Psalms 114

The Psalmist, recounting the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt, doth exhort all Creatures to praise God, and all men to follow their example.

1. When Israel [i.e. the people of Israel, the Israelites] went out of Egypt: the house of Jacob [i.e. his children or posterity,] from a people that had a strange language: [or, an unknown, an odd speech. Understand hereby the language of the Egyptians. The word extant in the Hebrew, is no where else to be found but here. The Apostle, 1 Cor.14.11. called a Barbarian, him that useth a strange unknown language.]

2. Then Juda [Understand here by Juda all the people of Israel] became his Sanctuary: [viz. The sanctuary of the LORD. That is to say, the LORD did consecrate the people of Israel to himself, to become his peculiar people, which himself was Lord and King over, see Exod.6.6. and 19.6.] Israel [the people of Israel] his compleat Dominion. [Hebr. His Dominions. God was indeed Lord over Israel before, as over his own people: but in the leading forth of them out of Egypt, he did most clearly make it appear, and he did thereby engage the people the more firmly unto himself. See Exod.6.6. and 20.2.]

3. The sea [The red Sea, namely, which the Israelites past thorough on dry foot, Exod.14.21. Psalms 77:17. and 78.13.] saw it, and fled: the Jordan turned back-ward. [See Josh.3.16.]

4. The hills [Understand here the hills and mountains of Sinai Horeb, and others in the Desert, which trembled and shook by reason of the presence of God, at the giving of his Law, Exod.19.18. Psalms 68:9. Habac.3.vers.6.10.] skipped like Rams: the bullocks like Lambs. [Heb. Like sons of sheep, or goats, i.e. lambs. See also Psalms 29:6.]

5. What ailed thee, thou Sea, that thou fledst? Thou Jordan, thou turnedst backward?

6. Ye hills that ye leaped like rams: ye hillocks like Lambs!

7. Tremble thou earth before the face of the Lord: [i.e. according as thou didst tremble before him at that time, so thou shouldest continue to do still, being that fear is due unto him, Malach.1.6.] before the face of the God Jacob.

8. Which turned the stony rock into a water-flood, the flintstone into a fountain of water. [i.e. which made a flood to issue out of the rock, &c. See Exod.17.6. Numb.20.11.]