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Commentary on Psalms 114 verses 1–8
1 ¶ When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
2 Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.
3 The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.
5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;
8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.
The psalmist is here remembering the days of old, the years of the right hand of the Most High, and the wonders which their fathers told them of (Jdg 6:13), for time, as it does not wear out the guilt of sin, so it should not wear out the sense of mercy. Let it never be forgotten,
I. That God brought Israel out of the house of bondage with a high hand and a stretched-out arm: Israel went out of Egypt, Psa 114:1. They did not steal out clandestinely, nor were they driven out, but fairly went out, marched out with all the marks of honour; they went out from a barbarous people, that had used them barbarously, from a people of a strange language, Psa 81:5. The Israelites, it seems, preserved their own language pure among them, and cared not for learning the language of their oppressors. By this distinction from them they kept up an earnest of their deliverance.
II. That he himself framed their civil and sacred constitution (Psa 114:2): Judah and Israel were his sanctuary, his dominion. When he delivered them out of the hand of their oppressors it was that they might serve him both in holiness and in righteousness, in the duties of religious worship and in obedience to the moral law, in their whole conversation. Let my people go, that they may serve me. In order to this, 1. He set up his sanctuary among them, in which he gave them the special tokens of his presence with them and promised to receive their homage and tribute. Happy are the people that have God's sanctuary among them (see Exo 25:8, Eze 37:26), much more those that, like Judah here, are his sanctuaries, his living temples, on whom Holiness to the Lord is written. 2. He set up his dominion among them, was himself their lawgiver and their judge, and their government was a theocracy: The Lord was their King. All the world is God's dominion, but Israel was so in a peculiar manner. What is God's sanctuary must be his dominion. Those only have the privileges of his house that submit to the laws of it; and for this end Christ has redeemed us that he might bring us into God's service and engage us for ever in it.
III. That the Red Sea was divided before them at their coming out of Egypt, both for their rescue and the ruin of their enemies; and the river Jordan, when they entered into Canaan, for their honour, and the confusion and terror of their enemies (Psa 114:3): The sea saw it, saw there that Judah was God's sanctuary, and Israel his dominion, and therefore fled; for nothing could be more awful. It was this that drove Jordan back, and was an invincible dam to his streams; God was at the head of that people, and therefore they must give way to them, must make room for them, they must retire, contrary to their nature, when God speaks the word. To illustrate this the psalmist asks, in a poetical strain (Psa 114:5), What ailed thee, O thou sea! that thou fleddest? And furnishes the sea with an answer (Psa 114:7); it was at the presence of the Lord. This is designed to express, 1. The reality of the miracle, that it was not by any power of nature, or from any natural cause, but it was at the presence of the Lord, who gave the word. 2. The mercy of the miracle: What ailed thee? Was it in a frolic? Was it only to amuse men? No; it was at the presence of the God of Jacob; it was in kindness to the Israel of God, for the salvation of that chosen people, that God was thus displeased against the rivers, and his wrath was against the sea, as the prophet speaks, Hab 3:8-13; Isa 51:10; Isa 63:11, etc. 3. The wonder and surprise of the miracle. Who would have thought of such a thing? Shall the course of nature be changed, and its fundamental laws dispensed with, to serve a turn for God's Israel? Well may the dukes of Edom be amazed and the mighty men of Moab tremble, Exo 15:15. 4. The honour hereby put upon Israel, who are taught to triumph over the sea, and Jordan, as unable to stand before them. Note, There is no sea, no Jordan, so deep, so broad, but, when God's time shall come for the redemption of his people, it shall be divided and driven back if it stand in their way. Apply this, (1.) To the planting of the Christian church in the world. What ailed Satan and the powers of darkness, that they trembled and truckled as they did? Mar 1:34. What ailed the heathen oracles, that they were silenced, struck dumb, struck dead? What ailed their idolatries and witchcrafts, that they died away before the gospel, and melted like snow before the sun? What ailed the persecutors and opposers of the gospel, that they gave up their cause, hid their guilty heads, and called to rocks and mountains for shelter? Rev 6:15. It was at the presence of the Lord, and that power which went along with the gospel. (2.) To the work of grace in the heart. What turns the stream in a regenerate soul? What ails the lusts and corruptions, that they fly back, that the prejudices are removed and the whole man has become new? It is at the presence of God's Spirit that imaginations are cast down, Co2 10:5.
