1Quando Israel saiu do Egypto, e a casa de Jacob de um povo barbaro,
2Judah ficou seu sanctuario, e Israel seu dominio.
3O mar o viu, e fugiu: o Jordão voltou para traz.
4Os montes saltaram como carneiros, e os outeiros como cordeiros.
5Que tiveste tu, ó mar, que fugiste, e tu, ó Jordão, que voltaste para traz?
6Montes, que saltastes como carneiros, e outeiros, como cordeiros?
7Treme, terra, na presença do Senhor, na presença do Deus de Jacob.
8O qual converteu o rochedo em lago de aguas, e o seixo em fonte de agua.
📖 Chapter study
Summary
A brief, vivid poem about the Exodus: the sea fled, the Jordan turned back, and the mountains skipped like rams before the presence of God, who turned even the rock into a fountain of water.
Explanation
This psalm, part of the Passover 'Hallel,' is remarkable for its poetic economy: in just eight verses, it dramatically depicts the departure from Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14) and the Jordan River (Joshua 3), as well as the water from the rock (Exodus 17 and Numbers 20), using the technique of directly questioning nature ('what ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest?') before answering that it was the presence of God that caused it all. The application today is that all of creation recognizes and responds to God's presence, a reminder that he is actively involved in history, not distant from it.