Psalms 114

1 When Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] departed [went out, came out] from Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], the house [dwelling place, family] of Jacob [the son of Isaac and Rebekah] from a people [nation, group of individuals] of foreign [strange, unintelligible] tongue [language, speech], word study 2 Judah [the tribe descended from Jacob’s son] became God’s [the supreme Creator, Elohim] sanctuary [Holy Place, set-apart area, like the temple], and Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants] His dominion [kingdom, having control or power over]. word study 3 The sea [saw, perceived] observed and fled [quickly departed, ran away]; the Jordan [river, watercourse] turned [was driven] back [to its source, in reverse]; word study 4 the mountains [jumping with joy, like goats] skipped like rams [a mighty man; a post], the hills [small elevations] like lambs [young sheep, innocent]. word study 5 Why [what happened, what was wrong] was it, O sea [a large body of water], that you fled [ran away, went in flight], O Jordan [the Jordan River, a key location], that you turned back [were driven back, turned around], word study 6 O mountains [ye mountaines, of great strength], that you skipped [leaped, jumped in fright] like rams [strong trees], O hills [little hills], like lambs [sons of a flock, young sheep]? word study 7 Tremble [be afraid, quake with fear], O earth [land, ground], at the presence [face, before] of the Lord [God, Master], at the presence [face, before] of the God [Eloah, deity] of Jacob [Israel’s father, the one who wrestled with God], word study 8 who turned [overturned, transformed] the rock [a boulder] into a pool [a body of calm water, a marsh], the flint [a hard rock, unchanging] into a fountain [a spring, source of refreshment] of water [a liquid, source of spiritual refreshment]! word study