151 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to God, giving voice together, I'm singing my heart out to God - what a victory! He pitched horse and rider into the sea. 2 God is my strength, God is my song, and, yes! God is my salvation. This is the kind of God I have and I'm telling the world! This is the God of my father - I'm spreading the news far and wide! 3 God is a fighter, pure God, through and through. 4 Pharaoh's chariots and army he dumped in the sea, The elite of his officers he drowned in the Red Sea. 5 Wild ocean waters poured over them; they sank like a rock in the deep blue sea. 6 Your strong right hand, God, shimmers with power; your strong right hand shatters the enemy. 7 In your mighty majesty you smash your upstart enemies, You let loose your hot anger and burn them to a crisp. 8 At a blast from your nostrils the waters piled up; Tumbling streams dammed up, wild oceans curdled into a swamp. 9 The enemy spoke, "I'll pursue, I'll hunt them down, I'll divide up the plunder, I'll glut myself on them; I'll pull out my sword, my fist will send them reeling." 10 You blew with all your might and the sea covered them. They sank like a lead weight in the majestic waters. 11 Who compares with you among gods, O God? Who compares with you in power, in holy majesty, In awesome praises, wonder-working God? 12 You stretched out your right hand and the Earth swallowed them up. 13 But the people you redeemed, you led in merciful love; You guided them under your protection to your holy pasture. 14 When people heard, they were scared; Philistines writhed and trembled; 15 Yes, even the head men in Edom were shaken, and the big bosses in Moab. Everybody in Canaan panicked and fell faint. 16 Dread and terror sent them reeling. Before your brandished right arm they were struck dumb like a stone, 17 Until your people crossed over and entered, O God, until the people you made crossed over and entered. You brought them and planted them on the mountain of your heritage, The place where you live, the place you made, Your sanctuary, Master, that you established with your own hands. 18 Let God rule forever, for eternity! 19 Yes, Pharaoh's horses and chariots and riders went into the sea and God turned the waters back on them; but the Israelites walked on dry land right through the middle of the sea. 20 Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine, and all the women followed her with tambourines, dancing. 21 Miriam led them in singing, Sing to God - what a victory! He pitched horse and rider into the sea! Traveling Through the Wilderness
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 15:1-21
Commentary on Exodus 15:1-21
(Read Exodus 15:1-21)
This song is the most ancient we know of. It is a holy song, to the honour of God, to exalt his name, and celebrate his praise, and his only, not in the least to magnify any man. Holiness to the Lord is in every part of it. It may be considered as typical, and prophetical of the final destruction of the enemies of the church. Happy the people whose God is the Lord. They have work to do, temptations to grapple with, and afflictions to bear, and are weak in themselves; but his grace is their strength. They are often in sorrow, but in him they have comfort; he is their song. Sin, and death, and hell threaten them, but he is, and will be their salvation. The Lord is a God of almighty power, and woe to those that strive with their Maker! He is a God of matchless perfection; he is glorious in holiness; his holiness is his glory. His holiness appears in the hatred of sin, and his wrath against obstinate sinners. It appears in the deliverance of Israel, and his faithfulness to his own promise. He is fearful in praises; that which is matter of praise to the servants of God, is very dreadful to his enemies. He is doing wonders, things out of the common course of nature; wondrous to those in whose favour they are wrought, who are so unworthy, that they had no reason to expect them. There were wonders of power and wonders of grace; in both, God was to be humbly adored.