Psalms 77:17

17 The clouds poured out water. The sky thundered. Even your arrows flashed in every direction.

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 might you have defended your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 The water saw you, O God. The water saw you and shook. Even the depths of the sea trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water. The sky thundered. Even your arrows flashed in every direction.
18 The sound of your thunder rumbled in the sky. Streaks of lightning lit up the world. The earth trembled and shook.
19 Your road went through the sea. Your path went through raging water, but your footprints could not be seen.
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