Psalms Chapter 114 — The Exodus and God's Power
Psalms Chapter 114 is a short hymn celebrating God's power over nature during Israel's exodus from Egypt and their journey to the Promised Land.
1When Israel went out of Egypt,
2Judah became his sanctuary,
3The sea saw it, and fled.
4The mountains skipped like rams,
5What was it, you sea, that you fled?
6You mountains, that you skipped like rams?
7Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord,
8who turned the rock into a pool of water,
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Psalms 114:3
“The sea saw it, and fled.”
This verse poetically describes the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea during the Exodus.
Psalms 114:7
“Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord,”
It highlights the awe-inspiring power of God's presence and its impact on the physical world.
Chapter Summary
Psalms Chapter 114 is a concise but powerful poetic retelling of the Exodus from Egypt. It describes the transformation of the people as Judah became God’s sanctuary and Israel His dominion. The text uses vivid personification to illustrate how nature reacted to the divine presence, noting that the Red Sea fled and the Jordan River was driven back. Even the mountains and hills are described as skipping like rams and lambs in response to the Lord. The psalmist asks rhetorical questions to these natural elements, questioning why they reacted with such dramatic movement. The chapter concludes by calling upon the entire earth to tremble before the Lord, the God of Jacob. It closes by referencing God’s miraculous power to provide for His people by turning hard rock into a pool of water, reminding the reader of His sovereignty over all creation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main theme is God's power over nature as demonstrated during the Exodus. It highlights how the physical world, including the sea and mountains, reacts to the presence of the Lord.
The psalm references the Exodus from Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, the crossing of the Jordan River, and the miraculous provision of water from a rock in the wilderness.
The skipping of mountains is a poetic metaphor for the earth's reaction to God's presence, often associated with the earthquake at Mount Sinai during the giving of the Law.
Study Note
Psalms Chapter 114 is traditionally part of the Egyptian Hallel, a collection of psalms sung during Passover to commemorate liberation from Egypt.
Related Chapters
Exodus 14
This chapter provides the historical account of the Red Sea parting mentioned in the psalm.
Joshua 3
This chapter describes the crossing of the Jordan River, another event referenced in this psalm.
Exodus 17
This chapter records God turning a rock into a source of water for the Israelites in the wilderness.
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