Psalms 77:17

17 The clouds poured water, the skies cracked thunder; your arrows were flying all around!

Psalms 77:17 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 77:17

The clouds poured out water
This, with some other circumstances which follow, are not related by Moses in the history of this affair; but as they are here recorded by an inspired penman, there is no doubt to be made of the truth of them; besides Josephus F1 relates the same things; he says, that at the time when the Egyptians were drowned in the Red sea, rains descended from heaven, and there were terrible thunders, lightnings, and thunderbolts; this was when the Lord looked through the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, ( Exodus 14:24 ) ,

the skies sent out a sound;
or the airy clouds, the lighter ones, and which were higher in the heavens, as the others before mentioned were thick clouds, full of water, and hung lower; these were thunderclouds, and thunder is the sound which they sent forth, as in the following verse:

thine arrows also went abroad:
that is, lightnings, as in ( Psalms 18:14 ) , so Aben Ezra; but Kimchi interprets them of hailstones.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 Antiqu. l. 2. c. 16. sect. 3.

Psalms 77:17 In-Context

15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people; redeemed the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 The waters saw you, God— the waters saw you and reeled! Even the deep depths shook!
17 The clouds poured water, the skies cracked thunder; your arrows were flying all around!
18 The crash of your thunder was in the swirling storm; lightning lit up the whole world; the earth shook and quaked.
19 Your way went straight through the sea; your pathways went right through the mighty waters. But your footprints left no trace!
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible