Bible Commentaries
Psalms 114

Verse 1

When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;

When Israel went out of Egypt — E medio gentis, id est, ex visceribus Aegyptiorum, qui eos quasi deglutiebant, Out of the midst of that nation, that is, out of the bowels of the Egyptians, who had, as it were, devoured them; thus the Jewish doctors gloss upon this text (Midr. Tillin. in Psalms 114:1-8 ).

From a people of strange language — And yet more estranged affections, jeering them, and their religion, as the word lognez (which is of affinity with logneg, a scoffer) seemeth to sound. Afterwards it was prophesied that five cities in the land of Egypt should speak the language (or lip) of Canaan, Isaiah 19:18 , viz. when the Lord should turn to them a pure language, Zephaniah 3:9 .

Verse 2

Judah was his sanctuary, [and] Israel his dominion.

Judah was his sanctuary — Or sanctity, or sanctification. This was a happy change for them, from their Egyptian idolatry, Ezekiel 23:19 , like as it was from their Egyptian servitude, when Israel became God’s dominions, dominations, and signiories.

Verse 3

The sea saw [it], and fled: Jordan was driven back.

The sea saw it, and fled — When God will deliver his people, and perform his promises unto them, nothing shall hinder, but all creatures shall contribute their helps; for they are all his servants, Psalms 119:91 .

Verse 4

The mountains skipped like rams, [and] the little hills like lambs.

The mountains skipped like rams — sc. At the giving of the law, Exodus 19:18 , which also causeth heartquakes in believers; but the unjust knoweth no shame, Zephaniah 3:5 ; is past feeling, Ephesians 4:19 .

Verse 5

What [ailed] thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, [that] thou wast driven back?

What ailed thee, O thou sea? — Or, what came to thee? can there any natural reason be given, or was it God’s powerful presence only that caused you to run retrograde? Atheists and unbelievers will search the devil’s skull to find out something whereby they may elevate God’s great works, and elude his arguments; as Pharaoh sat not down under the miracle, but sent for the magicians, and hardened his own heart.

Verse 6

Ye mountains, [that] ye skipped like rams; [and] ye little hills, like lambs?

Ye mountains, that ye skipped, … — These two verses teach us, saith one, that we may many times ask questions; and yet neither doubt of the matter nor be ignorant in them.

Verse 7

Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;

Tremble, thou earth, … — Heb. Be in pain, as a travailing woman; for if the giving of the law had such dreadful effects, what should the breaking thereof have?

At the presence of the God of Jacob — Whom Jacob, that is, God’s covenanted people, knoweth and confideth in amidst all his austerities, Isaiah 63:16 , and can boldly say, as Habakkuk 1:12 , "Art not thou from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die."

Verse 8

Which turned the rock [into] a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

Which turned the rock into a standing water — Set the rock of Rephidim abroach, and made it not only a standing water ( stagnum , as here), but a running river; for the rock followed them: and that rock was Christ, 1 Corinthians 10:4 , with John 4:14 ; John 7:38 .

The flint into a fountain of waters — Still God worketh for his people, in oppositis mediis (as Luther expresseth it), by contrary means; and rather than they shall want necessaries, he both can and will work miracles.