Psalms 114:1

1 When Israel went forth out of Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language;

Psalms 114:1 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 114:1

When Israel went out of Egypt
The people of Israel in a body, publicly, openly, and not by stealth; freely and willingly, not forced and drove out; though urged by the Egyptians to go, through the hand of God upon them; and so went out with the mighty hand and outstretched arm of the Lord, and with great riches, and in health, not one feeble or sick among them.

The house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
or barbarous; as every language was reckoned by the Jews but their own; the Egyptian language they did not understand; see ( Psalms 81:5 ) ( Genesis 42:23 ) , no doubt many of them learned it during their long stay there, but in general they retained their own language. This was an emblem of the Lord's people in effectual calling, coming out of bondage into liberty, out of darkness into light, out of superstition, and idolatry and profaneness, to the service of the true God in righteousness and true holiness; and from a people of a strange language to those that speak the language of Canaan, a pure language, in which they can understated one another when they converse together, either about experience or doctrine; and the manner of their coming out is much the same, by strength of hand, by the power of divine grace, yet willingly and cheerfully, with great riches, the riches of grace, and a title to the riches of glory, and with much spiritual strength; for, though weak in themselves, yet are strong in Christ.

Psalms 114:1 In-Context

1 When Israel went forth out of Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
2 Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
3 The sea saw it, and fled; The Jordan was driven back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, The little hills like lambs.
5 What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleest? Thou Jordan, that thou turnest back?
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.