The God Who Plunders and Provides Text: Psalm 105:37-41
Introduction: The Logic of Covenant Grace
The book of Psalms is the hymnal of God's people, and Psalm 105 is one of the great historical anthems. It is a summons to remember. We are forgetful creatures, prone to spiritual amnesia, and so the Holy Spirit, through the psalmist, commands us to recount the mighty acts of the Lord. This is not a sentimental trip down memory lane. This is a call to anchor our faith in the bedrock of what God has actually done in history. Our faith is not a flimsy, abstract philosophy; it is built upon a foundation of historical fact. God broke into time and space, He delivered His people, He judged their enemies, and He provided for them in the most astonishing ways.
This psalm is a recital of God's covenant faithfulness to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It walks us through the patriarchs, the Joseph narrative, and the oppression in Egypt. And then, in the section before us, it brings us to the crescendo of the Exodus itself. The Exodus is the central, defining act of redemption in the Old Testament. It is the event that God Himself refers back to, time and again, as the basis of His relationship with Israel. "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt." And we must understand, as the New Testament makes abundantly clear, that the Exodus is not just a story about them. It is a type, a pattern, a foreshadowing of the greater exodus that Jesus Christ would accomplish in Jerusalem (Luke 9:31). Every detail here is pregnant with gospel meaning.
As we look at these verses, we see God's grace in five movements: He enriches His people, He protects His people, He guides His people, He feeds His people, and He gives drink to His people. This is a portrait of a God who is not distant or stingy, but who is lavishly and meticulously involved in the well being of His chosen ones. This is a God who does not just save from, but who saves to. He doesn't just get you out of Egypt; He provides everything you need for the journey to the Promised Land.
The Text
Then He brought them out with silver and gold, And there was none among His tribes who stumbled. Egypt was glad when they went out, For the dread of them had fallen upon them. He spread a cloud for a covering, And fire to give light by night. They asked, and He brought quail, And He satisfied them with the bread of heaven. He opened the rock and water flowed out; It ran in the dry places like a river.
(Psalm 105:37-41 LSB)
The Great Plunder (v. 37)
The first thing the psalmist recalls after the plagues is the departure, and it is a departure in style.
"Then He brought them out with silver and gold, And there was none among His tribes who stumbled." (Psalm 105:37)
God does not bring His people out of bondage as impoverished refugees. He brings them out as a conquering army, laden with the spoils of war. The text in Exodus tells us that the Israelites asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold, and the Lord had given them such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that they gave them whatever they asked. So they "plundered the Egyptians" (Ex. 12:36). This was not theft. This was the collection of back wages. For centuries, the Egyptians had brutally oppressed the Hebrews, extracting their labor for nothing. Now, on the eve of their departure, God sees to it that they are paid in full, with interest. This is reparations, divinely mandated and executed.
This demonstrates a core principle of God's justice. He is a God who settles accounts. No act of oppression or injustice goes unnoticed by Him, and in His time, He will balance the books. But more than that, this is a picture of the gospel. When Christ triumphed over our spiritual Pharaoh, Satan, on the cross, He did not just secure our release. He "disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him" (Col. 2:15). He plundered the enemy's camp. And what are the spoils He gives to us? Not silver and gold, but "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Eph. 1:3). He gives us righteousness, peace, joy, adoption, and an eternal inheritance.
And notice the second clause: "there was none among His tribes who stumbled." This is a staggering statement. We are talking about over two million people, men, women, children, and the elderly, leaving in a hurry. And yet, there was not one feeble person among them. Not one person tripped. Not one person was sick. This is a picture of supernatural health and vigor. God not only made them rich, He made them strong. When God delivers, He does a thorough job. This points to the new creation, where there will be no more sickness, no more stumbling, no more weakness. In Christ, we are made spiritually robust for the journey.
The Fear of God's People (v. 38)
The reaction of the Egyptians is just as remarkable as the state of the Israelites.
"Egypt was glad when they went out, For the dread of them had fallen upon them." (Psalm 105:38)
After the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn, the Egyptians were not just willing to let Israel go; they were desperate for them to leave. They were glad to see them go. Why? Because "the dread of them had fallen upon them." The slaves had become the masters of the situation. The oppressed had become the feared. This is what happens when God takes up the cause of His people. He turns the tables completely. The world system, represented by Egypt, is built on intimidation and fear. But when God's people walk in faithfulness, God puts the fear of them into the hearts of their enemies.