IV. That the earth shook and trembled when God came down on Mount Sinai to give the law (Psa 114:4): The mountains skipped like rams, and then the little hills might well be excused if they skipped like lambs, either when they are frightened or when they sport themselves. The same power that fixed the fluid waters and made them stand still shook the stable mountains and made them tremble for all the powers of nature are under the check of the God of nature. Mountains and hills are, before God, but like rams and lambs; even the bulkiest and the most rocky are as manageable by him as they are by the shepherd. The trembling of the mountains before the Lord may shame the stupidity and obduracy of the children of men, who are not moved at the discoveries of his glory. The psalmist asks the mountains and hills what ailed them to skip thus; and he answers for them, as for the seas, it was at the presence of the Lord, before whom, not only those mountains, but the earth itself, may well tremble (Psa 114:7), since it has lain under a curse for man's sin. See Psa 104:32; Isa 64:3, Isa 64:4. He that made the hills and mountains to skip thus can, when he pleases, dissipate the strength and spirit of the proudest of his enemies and make them tremble.
V. That God supplied them with water out of the rock, which followed them through the dry and sandy deserts. Well may the earth and all its inhabitants tremble before that God who turned the rock into a standing water (Psa 114:8), and what cannot he do who did that? The same almighty power that turned waters into a rock to be a wall to Israel (Exo 14:22) turned the rock into waters to be a well to Israel: as they were protected, so they were provided for, by miracles, standing miracles; for such was the standing water, that fountain of waters into which the rock, the flinty rock, was turned, and that rock was Christ, Co1 10:4. For he is a fountain of living waters to his Israel, from whom they receive grace for grace.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–8. Public domain.
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Ambrose of MilanAD 397
On the Death of Satyrus 2.74
Nor ought it to appear at all improbable that at the command of God the bones were fitted again to their joints, since we have numberless instances in which nature has obeyed the commands of heaven; as the earth was commanded to produce the green herb3 and did produce it; as the rock at the touch of the rod produced water for the thirsting people; and the hard stone poured forth streams by the mercy of God for those parched with heat. What else did the rod changed into a serpent5 signify than that at the will of God living things can be produced from those that are without life? Do you think it more incredible that bones should come together when commanded than that streams should be turned back or the sea flee? For thus does the prophet testify: “The sea saw it and fled; Jordan was driven back.” Nor can there be any doubt about this fact, which was proved by the rescue of one and the destruction of the other of two peoples, that the waves of the sea stood restrained and at the same time surrounded one people and poured back on the other for their death, that they might overwhelm the one but preserve the other. And what do we find in the Gospel itself? Did not the Lord himself prove there that the sea grew calm at a word, the clouds were driven away, the blasts of the winds yielded, and that on the quieted shores the dumb elements obeyed God?
