1 In the going out of Israel from Egypt, The house of Jacob from a strange people,
2 Judah became His sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
3 The sea hath seen, and fleeth, The Jordan turneth backward.
4 The mountains have skipped as rams, Heights as sons of a flock.
5 What -- to thee, O sea, that thou fleest? O Jordan, thou turnest back!
6 O mountains, ye skip as rams! O heights, as sons of a flock!
7 From before the Lord be afraid, O earth, From before the God of Jacob,
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Commentary on Psalms 114 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 114
Ps 114:1-8. The writer briefly and beautifully celebrates God's former care of His people, to whose benefit nature was miraculously made to contribute.
1-4. of strange language—(compare Ps 81:5).
4. skipped … rams—(Ps 29:6), describes the waving of mountain forests, poetically representing the motion of the mountains. The poetical description of the effect of God's presence on the sea and Jordan alludes to the history (Ex 14:21; Jos 3:14-17). Judah is put as a parallel to Israel, because of the destined, as well as real, prominence of that tribe.
5-8. The questions place the implied answers in a more striking form.
7. at the presence of—literally, "from before," as if affrighted by the wonderful display of God's power. Well may such a God be trusted, and great should be His praise.