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Day 248

Psalm 114:3 "The sea saw it and fled..."

Day 248 – Psalm 114

“The sea saw it and fled…” Psalm 114:3

A MOVING DESCRIPTION

This anonymous psalmist had very special poetic skills. His description of Israel’s exodus from Egypt all the way to the land of Canaan was wonderfully described in the following text.

“The sea saw it and fled;
Jordan turned back.
The mountains skipped like rams,
The little hills like lambs.
What ails you, O sea, that you fled?
O Jordan, that you turned back?
O mountains, that you skipped like rams?
O little hills, like lambs?”
Psalm 114:3-6

1. Note the effective use of personification

a) The sea
b) The River Jordan

2. Note also the comparison made

a) Mountains were mere rams that skipped away in fear.
b) Small hills were compared to lambs.

3. Note the use of interrogative statements

a) These were of course rhetorical questions.
b) They effectively described how all nature stood in awe of the Power of God.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS APPROACH

What is the significance of this poetic approach?

1. This reflects “the special moment of worship” of the psalmist.

2. He stood in awe of the great power of God in a fresh new way.

3. The use of powerful poetic devices reveal the depth of impact that was made on his heart.

4. The reader is also greatly blessed if he is able to appreciate the poetic skill of the psalmist.