THE SONG OF EXODUS Some believe that this psalm was originally written at the site of the River Jordan, at the Gilgal, after the crossing over of the children of Israel to the promised land. Whereas, according to others, it was written to honor the three young men in the furnace of fire in Babylon; And according to others, it was written to honor Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai; For God does exalted wonders with His children, both on the personal level, or on that of the whole people. If the journey of exodus of the ancient people, and the liberation from the bondage of Pharaoh, have struck, even the irrational nature, to awe. to move in submission to consummate the will of its Creator; How about the journey of our own exodus out of the death of sin, of the bondage of the devil, and setting forth to the heavenly Canaan, to settle down in the bosom of God the Father, and to enjoy the fellowship of the divine glories?! The three “Alleluia psalms” (114 to 116), proclaim the ways of God in dealing with His people: Psalm 114 proclaims God’s dealings with them at the beginning of their history, especially on their exodus from the land of Egypt, and their liberation from the bondage of Pharaoh. This song presents it as an amazing incident, when even nature, stood in awe and fear before the presence of God among His people, and His leadership of them. The psalmist sees in it an amazing portrait of God, reigning among His people, when the earth quakes, and the sea flees before the Mighty One, the Holy Shepherd and Leader of His people, who granted them conquest. In psalm 115, the psalmist compares between the people of God, who enjoy the conquest and blessings, with joy and praise, and the Gentile nations, who trusted in the lifeless and helpless idols. And in psalm 116, the psalmist shows the people having enjoyed salvation, present to God a joyful worship, through praise and sacrifices of thanksgiving. Here, psalm 114 presents to us a magnificent and joyful portrait of the exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt, as a symbol of the exodus of humanity out of the bondage of the real Pharaoh, namely, the devil. … We see the sea, the River Jordan, the mountains, and the hills, all dedicated to serve the church of Christ, setting forth toward the https://coptic-treasures.com/ 49 heavenly Canaan, by the spirit of joy and of conquest on evil and corruption. The earth shakes before the soul that enjoys the salvation of God; and the rock turns to work to her account, and gives her living water, whoever drinks it would never thirst. Yes indeed, once the believer submits to the ordinance of God, and receives His will working in him, all creation, even the irrational, would long to serve him, on account of his fellowship with the Savior Creator. Becoming a sanctuary for the Lord, and a center of His divine dominion (2); namely, becoming a temple for the Lord (1 Corinthians 7: 19-20), the believer delivers to Him the steering wheel of his whole life, to bring him forth into the bosom of God the Father. 1- God, the Mighty Leader 1 – 4 2- The presence of God, the God of Jacob 5 – 9 1- GOD, THE MIGHTY LEADER: “When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language” (1) The Egyptians were called “a people of strange language”, because the Jews, while in Egypt did not use the language of the Egyptians. While according to some, by this he means (a violent and cruel people). In the Holy Book, particularly the Old Testament, Egypt always refers to the devil in his violence, on account of that Pharaoh enslaved the old people of God, whom the Lord liberated, as a symbol of liberating us from the bondage of the devil. Whenever ‘Egypt’ is mentioned, it means (sorrow), (who brings forth sorrow), or (who applies pressure); It is mostly used as a symbol of this world from which we are committed to come out, spiritually, and not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6: 14). Everyone would become worthy of carrying the citizenship of the heavenly Jerusalem, once he first denies this world; like those people who would have never been able to be led to the promised land, unless they first departed from Egypt. … And as those have not departed from there without the divine help; no one would ever depart from this world in his heart, unless he is supported by the gift of the divine mercy. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 50 What did happen through the symbol, is itself actualized in every believer in the church, at the end of the world, called by the blessed St. John “the last hour” (1 John 2: 18) 1 (St. Augustine) They would never have been liberated from those cruel Egyptians, who were indeed more violent than the vicious beasts, and harder than the rocks, unless they were supported by the Mighty arm, and the unconquerable right hand; and not before being subjected to a multitude of plagues before they would eventually surrender.. That is why, after referring to the violent Egyptians, the psalmist showed the super normal dominion of God in committing them to release His people against their own will; then delivering them eventually to be swallowed by the sea2. (St. John Chrysostom) “Judah became His sanctuary, and Israel His dominion” (2) According to the Septuagint and the Coptic versions, it came as: “Judea became His sanctuary”. By “Judah”, he means “Israel”; as “Judah” is its governing royal tribe, And “Israel’ is “Jacob” the