God remains faithful to His people even when their feet are in fetters.
Psalm 105 commemorates God’s faithfulness to His people by recounting key events in Israel’s history, including the suffering of Joseph in Egypt. The psalmist describes Joseph’s ordeal by saying, They afflicted his feet with fetters, He himself was laid in irons; (v.18) to emphasize how severely he was mistreated. Joseph—who lived around the nineteenth century BC—was sold into slavery by his brothers and taken to Egypt, a land in North Africa dominated by the Nile River system. There he was unjustly imprisoned, with shackles around his feet and an iron collar around his neck. Despite the cruelty he endured, Joseph’s story reveals how God ultimately used his trials to bring deliverance not only for himself, but also for his entire family (Genesis 45:4-8). Through Joseph’s tribulations, Psalm 105 highlights God’s sovereignty in using temporary hardship for ultimate blessing (Psalm 105:5).
By describing that He himself was laid in irons; (v.18), the text underscores the physical and emotional cost of maintaining faith in difficult circumstances. Joseph’s body was bound, yet his spirit remained free to trust in the Lord’s purposes. Scripture often teaches that testing refines the believer and that God’s sustaining hand remains present even in captivity (James 1:2-4). In this verse, the psalmist is encouraging readers to remember that God is active behind the scenes, orchestrating events for His own gracious plan.
Joseph’s experience echoes forward into the New Testament, where Jesus likewise experienced unjust treatment for a redemptive purpose (1 Peter 2:24). Just as Joseph was eventually raised to a place of honor in Egypt (Genesis 41:41), so Jesus was exalted after enduring suffering on humanity’s behalf (Philippians 2:8-9). Joseph’s shackles, therefore, foreshadow a greater redemption story, beckoning all people to trust the God who can transform shackles into glory.
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Psalms 105:18 meaning
Psalm 105 commemorates God’s faithfulness to His people by recounting key events in Israel’s history, including the suffering of Joseph in Egypt. The psalmist describes Joseph’s ordeal by saying, They afflicted his feet with fetters, He himself was laid in irons; (v.18) to emphasize how severely he was mistreated. Joseph—who lived around the nineteenth century BC—was sold into slavery by his brothers and taken to Egypt, a land in North Africa dominated by the Nile River system. There he was unjustly imprisoned, with shackles around his feet and an iron collar around his neck. Despite the cruelty he endured, Joseph’s story reveals how God ultimately used his trials to bring deliverance not only for himself, but also for his entire family (Genesis 45:4-8). Through Joseph’s tribulations, Psalm 105 highlights God’s sovereignty in using temporary hardship for ultimate blessing (Psalm 105:5).
By describing that He himself was laid in irons; (v.18), the text underscores the physical and emotional cost of maintaining faith in difficult circumstances. Joseph’s body was bound, yet his spirit remained free to trust in the Lord’s purposes. Scripture often teaches that testing refines the believer and that God’s sustaining hand remains present even in captivity (James 1:2-4). In this verse, the psalmist is encouraging readers to remember that God is active behind the scenes, orchestrating events for His own gracious plan.
Joseph’s experience echoes forward into the New Testament, where Jesus likewise experienced unjust treatment for a redemptive purpose (1 Peter 2:24). Just as Joseph was eventually raised to a place of honor in Egypt (Genesis 41:41), so Jesus was exalted after enduring suffering on humanity’s behalf (Philippians 2:8-9). Joseph’s shackles, therefore, foreshadow a greater redemption story, beckoning all people to trust the God who can transform shackles into glory.