Psalms 114:4

4 Mountains full out joyed as rams; and little hills as the lambs of sheep. (The mountains rejoiced like rams; and the little hills like the lambs of sheep.)

Psalms 114:4 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 114:4

The mountains skipped like rams
The mountains of Sinai and Horeb quaked and moved at the presence of the Lord, when he descended thereon to give the law; these saw his glory and trembled, ( Exodus 19:18 ) ( Psalms 68:8 ) ( Habakkuk 3:6 Habakkuk 3:10 ) .

And the little hills like lambs;
very beautiful are the larger mountains of Sinai and Horeb compared to rams, and the motion of them to their skipping; and the little hills adjacent to them to lambs: these may represent the greater and lesser governors in the Roman empire at the time when such large conversions were made in it as before observed; and which skipped, and trembled, and fled, and were moved out of their places at the downfall of Paganism and progress of Christianity, ( Revelation 6:14 ) and also may be an emblem of the difficulties which lie like mountains and hills in the way of a sinner's conversion and effectual calling, which yet give way to and are surmounted by the efficacious grace of God; all mountains become a plain before him, and when he works none can let.

Psalms 114:4 In-Context

2 Judah was made the hallowing of him; Israel the power of him. (Judah was made the Lord's sanctuary; and Israel was made his dominion.)
3 The sea saw, and fled; Jordan was turned aback. (The Red Sea, or the Sea of Reeds, saw it, and fled away; the Jordan River turned back, or backed away.)
4 Mountains full out joyed as rams; and little hills as the lambs of sheep. (The mountains rejoiced like rams; and the little hills like the lambs of sheep.)
5 Thou sea, what was to thee, for thou fleddest; and thou, Jordan, for thou were turned aback? (O Red Sea/O Sea of Reeds, what happened to thee, that thou fleddest away? and O Jordan, why hast thou turned back?)
6 Mountains, ye made full out joy as rams; and little hills, as the lambs of sheep. (O mountains, why did ye rejoice like rams? and ye little hills, like the lambs of sheep?)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.