father of all tribes. Some scholars believe that, by “Judah”, he could not mean the kingdom of Judah, that embraced the two tribes ‘Judah’ and ‘Benjamin’; or that by “Israel” he means the northern kingdom that embraced the ten remaining tribes; because this psalm was written before the dissension of the kingdom in the days of Rehoboam, son of Solomon. According to St. Augustine, “Judah” means (confession). By confession, the believer gets cleansed and purified, to become God’s sanctuary. And “Israel” means, that the believer would become one of authority, a son of God. According to St. John Chrysostom, the whole world is under the dominion of God; Yet there is great difference between God’s dominion on the whole world, and His dominion on His own people, whom He leads, cares, defends; and to whom He lets everything in nature submit to them. He starts with referring to “Judah” as God’s sanctuary, on account of that, Jerusalem became the city of God, where His temple was built. Then he refers to “Israel”, being the symbol of His dominion, on 1 On Ps. 114 (113). 2 On Ps. 114. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 51 account of that, it received the divine law and the teachings of the prophets. He probably also meant to give worship the priority; so that the commandment and the teachings would not turn into dry rational concepts, with no fellowship with God through worshipping Him. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “Judah became His sanctuary”, namely, they became a people who minister to Him, dedicated to Him, and referred to Him. The word “sanctuary” was used to refer to the deepest section of the temple: the ‘holy of holies’. Before that, ‘Judah’ was a defiled and abominable place; but once the people returned to God, the city became a sanctuary, through the offering of sacrifices, and the other rites of worship1. (St. John Chrysostom) By that, God means to say to His people: Surely, I would not be of no benefit to you! Let me present a testimony of some of the innumerable goods I have given you: Have I not changed nature itself for your sake? Have I not dedicated all elements for your service? Have I not granted you a way of life (along your journey in the wilderness) with no difficulties? Have I not granted you the following innumerable benefits: A liberation from Egypt; An escape from the bondage of Pharaoh; Miracles and signs on the vicious Egyptians; Wondrous care in the wilderness; inheritance of the promised land; dominion over the surrounding nations; conquests without limits; increased your number to be like the stars of heaven, and the sand on the sea shore; glory all over the world2. (St. John Chrysostom) “The sea saw it and fled; Jordan turned back” (3) Man stand in awe before such an amazing portrait, given by the psalmist, of the Red Sea, the River Jordan, the mountains, and the hills, all nature moving in terror before the work of God with Israel, who enjoyed salvation from the bondage of Pharaoh, setting forth to the promised land. Yet, all those carried symbolic meanings, which were realized, and still are, when man receives faith in the Lord Christ, Savior of the world. 1 On Ps. 114. 2 On Ps. 114. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 52 He would become a member in the new Israel; whose name, according to some, means (Beholding God). What is the sea, fleeing away from the face of the believer, but taking off the old man, and the escape of the abominable habits that used to enslave him? … It flees, seeing the Lord Christ, the head of the church, a Leader of the believer, granting him the grace to behold the divine secrets, and to recognize the heavenly life. And what is the River Jordan, turning back, but the grace of baptism, received the repentant believer; when the Holy Spirit dwells on him; and when the heavenly hosts exult to see him, who has long been a slave captivated by Satan, enjoy sonhood to God. The River Jordan stands in awe before such exalted divine work. Leading His people, liberated from the bondage of Pharaoh; the sea, the river, the mountains, and the hills, moved to open the way before his people; And the earth was shaken, to proclaim its longing to serve them. Indeed, when we leave the steering wheel of our whole life in His hands, the Almighty God works in us; and there would be no hindrance to realize our mission; Even nature would proclaim its longing to work to our account. …The only hindrance that may destroy our life and energies, is rebelling against God, disobeying His commandments, and not trusting in Him. We are truly His holy temple, where He enters, and proclaim His kingdom in us. Portraying the work of God with His people crossing the Red Sea ((Exodus 14), and the River Jordan (Joshua 3); the psalmist intends to put him, who does not trust God, to reproach and disgrace; when he sees the sea flee to open the way before the people to cross; the River turns back to welcome the leadership of God of His people, crossing over to the promised land; the mountains, and the hills dancing and jumping, exultant for the divine presence; … while he, the rational human being stand with lack of faith in God’s work, care, and protection! … The psalmist says: “The water saw You, O God, the water saw You, and were afraid; the depths also trembled” (Psalm 77: 16). According to St. Augustine, this psalm concerns us, for we are the children of the church, the people of God, the new Israel. … He