Psalms 114:1-7

1 After Israel left Egypt, the clan of Jacob left those barbarians behind;

2 Judah became holy land for him, Israel the place of holy rule.

3 Sea took one look and ran the other way; River Jordan turned around and ran off.

4 The mountains turned playful and skipped like rams, the hills frolicked like spring lambs.

5 What's wrong with you, Sea, that you ran away? and you, River Jordan, that you turned and ran off?

6 And mountains, why did you skip like rams? and you, hills, frolic like spring lambs?

7 Tremble, Earth! You're in the Lord's presence! in the presence of Jacob's God.

Psalms 114:1-7 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.''