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Psalm 105:25
He turned their heart to hate his people, to conspire against his servants.
23Israel also came into Egypt. Jacob lived in the land of Ham.
24He increased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their adversaries.
25He turned their heart to hate his people, to conspire against his servants.
26He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
27They performed miracles among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.
Notice
“He turned their heart” makes Egypt’s hatred hard to read: the psalm names God’s action in the hostility aimed at his own people.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What troubles you about God turning hearts toward hatred in this account of Israel in Egypt?
Write on thisWhat do you notice about the names “his people” and “his servants” when they become targets of conspiracy?
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Where else Scripture says this
11 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
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Proverbs 21:1The king’s heart is in the LORD’s hand like the watercourses. He turns it wherever he desires.Both texts describe God turning human hearts, with Proverbs speaking of a king and the psalm speaking of Israel’s adversaries.
Acts 7:19The same took advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to abandon their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive.The psalm names Egypt’s hatred and conspiracy against Israel; Acts describes that hostility in mistreatment and the forced abandonment of babies.
Exodus 14:5The king of Egypt was told that the people had fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this …Both passages describe hearts turning against Israel in Egypt, with Exodus recording Pharaoh’s regret at releasing the people from service.
Genesis 15:13He said to Abram, “Know for sure that your offspring will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four …Genesis foretells affliction for Abram’s offspring in a foreign land; the psalm recounts hatred against Israel during their stay in Egypt.
Exodus 1:10Come, let’s deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies and fight against …Both texts describe plans against Israel in Egypt, with Exodus exposing fear of Israel’s growth and possible escape.
Exodus 9:16but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth,Both passages describe God acting in Egypt; Exodus states his purpose of displaying his power.
Exodus 1:22Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “You shall cast every son who is born into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”The psalm names hatred against God’s people in Egypt; Exodus records Pharaoh’s command to throw newborn sons into the river.
Romans 9:17–19For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed …Both texts speak of God’s action in Egypt, while Romans quotes his stated purpose of displaying his power through Pharaoh.
Revelation 17:17For God has put in their hearts to do what he has in mind, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be …Both passages attribute movements within human hearts to God, even amid hostility and allegiance to evil.
Genesis 37:18They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.Both passages name conspiracy against others, with Genesis making the conspirators’ intent to kill explicit.
Deuteronomy 2:30But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him, for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into …Both texts attribute hostile dispositions to God’s action on human hearts, with Deuteronomy naming Sihon’s refusal to allow passage.
Where this verse fits
Doubt. injustice and anger. sermon or Bible study notes.
One step
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Encouragement
God’s action here is hard to understand. The psalm names Egypt’s hatred without explaining every question it raises, and still calls those under threat his people and his servants.
Now put it in your words.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).