Day 1105: Why God's people sing – Exodus 15 vs 1 – 13

1-2 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider (chariot) he has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.

3 The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name. 4-5 “Pharaoh's chariots and his host he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea. The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone.

6-7 Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power, your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries; you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble. 8-10 At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up; the floods stood up in a pile; the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’ You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

11-13 “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them. “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode. Exodus 15:1-13 English Standard Version

Ever since the days of Moses, God's people have loved to sing! And what are the themes of our songs according to vs 1-2.

It is because God has become our strength and our salvation! We have come to know Him personally, and we long to lift up his name. Verses 11-13 pick up this story and show us some further content for our songs. God is unique, and His works are majestic, even miraculous. He is holy, and in His steadfast love He brings poor and weak sinners to His holy dwelling place. All of these are cause to sing God's praise.

The song also refers to 'God's right hand' by which He worked. And while that speaks of His supreme power, Christians know that Jesus was raised, and “has gone into heaven, and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.” (1 Peter 3:21-22) That's a big part of the song God's people now sing. We read in Nehemiah that “in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians, and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.” (Nehemiah 12:46) God's people love to sing songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

But the reason for this first recorded song in the Bible, is because 'God is a man of war'. (vs 3) That's something we tend to forget. But Israel had just been miraculously saved from those who were pursuing them, from those who sought to destroy them, or bring them back to slavery. And so the song remembers how God had caused the waters of the Red sea to stand up and for the deep to congeal, so that Israel might escape. And then God sent a wind to bring the sea back, and to cause the Egyptians to 'sink like lead' in the water. It was a song of God's triumph over His foes.

And shall we not sing such a song when He brings about His final triumph. John the apostle wrote: “I saw, what appeared to be, a sea of glass mingled with fire - and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, 'Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.'” (Revelation 15:2-4) Those whom God has saved, are a people who love to sing His praise.