Psalms 105:16
Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.
Main message
Psalm 105:16 recalls a famine in the land and the breaking of the supply of bread.
Meaning in context
Psalm 105:16–22 · Joseph suffers, is tested, and is raised to preserve life — Famine leads into Joseph's enslavement, testing, release, and appointment to authority.
The Joseph section opens with crisis, showing that preservation unfolds through severe scarcity rather than uninterrupted ease.
Further teachings
Providence is not the same as comfort
The story includes famine before deliverance.
Cross References: Psalm 105:16.
Applications in daily life
- 1
When hardship is interpreted too quickly
Avoid simple formulas about why suffering occurs.
Do not tell sufferers that every crisis is a direct punishment or secret plan you can decode.
Related Bible passages and resources
Common misreadings
Every famine or shortage can be confidently identified as a specific divine punishment.
The verse narrates one biblical event and does not provide a universal diagnostic rule.
How to Apply Psalms 105:16
Pray through Psalms 105:16 slowly, pausing at each phrase. Journal what God highlights regarding from Scripture. Commit to one concrete application over the next seven days, and revisit your notes at the end of the week to see how your perspective has shifted through the lens of this passage.
Sources & Method
Biblical text
Psalm 105:16 (en).
- Author:
- The Lord Will Editorial Team
- Reviewed by:
- Ugo Candido
- Last updated:
- Reviewed on: