The Earth Trembled!

Yesterday, as I was reading the Hallel (a series of Psalms of praise, Psalm 113-118, that are recited during morning prayers during such days as feast days) I was particularly impressed by Psalm 114.

Psalm 114:1-8 (KJV)
¹ When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
² Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.
³ The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.
⁴ The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.
⁵ What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
⁶ Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs?
⁷ Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;
⁸ Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.


The fascinating part of this Psalm is that it is written from the perspective of the earth. We see this in verse 7. This is made even more clear in the Artscroll translation that reads, "Before the Lord's Presence -- did I, the earth, tremble -- before the Presence of the God of Jacob,"

Verses 1 and 2 describe the circumstances of this Psalm. The people of Israel had gone out of Egypt and had now come to the Promised Land, the land of Judah and Israel (the names given to the two kingdoms of Israel during part of her history).

But how does the earth respond to the coming of the people? The sea saw it and fled. The Jordan River was driven back. The mountains skipped like rams and the little hills skipped like lambs. Of course seas, rivers, mountains, and hills can't choose to move like it sounds in this passage. This is an example of personification, the giving of human characteristics to animals or inanimate objects in order to make a literary point. From this colorful image we can understand that the coming of the people is a big deal.

Then in verses 7 and 8 we see the reason why the earth responded in such a way. It was because of the Lord's Presence that the earth "trembled". And it trembled because the God of Jacob (Israel) turned the rock into a "standing water" (pond) and the flint into a fountain of water.

This is describing how the people crossed the Jordan river under the leadership of Joshua. As they came to a flooded river without any noticeable means of crossing, the Lord instructed the priests to take the Ark of the Covenant into the middle of the river. When they stepped into the water, the Jordan river backed up so that the people could cross on dry ground.

Imagine if the earth had been capable of seeing this event. It would tremble at the sight of such a powerful God, wouldn't it? How should we respond? We maybe don't get to see such miracles every day, but how has God been with you? What has He kept you from? What danger has He removed from your path? What blessing has He bestowed upon you? Our God is powerful, even the earth knows it. Shouldn't we give Him the praise He deserves for all that He does?