Psalms 114:5
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Psalms 114:5
5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
Chapter Context
Psalms 114 is a poetic and liturgical chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of sacrifice, fellowship, faith. Written during various periods (c. 1000-400 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Temple worship utilized these compositions across various periods of Israel's history.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-8: Development of key themes
This chapter is significant because it provides essential context for understanding God's covenant relationship with His people. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Psalms and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Psalms 114:5
5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
Analysis
What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? The psalmist personifies creation itself, interrogating the Red Sea that parted before Israel (Exodus 14). The Hebrew verb nus (נוּס, to flee) depicts not mere movement but terrified retreat. The rhetorical question anticipates an answer given in verses 7-8: creation flees before the presence of the LORD.
Thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back? Similarly addresses the Jordan River's miraculous stoppage (Joshua 3:14-17), allowing Israel to enter Canaan. The passive construction emphasizes the water's involuntary response to divine power. These twin miracles—Red Sea at the Exodus, Jordan at the Conquest—bookend Israel's wilderness journey, demonstrating Yahweh's sovereignty over nature and history.
The interrogative form creates dramatic tension. Why would seas and rivers behave contrary to nature? The answer establishes that nature itself recognizes and submits to Israel's God, who commands both history's tide and water's flow.
Historical Context
Psalm 114 belongs to the Egyptian Hallel (Psalms 113-118), sung at Passover commemorating the Exodus. Jewish families recited these psalms annually, remembering God's deliverance from Egypt. The psalm's compressed narrative moves from Egypt (v.
- to Canaan (v.
- in two verses, treating the entire Exodus-Conquest as one unified act of redemption.
The historical events—Red Sea crossing (c. 1446 BC) and Jordan crossing forty years later—were Israel's foundational salvation history, the Old Testament equivalent of Christ's death and resurrection for the church.
Reflection
- How do the twin miracles of Red Sea and Jordan crossing demonstrate that God finishes what He starts in redemption?
- In what ways does all creation still respond to the presence of God, even when humans ignore Him?
- What modern equivalents might there be to these 'fleeing waters' moments when God's power becomes undeniable in your life?
Cross-References
- Parallel theme: Habakkuk 3:8