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Psalms 114

BSB·8 verses ·Old Testament
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1When Israelיִ֭שְׂרָאֵלyiś·rā·’êl — God prevailsH3478 — Full Word Study → departedבְּצֵ֣אתbə·ṣêṯ — To go out, come forth, exitH3318 — Full Word Study → from Egyptמִמִּצְרָ֑יִםmim·miṣ·rā·yim — Egypt, the ancient nationH4714 — Full Word Study →, the houseבֵּ֥יתbêṯ — A house; dwelling place; household; familyH1004 — Full Word Study → of Jacobיַ֝עֲקֹ֗בya·‘ă·qōḇ — He grasps the heelH3290 — Full Word Study → from a peopleמֵעַ֥םmê·‘am — a people; nation; communityH5971 — Full Word Study → of foreign tongueלֹעֵֽז׃lō·‘êz — to speak in an unintelligible or foreign language; to mutterH3937 — Full Word Study →, 2Judahיְהוּדָ֣הyə·hū·ḏāh — The Lord is praisedH3063 — Full Word Study → becameהָיְתָ֣הhā·yə·ṯāh — to be, become, exist, happenH1961 — Full Word Study → God’s sanctuary, and Israelיִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗לyiś·rā·’êl — God prevailsH3478 — Full Word Study → His dominionמַמְשְׁלוֹתָֽיו׃mam·šə·lō·w·ṯāw — Dominion, rule, or sovereignty exercised over othersH4475 — Full Word Study →. 3The seaהַיָּ֣םhay·yām — Sea, body of water; also directional (west, south)H3220 — Full Word Study → observedרָ֭אָהrā·’āh — to see, perceive, behold, experienceH7200 — Full Word Study → and fledוַיָּנֹ֑סway·yā·nōs — to flee, escape, or run awayH5127 — Full Word Study →; the Jordanהַ֝יַּרְדֵּ֗ןhay·yar·dên — The flowing riverH3383 — Full Word Study → turnedיִסֹּ֥בyis·sōḇ — to turn, surround, go aroundH5437 — Full Word Study → backלְאָחֽוֹר׃lə·’ā·ḥō·wr — back, behind, rear; afterward, futureH268 — Full Word Study →; 4the mountainsהֶֽ֭הָרִיםhe·hā·rîm — Mountain, hill, or elevated land massH2022 — Full Word Study → skippedרָקְד֣וּrā·qə·ḏū — to dance, leap, or skip about with movementH7540 — Full Word Study → like ramsכְאֵילִ֑יםḵə·’ê·lîm — strength, mighty one, ram, pillarH352 — Full Word Study →, the hillsגְּ֝בָע֗וֹתgə·ḇā·‘ō·wṯ — hill, elevated terrainH1389 — Full Word Study → like lambsכִּבְנֵי־kiḇ·nê- — Son; descendant; member of a groupH1121 — Full Word Study →. 5Why was itמַה־mah- — What? Why? How? (interrogative particle)H4100 — Full Word Study →, O seaהַ֭יָּםhay·yām — Sea, body of water; also directional (west, south)H3220 — Full Word Study →, thatכִּ֣יkî — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → you fledתָנ֑וּסṯā·nūs — to flee, escape, or run awayH5127 — Full Word Study →, O Jordanהַ֝יַּרְדֵּ֗ןhay·yar·dên — The flowing riverH3383 — Full Word Study →, that you turnedתִּסֹּ֥בtis·sōḇ — to turn, surround, go aroundH5437 — Full Word Study → backלְאָחֽוֹר׃lə·’ā·ḥō·wr — back, behind, rear; afterward, futureH268 — Full Word Study →, 6O mountainsהֶֽ֭הָרִיםhe·hā·rîm — Mountain, hill, or elevated land massH2022 — Full Word Study →, that you skippedתִּרְקְד֣וּtir·qə·ḏū — to dance, leap, or skip about with movementH7540 — Full Word Study → like ramsכְאֵילִ֑יםḵə·’ê·lîm — strength, mighty one, ram, pillarH352 — Full Word Study →, O hillsגְּ֝בָע֗וֹתgə·ḇā·‘ō·wṯ — hill, elevated terrainH1389 — Full Word Study →, like lambsכִּבְנֵי־kiḇ·nê- — Son; descendant; member of a groupH1121 — Full Word Study →? 7Trembleח֣וּלִיḥū·lî — To twist, whirl, dance, writhe; to be in pain or travailH2342 — Full Word Study →, O earthאָ֑רֶץ’ā·reṣ — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study →, at the presenceמִלִּפְנֵ֣יmil·lip̄·nê — face; presence; beforeH6440 — Full Word Study → of the Lordאָ֭דוֹן’ā·ḏō·wn — Lord, master, owner, rulerH113 — Full Word Study →, at the presenceמִ֝לִּפְנֵ֗יmil·lip̄·nê — face; presence; beforeH6440 — Full Word Study → of the Godאֱל֣וֹהַּ’ĕ·lō·w·ah — God; divine being; deityH433 — Full Word Study → of Jacobיַעֲקֹֽב׃ya·‘ă·qōḇ — He grasps the heelH3290 — Full Word Study →, 8who turnedהַהֹפְכִ֣יha·hō·p̄ə·ḵî — to overturn, turn over, transformH2015 — Full Word Study → the rockהַצּ֣וּרhaṣ·ṣūr — Rock; stone; strength; fortressH6697 — Full Word Study → into a poolאֲגַם־’ă·ḡam- — pond or pool of standing waterH98 — Full Word Study →, the flintחַ֝לָּמִ֗ישׁḥal·lā·mîš — flint, hard rockH2496 — Full Word Study → into a fountainלְמַעְיְנוֹ־lə·ma‘·yə·nōw- — Natural spring or fountain of waterH4599 — Full Word Study → of waterמָֽיִם׃mā·yim — Water; liquid; fluidsH4325 — Full Word Study →!
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 114
Chapter Overview