Augustine of HippoAD 430
AGAINST JULIAN 1:3.10
But, again, listen to another excellent steward of God, whom I reverence as a father, for in Christ Jesus he begat me through the gospel, and from this servant of Christ I received the laver of regeneration. I speak of the blessed Ambrose, whose grace, constancy, labors, dangers, whether in works or in speech, for the catholic faith, I myself have experienced, and together with me the Roman world does not hesitate to proclaim them. When this man was explaining the Gospel according to Luke, he said, “The Jordan turned backwards” signified the future mysteries of the laver of salvation, through which infants who are baptized at the beginning of their natural life are reformed from badness.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 114
"When Israel came out of Egypt, and the house of Jacob from among the strange people" [Psalm 114:1], "Judah was His sanctuary, and Israel His dominion" [Psalm 114:2]; "the sea saw that and fled, Jordan was driven back" [Psalm 114:3]. Think not that past deeds are related unto us, but rather that the future is predicted; since, while those miracles also were going on in that people, things present indeed were happening, but not without an intimation of things future....Some things he has related differently to what we have learned and read there: that he might not truly be thought to be repeating past acts rather than to be prophesying future things. For in the first place, we read not that the Jordan was driven back, but that it stood still on the side nearest the source of its streams, while the people were passing through; next, we read not of the mountains and hills skipping: all which he has added, and repeated. For after saying, "The sea saw that, and fled; Jordan was driven back:" he added, "The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like young sheep" [Psalm 114:4]: and then asks, "What ails you, O thou sea, that you fled, and thou, Jordan, that you were driven back?" [Psalm 114:5]. "You mountains, that you skipped like rams; and you little hills, like young sheep?" [Psalm 114:6].
Maximus of TurinAD 465
SERMON 13B.2
The water was cleansed, which was enriched with the warmth of the Lord’s blessing, although it was common and cold. Consequently, what previously had scarcely washed away worldly stains on objects now purifies the spiritual stains on souls. And do not marvel at the fact that we say that water, that is, a bodily substance comes to have the power to purify a soul. It clearly comes to have that power; it penetrates all the recesses of the conscience. For although water itself is delicate and fine, nonetheless by Christ’s blessing it was made even more delicate and entered through the hidden conditions of life into the secret places of the soul with its spiritual dew. For the course of blessings is more delicate than the pathways of water. Thus we also say that the blessing in our Savior’s baptism, which flowed down like a spiritual river, dyed the courses of all eddies and the water-courses of all fonts. When Christ entered the Jordan, the rivers of waters streamed in a marvelous manner, but the floods of blessings also ran. From the one side the eddy of the riverbed was carried along more boisterously; from the other side the most pure font of the Savior was trickling down; and in some bewildering manner the consecration of baptism was going upstream to the source of the Jordan, and the river of blessings was being borne contrary to the direction the waters were flowing. This is why (or so I think) holy David said, “The Jordan turned back.” For in the baptism of Christ the Jordan did not turn back in its own waters but in the sacraments, and it traced its source in the blessing of its nature rather than in its substance. For while the grace of consecration is spread abroad on all fonts through him, it seems that its own course has gone back to the origin of its channels.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 114:3 is a profound poetic declaration of God's absolute sovereignty over creation, vividly recalling two pivotal moments in Israel's early history: the miraculous parting of the Red Sea during the Exodus from Egyptian bondage and the subsequent division of the Jordan River, which allowed Israel to enter the Promised Land. Through striking personification, the verse depicts these formidable natural elements as sentient beings reacting with awe and immediate obedience to the divine presence, thereby underscoring God's omnipotence and His unwavering commitment to delivering His people and fulfilling His covenant promises.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 114:3 is rich in literary devices that amplify its theological message and dramatic impact. The most prominent is Personification, where the sea and the Jordan River are attributed human-like qualities of perception ("saw") and action ("fled," "driven back"). This device vividly portrays creation as a conscious entity responding directly and immediately to God's presence, emphasizing His overwhelming power and authority over all things. The verse also employs Parallelism, specifically synonymous parallelism, where the two clauses express similar ideas of nature's submission to God's power, reinforcing the central theme through repetition and variation. "The sea saw [it], and fled" and "Jordan was driven back" both describe water bodies reacting miraculously to divine command, underscoring the consistent nature of God's power. Furthermore, there is an element of Hyperbole in the dramatic portrayal of nature's reaction, which serves to magnify God's omnipotence and the extraordinary nature of His interventions, making the events seem even more awe-inspiring, absolute, and beyond human comprehension.