This is a promise that runs throughout Scripture. God told Israel that if they were obedient, He would make them the head and not the tail, and that the dread of them would be upon all the nations (Deut. 28:10). This is not about Christians being bullies. It is about the palpable reality of the presence of the living God with His people. When the church is healthy, when it is walking in the power of the Spirit and proclaiming the truth without compromise, the world gets nervous. They may hate us, they may mock us, but deep down, a holy dread begins to settle in. They recognize that they are dealing with something not of this world. A weak, compromised, worldly church is a church that no one fears, least of all the devil. But a faithful church is, as the apostle Paul says, an aroma of death to those who are perishing (2 Cor. 2:16).
Divine Guidance and Comfort (v. 39)
Next, the psalmist recalls God's miraculous provision of guidance and protection in the wilderness.
"He spread a cloud for a covering, And fire to give light by night." (Genesis 105:39)
The wilderness was a harsh and dangerous place. The sun was scorching by day, and the nights could be cold and dark. But God provided a supernatural, 24/7 guide. By day, a pillar of cloud led the way. This cloud was not just a signpost; it was a "covering." It was a divine umbrella, a portable canopy that shielded the entire nation from the oppressive heat of the desert sun. It was God's tangible presence providing comfort and relief.
And by night, that same pillar transformed into a pillar of fire. It provided light in the darkness, allowing them to travel if needed, and it provided warmth against the desert cold. Most importantly, it was a constant, visible reminder that God was with them. They were never alone. This pillar of cloud and fire was the Shekinah glory of God, dwelling in their midst.
This, of course, points directly to Christ. Jesus is the one who tabernacled among us (John 1:14). He is our covering, our shield from the wrath of God. He is the light of the world who guides us through the darkness of this life (John 8:12). The Holy Spirit, sent by the Father and the Son, is our constant guide, our pillar of cloud and fire, leading us into all truth and comforting us with the presence of God. We are not left to navigate the wilderness of this world on our own. God Himself, in Christ and by the Spirit, leads His people home.
Supernatural Sustenance (v. 40-41)
Finally, the psalmist celebrates God's provision of food and water in a barren land.
"They asked, and He brought quail, And He satisfied them with the bread of heaven. He opened the rock and water flowed out; It ran in the dry places like a river." (Psalm 105:40-41)
The people grumbled, but the text here graciously says they "asked." Even in their sin, God responded with grace. He provided meat in the form of quail, and He "satisfied them with the bread of heaven." This "bread of heaven" was the manna, a miraculous food that appeared on the ground each morning. It was a direct, daily provision from God's own hand. It taught them utter dependence upon Him. They could not hoard it; they had to trust Him for their daily bread.
Jesus identifies Himself as the true bread from heaven. He says, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger" (John 6:35). The manna was a type. It sustained their physical lives for a time, but Christ, the true manna, gives eternal life to all who feed on Him by faith. He is our soul's satisfaction.
And what about their thirst? God provided for that as well, in an equally spectacular fashion.
"He opened the rock and water flowed out; It ran in the dry places like a river." God commanded Moses to strike a rock, and from that dead, flinty rock, water gushed forth in abundance. It wasn't a trickle; it was a river, flowing through the desert, providing life giving water for millions of people and their livestock.
The apostle Paul tells us exactly what this means. He says, "For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ" (1 Cor. 10:4). Christ is the Rock. He was struck for us on the cross, smitten by the rod of God's justice. And from His wounded side flowed living water. He is the source of the Holy Spirit, whom He pours out on all who believe. Jesus stood and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:37-38). The satisfaction for the deepest thirst of the human soul is found only in the smitten Rock, Jesus Christ.
Conclusion: Remember and Rejoice
This psalm is a call to remember God's faithfulness, not so we can win a Bible trivia contest, but so that we can live in confident trust and joyful obedience. The same God who brought Israel out of Egypt with wealth and health is the God who has brought us out of the bondage of sin and death. The same God who guided them with cloud and fire guides us by His Word and Spirit. The same God who fed them with manna and gave them water from the rock satisfies our deepest spiritual hunger and thirst in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Our God is a God of exodus. He is a God of deliverance. He is a God of lavish provision. He did not save us to abandon us in the wilderness. He has given us everything we need for the journey. He has given us the spoils of Christ's victory. He has put His dread on our enemies. He has given us His guiding presence. And He has given us Himself as our true food and our true drink. Therefore, let us remember His mighty deeds. Let us give thanks. And let us follow Him faithfully all the way to the Promised Land.