Psalm 114 explained: When the Sea Ran Away
Out of Egypt (vv. 1-2)
The poem looks back on Israel's escape from slavery in Egypt, a land whose language was foreign to them. Once free, the people became God's holy dwelling place and the realm he ruled; Judah and Israel are two names for the one people here.
Sea and river flee (vv. 3-4)
The sea running away recalls the parting of the sea during the escape from Egypt, and the Jordan River turning back recalls the river stopping when the people entered their new land years later. The mountains leaping like frisky sheep most likely recall the earthquake at Mount Sinai, where God gave the law.
Teasing questions (vv. 5-6)
The poet asks the sea, the river and the hills what got into them, as if they had panicked. The questions are not looking for information; they build suspense for the answer.
The answer (vv. 7-8)
It was the presence of the Lord, the God of Jacob, and the whole earth should tremble at it. Turning rock into water recalls the desert stories where thirsty people drank from rock, and Christians later read that rock as a picture of Christ.
Key verse: Psalm 114:7
Something to think about
What turning point in your own past do you keep returning to in memory, and what does retelling it do for you?
Ask about Psalm 114 →Written with care from classic study sources. Not yet reviewed by a pastor. Where faithful Christians genuinely disagree, the note says so.
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