151 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to Yahweh, and said,
“I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously.
The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. 2 Yah is my strength and song.
He has become my salvation.
This is my God, and I will praise him;
my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3 Yahweh is a man of war.
Yahweh is his name. 4 He has cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea.
His chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea [1]. 5 The deeps cover them.
They went down into the depths like a stone. 6 Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power.
Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the enemy in pieces. 7 In the greatness of your excellency, you overthrow those who rise up against you.
You send forth your wrath. It consumes them as stubble. 8 With the blast of your nostrils, the waters were piled up.
The floods stood upright as a heap.
The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 15:1-8
Commentary on Exodus 15:1-21
(Read Exodus 15:1-21)
This song is the most ancient we know of. It is a holy song, to the honour of God, to exalt his name, and celebrate his praise, and his only, not in the least to magnify any man. Holiness to the Lord is in every part of it. It may be considered as typical, and prophetical of the final destruction of the enemies of the church. Happy the people whose God is the Lord. They have work to do, temptations to grapple with, and afflictions to bear, and are weak in themselves; but his grace is their strength. They are often in sorrow, but in him they have comfort; he is their song. Sin, and death, and hell threaten them, but he is, and will be their salvation. The Lord is a God of almighty power, and woe to those that strive with their Maker! He is a God of matchless perfection; he is glorious in holiness; his holiness is his glory. His holiness appears in the hatred of sin, and his wrath against obstinate sinners. It appears in the deliverance of Israel, and his faithfulness to his own promise. He is fearful in praises; that which is matter of praise to the servants of God, is very dreadful to his enemies. He is doing wonders, things out of the common course of nature; wondrous to those in whose favour they are wrought, who are so unworthy, that they had no reason to expect them. There were wonders of power and wonders of grace; in both, God was to be humbly adored.