Psalm 105:16-28 NKJV
16 Moreover He called for a famine in the land;
He destroyed all the provision of bread.
17 He sent a man before them—
Joseph—who was sold as a slave.
18 They hurt his feet with fetters,
He was laid in irons.
19 Until the time that his word came to pass,
The word of the Lord tested him.
20 The king sent and released him,
The ruler of the people let him go free.
21 He made him lord of his house,
And ruler of all his possessions,
22 To bind his princes at his pleasure,
And teach his elders wisdom.
23 Israel also came into Egypt,
And Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.
24 He increased His people greatly,
And made them stronger than their enemies.
25 He turned their heart to hate His people,
To deal craftily with His servants.
26 He sent Moses His servant,
And Aaron whom He had chosen.
27 They performed His signs among them,
And wonders in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness, and made it dark;
And they did not rebel against His word.
God’s ways often appear hidden to human eyes. The psalmist recounts how the Lord allowed a famine to strike, leaving the land barren. Yet, in that hardship, He had already provided the answer—Joseph. Years before the famine came, Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery. At the time, it seemed like nothing more than cruelty and injustice. But God was working through it all.
Joseph’s suffering was not without purpose. He was shackled, imprisoned, and humiliated, but in those afflictions, the Lord was shaping him for greater service. When the time was right, Joseph was exalted to a place of authority in Egypt, where he became the means by which many lives were saved. His trials were not random events but part of God’s design to preserve His people.
The history of God’s dealings with His people is filled with such examples. When Israel groaned in Egypt under Pharaoh’s oppression, the Lord raised up Moses. Though Pharaoh resisted, God displayed His power through signs and wonders, leading His people toward freedom. Even in their darkest moments, God had not forgotten them. He was already preparing their deliverance.
We, too, face trials that seem senseless at the time. Suffering often arrives unannounced, and we wonder why the Lord allows it. But Psalm 105 reminds us that God is never absent. He works through the hardships of life to accomplish His purposes. His wisdom is beyond our understanding, but His faithfulness never wavers.
The greatest proof of this is seen in Jesus Christ. Betrayed, rejected, and crucified, He endured suffering that seemed, to human eyes, like the triumph of evil. Yet, through the cross, God was securing salvation for the world. What looked like defeat was, in truth, the greatest victory. Let us pray: O Lord, in times of trouble, help us trust that You are working all things for good. Strengthen our faith in Your wisdom and mercy and lead us to rest in Your unfailing promises. Amen.