Psalm 77:17

17 The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; thy arrows flashed on every side.

Psalm 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Psalm 77:17 In-Context

15 Thou didst with thy arm redeem thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. [Selah]

16 When the waters saw thee, O God, when the waters saw thee, they were afraid, yea, the deep trembled.

17 The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; thy arrows flashed on every side.

18 The crash of thy thunder was in the whirlwind; thy lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.

19 Thy way was through the sea, thy path through the great waters; yet thy footprints were unseen.