Psalm 114 (113):3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And to dispel any notion that this occurrence was periodic or coincidental, it has not happened since then, except for that one moment when God commanded it, causing it to have varied effects on different individuals. The chaotic movement of the waters, as if sentient and animate, acted at God’s command, saving some while destroying others, serving as a coffin to some and a chariot to others. A similar phenomenon occurred in the furnace of Babylon. The fire, which ordinarily operated in a simple manner, displayed great discernment upon God’s command—saving some inside while consuming others outside. ‘Jordan turned back again.’ Do you perceive how miracles have been manifested in various places and times? That the Israelites might understand that God’s power extends everywhere and is not limited to any single location, He performed wonders universally, whether in the wilderness, among the nations, in the sea, in the rivers, under Moses, or under Jesus; and miracles accompanied them everywhere, softening their hardened hearts and dull minds, enabling them to humbly receive the knowledge of God.

1 Corinthians 10:11 When Israel emerged from Egypt and the house of Jacob departed from a foreign land, Psalm 112:1 Judah became His sanctuary, and Israel His kingdom, Psalm 112:2; the sea fled, and the Jordan was pushed back, Psalm 112:3. We should not think of these past miracles as irrelevant but as foreshadowing future events; while miracles occurred in that nation, there were clear prophecies about what was to come.

Some details differ from our understanding of the events recounted in scripture: it is noted that the Jordan was halted near the source of its waters, not merely receded, and there is no mention of mountains and hills leaping in the original account; this was added to emphasize the miraculous nature of the event. For instance, after stating, "The sea saw it and fled; the Jordan was driven back," it adds, "the mountains skipped like rams, and the hills like lambs," Psalm 113:4, and then questions, "What is the reason, O sea, that you have fled? O Jordan, why have you been driven back?" Psalm 112:5, and likewise, "O mountains, you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?" Psalm 112:6.

We should look at these events as lessons for our own understanding; both are symbolic for us and encourage self-reflection. If we hold onto the grace given to us, we are Israel, the offspring of Abraham; as it is written, “Therefore ye are Abraham’s seed." Let no Christian think of themselves as separate from Israel, for we are bound together with believing Jews, where we find the foremost apostles. Our Lord speaks in another context, stating, "I have other sheep which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, so that there will be one flock and one Shepherd." John 10:16 Thus, the Christian nation can indeed be seen as Israel, corresponding to the house of Jacob, for they are one and the same. Conversely, that multitude of Jews, justifiably criticized for their betrayal, traded their inheritance for carnal pleasures, aligning not with Jacob, but with Esau, reflecting the saying's hidden meaning: "The elder shall serve the younger."

Moreover, Egypt signifies suffering or oppression, and frequently represents this world from which we must spiritually distance ourselves to avoid becoming entangled with the unbelievers. 2 Corinthians 6:14 Each one qualifies as a true citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem by first renouncing this world; similarly, the people could not enter the promised land until they had exited Egypt. They did not depart until divinely assisted, mirroring how no one can turn their heart away from worldly distractions without the grace of God. What once served as a symbol is now realized in every faithful individual through the daily workings of the Church in this present age, as articulated by Blessed John, who wrote, "It is the last hour." 1 John 2:18

Listen to the apostle, the teacher to the Gentiles, instructing, "I do not wish, brethren, to leave you uninformed that all our ancestors were under the cloud and all passed through the sea; all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food and drink; for they drank from that spiritual rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their corpses fell in the wilderness." 1 Corinthians 10:1-6 What more do you need, beloved brethren? This is not mere human conjecture but the declaration of the Apostle, that is, of God and our Lord, for God spoke through them. Despite the fleshly limitations, it is evident that the events described in a figurative sense are now fulfilled in our salvation; what was once future is now past, and we witness it in the present.

Consider what is even more remarkable: the concealed mysteries of ancient scripture are, in some respect, unveiled through the Scriptures themselves. For as the prophet Micah proclaimed, "In the days of your exodus from Egypt, I will show wonders..." Thus, although the prophetic spirit of this psalm gazes towards the future, it seems to recount historical events. Judah is declared to be His sanctuary: the sea saw and fled, terms that evoke a sense of the past, yet the expressions describing the Jordan being pushed back and the mountains rising have a future dimension embedded within them. Even though many years have passed since the Israelites' journey from Egypt and long before the present times of the Church, the song proclaims that it unquestionably foretells what is to come. "In the days of your coming from the land of Egypt, I will show him wonders. The nations will see and be ashamed." The significance of "the sea saw and fled" cannot be misinterpreted, as embedded within these past statements is a nuanced revelation of the future, raising the question: who would dare to apply the declaration "will see and be confounded" to past occurrences?