sees him, who puts the love of the world before him, Once he appears before God, he would turn back, forget things which are behind, and reach forward to those things which are ahead (Philippians 3: 13) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 53 Let us take into consideration what we learn here, for all those works were meant to be examples for us, and those words to exhort us to recognize ourselves. If we holdfast to the grace of God with a steady heart, that was given to us, we shall be counted as ‘Israel’, according to the words of the apostle, saying: “You are Abraham’s seed” (Galatians 3: 29; Romans 4: 10; etc.). I wish every Christian would not consider himself as foreign to the name ‘Israel’; for, by the divine Cornerstone, we are bound with the Jews who believed in Christ, among whom were the apostles themselves. That is why our Lord says: “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10: 16)..The Christian people are rather ‘Israel’, preferably called ‘the household of ‘Jacob’, for Israel and Jacob are one and the same1. (St. Augustine) “The sea saw it and fled”. By fleeing, the sea intended to confirm its instant submission, to express its awe; and to open the way for realizing the work of God’s mercy. The action of the sea was against nature. Like any living rational person, according to the command of God, it saved some people, and destroyed others; confirming that it would be a grave for some, and a way of transport for others (See Exodus 14). A similar thing happened in Babylon, when the fire, according to God’s command; kept the three saintly young men, cast in it safe, while burned others outside it to death (See Daniel 3). “Jordan turned back”. All those wonders that happened in different moments, and in different places, happened for our sake, to learn that God’s dominion reaches everywhere, nowhere is far from it. It happened in the sea and in the river; in the days of Moses, and in the days of Joshua; to soften the human mind, characterized by helplessness and lack of submission, to submit to God, and to welcome His knowledge2. (St. John Chrysostom) The Lord Christ came to be baptized and to sanctify baptism. He came to perform wonders, and to walk on the sea. 1 On Ps. 114 (113). 2 On Ps. 114. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 54 If, before being incarnated, the sea saw Him and fled, and the Jordan turned back; the Savior took a body to let the sea see Him, and the Jordan receive Him without fear. Another reason for His coming;… Through ‘Eve’, a virgin, death came to the world; and through another virgin, life came. As the ancient serpent seduced the first virgin; the archangel Gabriel carried the good news to the second virgin1. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) “The mountains skipped like rams; the little hills like lambs” (4) What are those mountains that skipped like rams, and those little hills like lambs, but the prophets, and the apostles of the new covenant; who all skip together in joy, for the sake of what the believer would enjoy of the blessings of salvation presented by the Lord Christ. When God encountered the prophet Moses, the Israeli people stood below the mountain; and “Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently” (Exodus 19: 18). It was also said: “His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise; … You divided the earth with rivers; the mountains saw You and trembled. The overflowing of the water passed by; the deep uttered its voice, and lifted its hands on high” (Habakkuk 3: 3; 9-10). God’s dealings with His people, old and new, testify to the fact that the irrational nature move in some way or another, obeying the divine commandments, in awe before God’s care and love for men. Now, the angels, the heavens, the stars, the sun, the moon, together with the earth with its mountains and hills; all skip and jump for joy. If, at the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, the whole creation exulted; heaven kept providing them with a lighted pillar of clouds by day, and a pillar of fire by night; and the mountains skipped before them like rams, and the little hills like lambs (4); … What would happen on the day Christ was born?! Until recently, the whole creation were moaning because of their diversion toward corruption, through the fall of Adam, their king; But the Lord came to renew those who initially had the image of God, and to recreate them according to how they should be2. (St. Maccarius the Great) مقال 1 .15 :12 الرسالة الثانیة، 2 (في عید المیلاد غالبًا في إحدى سنوات القرن الرابع – فردوس الآباء). 2 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 55 “The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs”. By these words, the psalmist was inspired to portray the extent of awe and rejoice of the irrational creation before the greatness of God’s wonders that made them skip and jump, the way men do in case of intense joy … And as, according to the prophet Isaiah, at the time of calamity, “the new wine fails, and the vine languishes” (Isaiah 24: 7). … We as well, to express our pleasure to receive an important guest, we say: [The house is filled with joy]; we do not mean the walls, but we refer to our exalted and great pleasure1. (St. John Chrysostom) 2- THE PRESENCE OF GOD, GOD OF JACOB: “What ails you, O sea, that you fled? O Jordan, that you turned back?” (5) Here, the psalmist talks again about the reaction of the