Psalms 105:34 Commentary: Locusts Without Number

The eighth plague in Exodus 10 came after the hail had already destroyed much of Egypt’s crops. The locusts were to consume what remained, “every herb of the land” (Exodus 10:12). Ancient observers describe locust swarms in staggering numbers: they form a veil over the sun, strip every leaf, and leave nothing green. The Hebrew word arbeh is related to a root meaning “multitude,” capturing the swarm’s sheer density. The second term yeleq may denote the hopper stage, before wings develop, which is equally destructive. The psalmist compresses Exodus’s narrative into a single couplet: God speaks, and the agents of judgment come. This pattern echoes the creation account (Genesis 1:3, “God said, Let there be…”), but here the creative word becomes a word of judgment. The plague was also a direct blow against Egypt’s gods: Isis and Serapis were associated with protecting crops; the locusts exposed their powerlessness. The psalmist’s audience, Israel, could read this and see God’s faithfulness: the same God who delivered them from Egypt had power over every force of nature. The phrase “without number” is not hyperbole; it reflects the historical reality that locust plagues are impossible to count, and it underscores that only God could send and remove such a force.

The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 105:34. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, with the minor variation in the second insect name (יֶלֶק) appearing as expected in the Masoretic tradition. The Septuagint translates both Hebrew terms as ἀκρίς (locust) and βροῦχος (a type of locust), reflecting the same difficulty found in modern versions. No major debate exists over the wording.

Psalm 105:34 was sung and recited by Israel as part of the Hallel tradition (Psalms 105, 106 were likely used at festivals). Early Christian writers like Origen saw the locusts as a type of demonic forces that Christ would eventually conquer, while also recognizing the historical judgment on Egypt. The verse appears in medieval liturgical settings (e.g., the Breviary for Lent) as a call to repentance. Reformation commentators such as Calvin and Luther used it to teach God's sovereignty over natural phenomena against both superstitious fear of nature and rationalist denial of divine intervention. In modern lectionaries, the verse is read during seasons of penitence to remind congregations that God's word commands both blessing and judgment. The image of an innumerable host echoes in hymns of holy war and in spirituals that remember the plagues as signs of liberation.

Three-point outline

1. The Word That Commands, “He spoke” (אָמַר, amar). God’s word is not passive; it carries authority over creation. The same word that called light into existence sends a plague.
2. The Army Without Number, “Without number” (וְאֵין מִסְפָּר). The locusts’ uncountable masses show that God’s resources for judgment are infinite. No one can number them; only God sends and removes them.
3. The God Who Judges and Saves, The locust plague was part of God’s rescue of Israel. Judgment on Egypt became deliverance for the oppressed. The same event holds both terror and hope.

Five-point outline

1. Sovereignty, God rules over insects, weather, and nations.
2. Judgment, The plague was a direct response to Pharaoh’s hardness.
3. Deliverance, Through the plagues, God brought Israel out.
4. Remembrance, The psalmist calls Israel to recall God’s deeds.
5. Praise, The whole psalm ends with “Praise the Lord” (Psalm 105:45). The horrors of Egypt lead to worship.

Illustration hooks

• The farmer’s worst nightmare. A locust swarm can cover 100 square miles, with up to 80 million insects per square mile. No fence, no pesticide, no human army can stop it. Only God can send it and only God can call it off.
• A forgotten password. You remember that you made a promise, but you cannot recall the exact words. Here God remembers His covenant perfectly, and His word releases the locusts. His memory is never faulty.
• The single tap that floods a city. A water main breaks, and a trickle becomes a torrent. God spoke one word, and a plague of locusts, a wave of insects, surged into Egypt.

Questions your congregation is asking

• Why does God use natural disasters as judgment? How is that different from random events?
• If God controls the locusts, does He also control the hardships in my life? How can I trust Him in that?
• Israel saw the plagues as acts of salvation. How might I recognize God’s hand in difficult times as part of His larger rescue plan?

This verse is part of a longer song (Psalm 105) that recounts God’s faithfulness from Abraham to the Promised Land. The locust plague is one event in a chain of rescue. As you read this verse together, notice how the psalmist boils down a long story into just nine words in Hebrew. Every word matters.

Discussion questions

1. Why does the psalmist say “He spoke” rather than “God sent locusts”? What does the choice of verb tell us about God’s power?
2. How does the phrase “without number” shape your understanding of the plague’s severity? Why is the number not given?
3. This verse refers to the eighth plague in Exodus 10. How does knowing the full story in Exodus change how you hear the psalmist’s summary?
4. The second Hebrew word (yeleq) is translated as “caterpillar,” “grasshopper,” or “cankerworm.” Which image fits best with the idea of total consumption? What does that variety of translations suggest about the hopelessness of the situation?
5. In verse 37, the psalmist says God brought Israel out “with silver and gold” and “not one feeble person.” How does the locust plague lead to that moment of liberation and health?
6. How does this verse challenge the idea that nature is autonomous or random? What does it mean for your daily life that God is sovereign over insects and weather?
7. Psalm 105 was likely sung by the people. Why is remembering painful events (like the locusts) an important part of worship? How can you practice that kind of remembrance this week?