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 114:3 serves as a profound theological statement about God's sovereign power and His unwavering commitment to His covenant people. It demonstrates that the Creator is not distant or detached but actively intervenes in history, bending the very laws of nature to accomplish His redemptive purposes. This verse underscores the theme of God as the ultimate Deliverer, who clears impossible paths and overcomes insurmountable obstacles for those He has chosen. It reminds us that His power is not limited by the vastness of the sea or the flow of a mighty river, but extends to every challenge and barrier, whether physical or spiritual. The events recalled here are foundational to Israel's understanding of God's character as both mighty and faithful, establishing a pattern of divine intervention that would continue throughout their history and find its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The dramatic imagery of the sea fleeing and the Jordan being driven back in Psalms 114:3 offers profound encouragement and a powerful call to trust for contemporary believers. Just as God cleared literal, physical obstacles for Israel, this verse assures us that no "sea" of difficulty or "Jordan" of challenge in our lives is too great for His power. Whether facing overwhelming anxiety, seemingly insurmountable financial burdens, relational strife, spiritual stagnation, or the daunting prospect of a new calling, this psalm reminds us that our God is the same God who commanded the waters. He is able to make a way where there seems to be no way, to part the impossible, and to lead us through to our promised land of peace, provision, and purpose. Our faith is not in our ability to navigate the obstacles, but in His unchanging character and limitless power to intervene on our behalf. It calls us to trust that the God who acted so powerfully in ancient history remains active and mighty today, ready to demonstrate His deliverance for those who place their hope and trust in Him, reminding us that His presence is the ultimate solution to our greatest fears.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the sea and Jordan being "driven back" in this verse?
Answer: The "sea" and "Jordan" in Psalms 114:3 refer to two distinct, miraculous events in Israel's history: the parting of the Red Sea during the Exodus from Egypt, as detailed in Exodus 14, and the parting of the Jordan River when Israel entered the Promised Land, recounted in Joshua 3. Their being "driven back" signifies God's absolute and supernatural control over nature. It's not a natural phenomenon but a direct divine intervention, showcasing God's power to manipulate creation for the sake of His covenant people. This emphasizes His role as the ultimate Deliverer, removing insurmountable obstacles to fulfill His promises and demonstrating that all creation is subservient to His will.
Why does the psalm use such dramatic, personified language for natural elements?
Answer: The use of personification, where the sea "saw" and "fled" and the Jordan was "driven back," is a powerful poetic device intended to magnify God's majesty and power. By attributing sentient qualities to inanimate objects, the psalmist emphasizes that creation itself recognizes and trembles before the presence of the Creator. It conveys a sense of awe and immediate, involuntary submission to divine authority. This dramatic language elevates the miraculous nature of these historical events, making it clear that these were not mere coincidences but direct, overwhelming demonstrations of God's omnipotence, designed to instill both fear and worship in the hearts of His people, and to highlight the unique power of Yahweh compared to the impotent deities of surrounding cultures.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 114:3, with its vivid depiction of God's power over creation for the deliverance of His people, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The God who commanded the sea to flee and the Jordan to be driven back is the same God incarnate in Jesus. Just as the waters yielded to Yahweh's presence in the Old Testament, so too did the stormy seas obey the voice of Christ, as seen when He rebuked the wind and the waves, and there was a great calm, demonstrating His inherent divine authority over creation, proving Him to be the Lord of all. Furthermore, Jesus Himself is the "new Exodus" leader, not merely leading His people out of physical bondage, but out of the spiritual slavery of sin and death. His crucifixion and resurrection represent the ultimate "parting of the waters," clearing the way for humanity to enter into a new, eternal inheritance. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the one through whom all barriers between God and humanity are overcome, making a way for us to cross from death to life, from darkness to light, into the true Promised Land of God's eternal presence, a reality far surpassing the physical land of Canaan, as described in Hebrews 4:9-11.