sea, the Jordan, the mountains, and the little hills, to the work of God for the salvation of His people. He probably intends to confirm the submission, in complete obedience of the irrational nature to the Creator and Savior. The psalmist, standing in awe, talks to the sea and the river, as though to real persons, not about some event that happened in the past, and was over with, but about the perpetual position of God, the Philanthropic, in the past, as well as in the present, and in the future. Nature, perpetually stands by, in anticipation of any divine command for the sake of men, particularly His believers. The Coptic church sings this verse and the one following it in the feast of Epiphany of the Lord Christ, which concerns the activity of the epiphany of the Lamb of God in the life of believers. “O mountains, that you skipped like rams? O little hills like lambs” (6) If the sea and the river moved in awe before the lord; The mountains and the little hills, moved for joy and exultation, skipped as though in a feast, for the sake of God’s work for the salvation of man. The Holy Book often personalizes many irrational things; as for example, when it says that the sea says so and so; the sword is given command to do so and so; and the mountains and the little hills, are asked why they skipped like rams and lambs (Psalm 19:1; Zechariah 13: 7; Psalm 114: 6) 2 1 On Ps. 114. 2 On the Son, Theological Oration 4 (30) 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 56 (St. Gregory the Nezenzian) “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob” (7) The earthquake refers to the crucifixion of the old earthly man, for the believer to receive the new creation, the deposit of the heavenlies; as though his earth turns into a new heaven. St. John Chrysostom, standing in awe, when the Lord calls himself “God of Jacob”, says: [The Lord refers Himself to His servants; and it is written: “Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God” (Hebrew 11: 16); And He Himself says: “I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob” (See Exodus 3: 6) 1]. “Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters” (8) What is the Rock, but the Lord Christ who calls the thirsty to come to Him, to gush into the depths of His believers, fountains of living water. Whoever believes in the Lord Christ, the Rock of ages, He will come and dwell in him, and will turn his depths into a fountain of living water. “Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of water”. Tell me, what excuse do we still have? Why are we so cruel, and non-submissive? When even the solid and hard rock and the flint have submitted to the command of God? Why is it that the human being, with what he was given of reason, surpassing any other creature, is so non-responsive2? (St. John Chrysostom) As our nature turned into rocks through the worship of idols, and became unable to progress, the Sun of Righteousness arose (Malachi 4: 2), in such severe cold, to instigate the advent of spring; and the warm south wind made the warm rays of the sun prevail over the whole earth. The human race, that turned into rocks because of the cold idol-worship, is warmed up by the Holy Spirit, the rays of the Word of God, to become again like the water that grants the eternal life (John 4: 14); “Who turned the rock into a pool of water; the flint into a fountain of waters” (8) 3. 1 On Ps. 114. 2 On Ps. 114. عظة 5 على نشید الأناشید ترجمة الدكتور جورج نوّار. 3 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 57 (St. Gregory of Nyssa) AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 114 PREPARE, O LORD, MY CROSSOVER JOURNEY TO YOU The exodus of Your people out of the bondage of Pharaoh, Will remain the song of every true believer, who enjoys the new birth in baptism; You sent Moses and Aaron to work; But You were the actual Leader of the journey; As a loving and holy heavenly King, You preceded the procession of Your people; You let nature work to their account. You descended from heaven to us; You took over the leadership of Your people, to set them free from the kingdom of darkness; To bring them forth to the kingdom of light in a unique journey; Who can describe the journey of Your cross and resurrection?! You have set Your divine kingdom in us; and turned our hearts into a new heaven; The sea, with all its whirlpools and mighty waves, was terrified before You; The hosts of darkness could not stand before Your redemption work; The enemy stirred up men to get rid of You; They cried out to Pilate, saying: Crucify Him, crucify Him! They did not perceive that the way was opened by Your cross; For Your believers to cross over into the bosoms of Your Father; Like someone in weakness, You were moved to be crucified; Behold, the prophets, together with all the believers of the old covenant, like the mountains and hills, skipped for joy; For what the prophets and kings longed to see has been realized. The procession of Your cross caused the earth to tremble! The love for the earthlies was shaken in my heart; It fled before You, to let the love of the heavenlies occupy my depths; Behold, my heart, hard like a rock, was flooded by the water of Your grace; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 58 And my feelings, hard like flint, enjoyed the water of Your Holy Spirit; What an enjoyable journey! Your cross turned my life into a journey to heaven!
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