Psalm 114

What’s Happening?

Psalms 113 through 117 are known as Hallel Psalms, because of how regularly they say, “Hallelujah!” These psalms were traditionally sung by Israel during the Passover feast every year. The Passover began the Exodus, when God led Israel out of Egyptian slavery, through a sea, and to a mountain where they became his people (Psalm 114:1). Psalm 114 recounts how creation responded to God coming to rescue his people. The sea fled when it saw God free them from enemies, and the mountain shook when he descended to make his people a new creation.

Interestingly, Psalm 114 is the only psalm in the Hallel collection without the word “Hallelujah.” This is because Psalm 114 recounts the Exodus from creation’s perspective. In this psalm directed to creation, we see a similar word translated as “shake,” “tremble,” or “dance” (Psalm 114:7a). The earth’s seas, rivers, mountains, and hills all respond to their Creator God coming to his people to make them a new creation. The sea retreated like a frightened army, allowing Israel to pass through (Psalm 114:3a). Likewise, the Jordan river, which guarded the way to the promised land, stepped aside, offering passage for God and his people (Psalm 114:3b). As forces of uncreation, both the sea and the Jordan tremble and flee when God comes to make his people a new creation. 

The mountains respond differently from the waters. They leap for joy like happy animals at the sight of God coming to them (Psalm 114:4). Mountains were the houses of the gods, where gods came to visit earth. So these mountains rejoice when the Creator God comes to make his home on them. Unlike the watery forces of uncreation, the mountains of creation celebrate that God is inhabiting the world by living with his people. 

The whole earth responds to the Exodus with trembling. Creation either trembles in fear like the retreating waters or trembles for joy like the shaking mountains when God visits the earth to save his people. This is because God living with his people means that creation itself is becoming God’s home. And where God makes his home, new creation gushes out. The dry wilderness was watered with streams when God brought living water out of dead rocks to refresh his people (Psalm 114:8). And when God refreshes his people, the dry and dead parts of creation receive new life as well. 

Where’s the Gospel?

All creation is eagerly longing for its own Exodus and for God to come to his people and inhabit his creation. The apostle Paul says that the whole earth groans because it is enslaved to uncreation, namely death, and longs for God to come and bring life (Romans 8:18-22). When that happens, forces of uncreation will flee, and dead parts of creation will be made new. This is why God the Creator came in the person of Jesus to live with his people and set his creation free. 

When Jesus came to earth to save his people, all creation responded. At his birth, the heavens leapt for joy (Luke 2:13-14). At his presence, chaotic seas turned into a calm pool (Matthew 8:24-26). At his word, legions of demons retreated into the waters of uncreation (Mark 5:12-13). When Jesus visited his people in Jerusalem on Passover, he said the rocks could cry out in response to his coming to save his people (Luke 19:40). And on the cross, the mountain Jesus was crucified on trembled as the waves of death swallowed up his life (Matthew 27:50-51). But on the third day, an earthquake shook the ground once again. Jesus rose from the grave, bringing life out of the ultimate place of death (Matthew 28:2-6). 

In the Exodus event for the whole world, Jesus rose from the corruption of uncreation. He defeated death, freeing all humanity and all creation from slavery to death and uncreation, as Israel was freed from Egypt. Now, Jesus lives in his creation by making his home in us through his Spirit (John 7:38). Through the dry rocks of humans, God is bringing streams of living water to give life to the rest of the world. All creation now trembles and dances in anticipation of Jesus’ final coming to visit and bring life to his people and creation. When he does, the seas of uncreation will flee for good, and death will be no more (Revelation 21:3-5). Jesus will come to a final mountain to live with his people forever, and from there the streams of eternal life will flow through his people, watering the whole earth with new life (Revelation 22:1-3). 

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit would open your eyes to see the God who comes to his people to heal his creation. And may you see Jesus as the one who frees all creation by inhabiting his people to make all things new.