The Song at the Sea: Exodus 15:1-21

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.

The first song in Scripture. Standing on the far shore, bodies of enemies still visible, Israel sang. Not a dirge but a triumph song. Horse and driver—the elite Egyptian cavalry—hurled into the sea like toys.

The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.

Personal testimony. My strength. My defense. My salvation. My God. My father's God. The deliverance was corporate, but the praise was personal.

The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.

Warrior—the Hebrew suggests a man of war. The God who made covenant with Abraham also fought battles for his people. His name was on the line—and he defended it.

Pharaoh's chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh's officers are drowned in the Red Sea.

The catalogue of defeat. Chariots. Army. Best officers. All hurled. All drowned. The superpower humiliated.

The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone.

Like a stone. Heavy, sudden, final. The warriors in their armor, the horses in their harnesses—sinking to the bottom.

Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy.

The right hand—symbol of power, of action. Majestic. Shattering. The enemy broken by divine might.

In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble.

Thrown down. Burning anger. Consumed like dry grass in fire. The opposition to God proved as flammable as straw.

By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.

Poetic theology. The blast of nostrils—divine breath—piled the waters. The liquid became solid. Congealed. Standing walls of water, suspended by a breath.

The enemy boasted, I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.

Egyptian confidence remembered. I will, I will, I will. Four boasts. Pursue, overtake, divide, destroy. They imagined victory while riding toward death.

But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

But. One word reverses everything. You blew. The breath that divided now returned. The sea covered them. Lead sinking in deep water.

Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?

Rhetorical questions demanding no answer. Who is like you? No one. No god compares. Majestic. Awesome. Wonder-working.

You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies.

The earth itself serves God's purposes. Enemies swallowed. The creation fights for the Creator.

In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.

Past deliverance grounds future hope. You will lead. You will guide. Unfailing love as guide. Strength as escort. Destination: holy dwelling.

The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the people of Philistia. The chiefs of Edom will be terrified, the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling, the people of Canaan will melt away.

Prophetic anticipation. The nations will hear this story. Philistia, Edom, Moab, Canaan—all will tremble. The reputation of Israel's God will precede Israel's arrival.

Terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of your arm they will be as still as a stone—until your people pass by, Lord, until the people you bought pass by.

Still as stone. The reversal: earlier, Egypt sank like stone. Now nations will stand frozen while Israel passes.

You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance—the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established.

The vision: planting in the promised land. Mountain of inheritance. Divine dwelling. Sanctuary established.

The Lord reigns for ever and ever.

The climax. Simple. Eternal. The LORD reigns—present tense continuing into forever.

When Pharaoh's horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.

Summary narration. The contrast one final time. Egypt: waters over them. Israel: dry ground through them.

Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron's sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. Miriam sang to them: Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.

Miriam led the women. Timbrels and dancing. The sister who watched a basket float now led a nation in celebration. The same song, the same truth, the whole community in worship.

The first worship service of the freed nation. Standing on miracle ground, singing of the God who fights for his people.