Chapter Overview

Psalm 114 celebrates God's extraordinary power displayed during Israel's exodus from Egypt and wilderness journey. The psalm vividly describes how nature itself responded to the Lord's presence—the sea parted, the Jordan River reversed, and mountains trembled. Rather than being merely historical recitation, this psalm invites us to recognize that the same God who commanded creation then continues to work powerfully in our lives today. Through poetic imagery and rhetorical questions, the psalmist stirs our hearts to acknowledge God's sovereignty and to trust His mighty hand.

Verses 1-2: Israel Separated and Sanctified

The psalm opens by recalling the foundational moment of Israel's identity: their exodus from Egypt. Verse 1 emphasizes that Israel came out from "a people of strange language"—they were foreigners in a foreign land, oppressed and enslaved. Yet God chose them and set them apart. Verse 2 declares that "Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion." These terms are significant: Judah (representing the southern kingdom and all of Israel) became God's holy place, while Israel became His kingdom to rule. The nation was not redeemed because of their strength or righteousness, but solely because of God's sovereign choice and covenant love. This reminds us that our own salvation rests entirely on God's electing grace, not our merit.

Verses 3-6: Nature Responds to God's Presence

In verses 3-4, the psalmist describes the miraculous events with breathtaking imagery. When Israel crossed the Red Sea and later the Jordan River, these massive barriers of water "fled" and were "driven back" before God's people. The mountains and hills "skipped like rams" and danced "like lambs"—a personification suggesting that creation itself rejoiced and trembled at God's presence. Verses 5-6 pose rhetorical questions: "What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest?" The psalmist asks the natural elements themselves why they responded so dramatically. The answer, left unspoken but clear, is that they sensed the presence and power of the Almighty. Creation obeys its Creator. This poetic approach reminds us that God's power is so complete that even inanimate nature must submit to His will. When we face obstacles that seem as immovable as mountains or as impassable as seas, we serve the God who commands them.

Verses 7-8: The Source of All Power

Verse 7 provides the answer to the earlier questions: "Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob." The trembling of creation is appropriate reverence before almighty God. Notice the title "God of Jacob"—it recalls not a distant, impersonal deity, but the God who personally encountered Jacob, blessed him, and made covenant promises to him and his descendants. This personal God is worthy of our fear and worship. Verse 8 offers another example of God's transformative power: He "turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters." This refers to the occasions when God miraculously provided water from rock in the wilderness (Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:11). The hardest, most unyielding substance became a source of life-giving refreshment. What a picture of God's ability to provide for our deepest needs!

Application for Today

When we face circumstances that seem impossible—barriers as vast as the sea, obstacles as fixed as mountains—we worship the God who parts seas and moves mountains. The same power that delivered Israel and sustained them in the wilderness remains available to us through faith in Christ. Let us respond to God's mighty works, past and present, with reverence, trust, and wholehearted worship.

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