Psalms 114 – The Earth Trembles at the Exodus
A vivid, compact retelling of the Red Sea and Jordan parting before Israel.
Following the temple praise of Psalms 113, this short psalm turns to history, picturing the sea fleeing and the Jordan driven back when Israel came out of Egypt.
When Israel came forth out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominion.
The sea saw it, and fled; the Jordan turned backward.
The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like young sheep.
What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleest? thou Jordan, that thou turnest backward?
Ye mountains, that ye skip like rams; ye hills, like young sheep?
Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the L-rd, at the presence of the G-d of Jacob;
Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters.