Psalms 114:1-6

1 When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,
2 Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
3 The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back;
4 the mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs.
5 Why was it, sea, that you fled? Why, Jordan, did you turn back?
6 Why, mountains, did you leap like rams, you hills, like lambs?

Psalms 114:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 114

The title of this psalm in the Arabic version is "hallelujah", as in some preceding ones; it is part of the great "Hallel" sung at the passover, and with great propriety; since the subject matter of it is the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt, typical of our spiritual redemption by Christ; and of the effectual calling of God's elect out of a state of nature into a state of grace; and particularly of the conversion of the Gentiles, and the bringing of them from Paganism to Christianity: the inscription of the Syriac version is,

``a psalm without a name, out of the ancient writing; concerning Moses, who sung praise at the sea; but unto us the calling of the Gospel, by which we become a new people; spiritual to God, who is incarnate; to Jesus Christ, who redeemed us by his blood from the curse of the Scripture (the law), and hath cleansed us from sin by his Spirit.''

Cross References 7

  • 1. S Exodus 13:3; S Exodus 29:46
  • 2. Psalms 76:1
  • 3. S Exodus 15:17; Psalms 78:68-69
  • 4. Exodus 14:21; Psalms 77:16
  • 5. S Exodus 15:8; S Joshua 3:16
  • 6. S Judges 5:5
  • 7. S Exodus 14:21
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