Psalm 114 is part of what isknown as the “Egyptian Hallel” to the Jews. This collection of psalms comprisesPsalms 113-118. A Hallel is a psalm of praise. The “Egyptian Hallel” is so calledbecause of its allusions and references to the exodus of God’s people from Egypt.This might not be very clear in Psalm 113, but it is quite obvious in Psalm114, which begins with the words, “When Israelwent out of Egypt…”

Indeed, the whole of Psalm 114is a celebration of the greatness of God as revealed in the redemption of His people.We may entitle it: “Praise to our Great God of Redemption.” It has a verysimple structure. The first six verses is a dramatic call to remembrance ofwhat the LORD did for His people. The last two verses is a compelling call tothe world to acknowledge and fear the LORD.

1. ACall to Remember

The events surrounding theexodus of God’s people from Egyptare well-known. But there are many ways to describe it. The book of Exodusdescribed it in prose, but almost everywhere else it is described in poetry. InPsalm 105 and 106, for example, the exodus is described in a kind of poeticnarration.

In Psalm 114, however, it isnot only described in poetry, but described with such a dramaticpersonification that everything seems to come alive!

It begins with a description ofwhy the Exodus was important:

¹ When Israel went outof Egypt, the house of Jacobfrom a people of strange language; ² Judahwas his [i.e. God’s] sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.

The Exodus is not merely abouta people making an exit from a captor nation. It is about the redemption ofGod’s people from slavery. Israel,Jacob and Judahare different names to describe God’s people.

God was redeeming His peoplebecause He has chosen Judahto be His sanctuary. The word translated ‘sanctuary’ (קדשׁ) may also be translated as ‘holiness’ or ‘holything’ as in ‘holy place’ or ‘holy possession.’ God has set apart Judahfor Himself. He would, as it were, dwell in the midst of Judah.

God has also chosen Israelto be His dominion. He is King over the entire world, but He has chosen Israelto rule over in His love that they might experience His kingly blessings.

This explains all the specialfavours that Israelexperienced in the whole exodus event. So greatly was Israel favoured by the LORD that all creation,as it were, responded with deference to Israel for the sake of the LORD.

³ The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back. ⁴The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.

Whata beautiful description of the parting of the Red Seaand the River Jordan; as well as the mountains shaking. The Red Sea parted forthe people when they first left Egypt(Ex 14:21ff). The River Jordan parted 40 years later when they were about toenter the Promised Land finally (Jos 3:15ff). The mountains shook when Godspoke to the people to announce the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai (Ex 19:18).

Whydid all these happen? Let’s ask the Red Sea, and Jordan and the mountains and hills.

⁵ What ailed thee [What troubled thee], O thou sea, that thou fleddest?thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back? ⁶ Ye mountains, that yeskipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs?

What would these mightysentinels of God’s Creation say in answer to our query? No doubt, if they couldspeak, they would say: “We fled, and were driven back, and quake because theGreat God our Creator was with His beloved people!”

Says the Red Sea: “I could do no other but flee when the LORD my Creator saidto me, ‘make way, be parted, let my people cross!’”

Says the River Jordan:“Cheerfully, I held my flow when the LORD my Creator said to me, ‘Hold still,wait, let my people cross yonder first.’”

Says the mountains and thehills: “The LORD descended on Sinai and spoke to His people. How could we nottremble at His mighty voice?”

The LORD God the Creator of the heavens andthe earth was with His people, nothing in this world could be so mighty as to standin the way. Nothing could stand so proud that it does not serve the Lord andHis people!

Today the Exodus is history,but God is still with His people as they march towards the Celestial City.

Therefore, the Spirit of Christwould have us sing in unison to call upon the world to fear and serve the LORD.

2. A Call to Fear the LORD

⁷ Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence ofthe God of Jacob; ⁸ Which turned the rock into a standing water, theflint into a fountain of waters.

Theearth as a planet is an inanimate object. But the earth represents all itsinhabitants rational and irrational. All the earth ought to respond to the LORD’salmighty power. But especially, man, created in God’s image, ought to respondto Him with fear and reverence.

Godalmighty has demonstrated His power. He parted the Red Sea,stopped the River Jordan, and made the entire mountain range to shake. But notonly so, for the sake of His people, He brought a fountain of water out of dryflinty rock. Nothing is impossible with the LORD!

Tremble,thou earth, at the presence of the LORD. Fear the LORD, you inhabitants of theearth. Rich and poor, young and old, men and women, boys and girls, let us fearthe LORD. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Let us humbleourselves under His mighty hand and confess our reverence and need for Him.

Conclusion

Psalm 114 is a short Psalm with a simple message. Itreminds the world that the LORD our Redeemer is also the creator and governorof the earth. Therefore all the more we must revere Him and serve Himgratefully.

Allthe earth must fear Him and serve Him because He is the Creator. How much morewe, who are not only His creatures, but also His redeemed and adoptive sons anddaughters.

We should serve Him with awe and reverence as ourCreator. But we should serve Him with love and gratitude as our Redeemer inChrist who laid His life down for us.

Andwe must not stop, for we must desire for the world to acknowledge who He is andto worship Him with us with the same loving fear that most greatly glorifiesour Great God. Amen. Ω