Psalms 114

This brief psalm is justly considered as one of the most beautiful, graphic, and animated of the historical poems. It passes rapidly over the exodus, the wilderness life, and the great miracle at Jordan. Little is left for comment, its language, metaphors, and allusions being transparent. The apostrophe of Psalms 114:5-6 is bold, and lends to the poem a somewhat dramatic character. The tone and spirit of the psalm are triumphant, indicating an occasion of general joy, while the retrospection identifies it with the later period of the Hebrew lyrics. The strophic divisions are four, and clearly marked, each containing two verses of two lines each. The first, (Psalms 114:1-2,) refer to the exodus, and the honour conferred on the holy nation; the second, (Psalms 114:3-4,) the two great miracles of the Red Sea and Jordan, which opened and closed the wanderings, with a glance at Sinai; the third, (Psalms 114:5-6,) an apostrophe to the terrified sea and mountains; the fourth, (Psalms 114:7-8,) a call upon the world to tremble before Jehovah.