord and his strength,.... The ark, which is called his strength, and the ark of his strength, <a href="http://biblehub.com/psalms/78-61.htm">Psalm 78:61</a>, because he had shown his great strength by it, in dividing the waters at Jordan, throwing down the walls of Jericho, and plaguing the Philistines because of it, when among them. This was a symbol of God's presence, before which he was sought by his people; and was a type of our Lord Jesus, the man of God's right hand, whom he has made strong for himself, and who is called his strength, <a href="/psalms/80-18.htm">Psalm 80:18</a>. Some render it, and which Aben Ezra makes mention of, though he rejects it, "seek the Lord in his strength"; or "by it": God is to be sought in Christ; he is the way of access to him. Or the meaning is, seek strength from the Lord; spiritual strength; strength to assist in the exercise of grace, and discharge of duty; seek it from him, in whom are both righteousness and strength. The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions, render it, "seek the Lord, and be ye strengthened". The way to gain an increase of spiritual strength is to seek the Lord by prayer, or in his ordinances; see <a href="/psalms/138-3.htm">Psalm 138:3</a>. The Targum is, <p>"seek the doctrine of the Lord, and his law.'' <p>It follows: <p>seek his face evermore: his favour and lovingkindness; his smiling countenance, which beholds the upright; his gracious presence, and communion with him; which is always desirable, ever to be sought after, and will be eternally and without interruption enjoyed in another world. <a name="gsb" id="gsb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gsb/psalms/105.htm">Geneva Study Bible</a></div><span class="cverse2">Seek the LORD, and his <span class="cverse3">{b}</span> strength: seek his face evermore.</span><p>(b) By the strength and face he means the ark where God declared his power and his presence.</div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="comtype">EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/cambridge/psalms/105.htm">Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges</a></div><span class="bld">4</span>. Two synonymous words are rendered <span class="ital">seek</span> in this verse. Both originally referred to the outward act of visiting the sanctuary, but both come to express the inward purpose of the heart as well. So far as they can be distinguished the first denotes the attitude of loving devotion, the second that of inquiry or supplication. To ‘seek Jehovah’ is the duty and the joy of the true Israelite. From His strength and presence alone can Israel derive the protection and blessing that it needs. <span class="ital">His strength</span> cannot here mean the Ark, as in <a href="/psalms/78-61.htm" title="And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.">Psalm 78:61</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="pul" id="pul"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/psalms/105.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 4.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.</span> Turn <span class="accented">to</span> the Lord, not <span class="accented">from</span> him; seek his favour, his support, the light of his countenance. Psalm 105:4<a name="kad" id="kad"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/kad/psalms/105.htm">Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament</a></div>Invitation to the praise - praise that resounds far and wide among the peoples - of the God who has become manifest wondrously in the deeds and words connected with the history of the founding of Israel. הודה לה, as in <a href="/psalms/33-2.htm">Psalm 33:2</a>; <a href="http://biblehub.com/psalms/75-2.htm">Psalm 75:2</a>, of a praising and thankful confession offered to God; קרא בשׁם ה, to call with the name of Jahve, i.e., to call upon it, of an audible, solemn attestation of God in prayer and in discourse (Symmachus, κηρύσσετε). The joy of heart <p>(Note: The Mugrash of ישׂמח with the following Legarme seems here to be of equal value with Zakeph, <a href="/1_chronicles/16-10.htm">1 Chronicles 16:10</a>.)<p>that is desired is the condition of a joyous opening of the mouth and Israel's own stedfast turning towards Jahve, the condition of all salutary result; for it is only His "strength" that breaks through all dangers, and His "face" that lightens up all darkness. משׁפּטי־פּיו, as <a href="/psalms/105-7.htm">Psalm 105:7</a> teaches, are God's judicial utterances, which have been executed without any hindrance, more particularly in the case of the Egyptians, their Pharaoh, and their gods. The chronicler has פּיהוּ and זרע ישׂראל, which is so far unsuitable as one does not know whether עבדו is to be referred to "Israel" the patriarch, or to the "seed of Israel," the nation; the latter reference would be deutero-Isaianic. In both texts the lxx reads עבדו (ye His servants). <div class="vheading2">Links</div><a href="/interlinear/psalms/105-4.htm">Psalm 105:4 Interlinear</a><br /><a href="/texts/psalms/105-4.htm">Psalm 105:4 Parallel Texts</a><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/niv/psalms/105-4.htm">Psalm 105:4 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/psalms/105-4.htm">Psalm 105:4 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/psalms/105-4.htm">Psalm 105:4 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/psalms/105-4.htm">Psalm 105:4 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/psalms/105-4.htm">Psalm 105:4 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://bibleapps.com/psalms/105-4.htm">Psalm 105:4 Bible Apps</a><br /><a href="/psalms/105-4.htm">Psalm 105:4 Parallel</a><br /><a href="http://bibliaparalela.com/psalms/105-4.htm">Psalm 105:4 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="http://holybible.com.cn/psalms/105-4.htm">Psalm 105:4 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="http://saintebible.com/psalms/105-4.htm">Psalm 105:4 French Bible</a><br /><a href="http://bibeltext.com/psalms/105-4.htm">Psalm 105:4 German Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br /></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td align="center"><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><br /> </div> <div id="left"><a href="../psalms/105-3.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Psalm 105:3"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Psalm 105:3" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../psalms/105-5.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Psalm 105:5"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Psalm 105:5" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>