Psalms 105:16

"“Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!”"

Key Reflection

In Psalm 105:16, the psalmist emphasizes God's protection of His chosen leaders and prophets by declaring, "Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!" This verse underscores God’s sovereign authority over His appointed servants, highlighting that those designated for divine purposes are under His safeguard. The term "anointed" (mashiach in Hebrew) refers to individuals set apart by God through the anointing with holy oil, typically priests or kings, symbolizing their special role and divine consecration. This verse thus not only protects the prophets but also asserts the importance of respecting all those whom God has chosen for His service, reinforcing the theme that divine authority extends over even the highest positions in society.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Moreover, he called for a famine upon the land -It was not by chance; not by the mere operation of physical laws, but it was because God “ordered” it. The famine here referred to, as the connection shows, was that which occurred in the time of Jacob, and which was the occasion of the migration into Egypt. There was also a famine in the time of AbrahamGenesis 12:10; but the design of the psalmist here is to refer to that period of the Jewish history which pertained to their residence in Egypt, and to the dealings of God with the nation when there, as furnishing an occasion for gratitude.Genesis 41:0;Genesis 42:0.

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