Further on, he alludes quite clearly to the very enemies who pursued us—our sins—which are vanquished and submerged in the waters of Baptism, just as the Egyptians drowned in the sea. Since He does not withhold His anger eternally, because He is good and merciful, He will relent and have compassion on us, sending our transgressions into the depths of the sea.

What does this mean, dearly beloved? You who recognize yourselves as Israelites, the offspring of Abraham, and heirs according to the promise, acknowledge that you have also left Egypt by renouncing the world; that you have departed from a strange nation by separating yourselves through godliness from the blasphemies of the Gentiles. It is not your own mouth that sings praises to God, but that of a foreign tongue that cannot praise, to whom you express Hallelujah. For Judah has transformed into His sanctuary within you; indeed, he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is external in the flesh, but one is a Jew who is inwardly and through the circumcision of the heart. Romans 2:28-29 Therefore, examine your hearts to see if they have been truly circumcised by faith and cleansed by confession; in you, Judah has become His sanctuary, and Israel has risen to be His dominion. For He has granted you the privilege to become children of God. John 1:12

However, do not seek to draw connections on your own terms, as the Jordan is turned back, nor should you anticipate anything negative. The Lord admonishes those who turn away from Him rather than seek Him. Jeremiah 2:27 Those who abandon the essence of their existence and turn their back on their Creator will slip into the bitterness of this world. It is best for them to return, so that the God whom they ignored may be right before them upon their return; that the sea of this world they once faced may now lie behind them; and they may forget what lies behind and strive towards what lies ahead, Philippians 3:13 which will benefit them significantly following their conversion.

Tremble, O earth, in the presence of the Lord, in the presence of the God of Jacob, Psalm 113:7. What does it mean to be "in the presence of the Lord" but to be in the presence of the one who declared: "Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:30 The earth trembles not only because of His presence, but because of the complacency of those within it; it trembles so that they may grow stronger in the face of the Lord.

He who transformed solid rock into flowing waters and stone into springs, Psalm 113:8 melted His own essence, what could be deemed His hardness, to provide life-giving water to those who believe, transforming Him into a spring that brings forth everlasting life; John 4:14 For when He was not yet recognized, He appeared unyielding. Therefore, those who observed “This is a hard saying—who can hear it?” John 6:60 were perplexed and did not await His outpouring of living water contained within revealed Scriptures. That rock which seemed so unyielding became lakes of water; that rock became springs when, at His resurrection, He explained to them the prophecies involving Moses and all the prophets, how it was necessary for Christ to suffer these things; Luke 24:26-27 and bestowed the Holy Spirit upon them, saying, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me and drink." John 7:37

David notes these two wonders in Psalm 65, declaring, "He who turns the sea into dry land, the river shall be crossed with his foot." Isychius explains that the sea symbolically refers to wickedness as unstable, while the Jordan represents the grace of baptism. The sea of life retreats from one who confesses, as it embodies bitterness and cannot coexist with someone who has decisively renounced the bitterness of sin. In contrast, the Jordan does not retreat but instead returns for those who confess, as they undergo transformation and begin to shed tears of repentance; this repentance is empowered by baptism, which is essential for true repentance to have meaning. Hence, John first proclaimed a message of repentance and then coupled it with baptism. Why does the Jordan reverse its course? It is because one who sins and then repents goes back, abandoning the old path, for the Jordan symbolizes repentance.

The sea and the Jordan signify the people who, having witnessed the grace of Christ, turned from wickedness to holy faith and were eager to receive baptism. Nature itself bowed and withdrew, recognizing the Leader and clearing the path for the Shepherd of the people, demonstrating that God’s power is pervasive. The mountains signify prophets, the hills represent apostles, rejoicing in Christ the Lord, who desires to rescue humanity. The sea was parted by God's authority as it yielded to the fleeting Israelites. The Jordan reversed its flow when the Lord's covenant was entrusted to them, foretelling the Lord's baptism. Among all the rivers of the earth, Christ blesses the sacrament of baptism in the Jordan. This river comes from two springs, Porus and Dan, which unite to create a river that empties not into the Sea of Life, but into the Dead Sea, symbolizing our mortal existence. The mountains represent angels, while the hills denote God's cherished ones, rejoicing in Christ, the Savior of the world. Humanity, represented by the earth, is stirred by the tidings of the Gospel, transitioning from sin to repentance. The goodness of Jacob, the lineage of Abraham, along with the patriarchs and prophets, proclaims Christ, whom He liberates from the depths of hell.