Psalm 114 (113):5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When the people of Israel exited Egypt, and when the house of Jacob departed from among foreign nations (Psalm 112:1), Judah became His holy place and Israel His realm (Psalm 112:2). The sea witnessed this and fled, and the Jordan retreated (Psalm 112:3). We must not consider these past events merely historical; they also serve as prophecies regarding the future. While these acts unfolded in that earlier time, they were not only historic but also contained foreshadowings of what was to come. Some details might differ from our traditional understanding, as he did not merely recount previous actions but rather pointed towards future realities. Notably, we do not read of the Jordan just retreating; it was said to have stopped at the source of its streams while the people crossed. Furthermore, there is no scriptural mention of mountains leaping or hills dancing, details that were additional embellishments in his rendition.

After stating, "The sea saw it, and fled; Jordan was driven back," he added, "The mountains skipped like rams, and the hills like lambs" (Psalm 113:4). He then inquired, "What ails you, O sea, that you fled? O Jordan, that you turned back?" (Psalm 112:5), and, "You mountains, that you skipped like rams, and you hills, like lambs?" (Psalm 112:6).

Let us reflect upon what we learn from these words, for both aspects are symbolic of our own journey, inviting us to introspection. If we cling to the grace of God bestowed upon us, we are like Israel, the offspring of Abraham, as the apostle reminds us, "Therefore you are Abraham’s seed." No Christian should regard themselves as separate from the identity of Israel, for we are united with the faithful Jews, including the principal apostles. Our Lord explains this unity further, stating, "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, so there will be one flock, one Shepherd" (John 10:16). Thus, the Christian community rightly embodies Israel and is akin to the house of Jacob, as Israel and Jacob represent the same lineage.

Conversely, those among the Jewish people who have been rightly criticized for their unfaithfulness sacrificed their birthright for worldly pleasures, positioning themselves not as Jacob’s descendants, but akin to Esau. This aligns with the hidden meaning in the declaration, "The elder shall serve the younger."

Egypt, often associated with suffering or oppression, symbolizes the trials of this world from which we must spiritually detach ourselves, lest we find ourselves entangled with nonbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14). Each individual is called to become a worthy citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem by first renouncing worldly attachments, just as the Israelites could not enter their promised land until they fled Egypt. They did not leave until God's divine assistance delivered them; similarly, neither will anyone genuinely turn away from worldly distractions without the grace of God.

What was a prefiguration finds its fulfillment in each faithful person through the daily efforts within the Church, particularly during this culminating period referred to by Blessed John as the last days (1 John 2:18). Heed the instruction of the apostle, a teacher to the Gentiles, who states, "I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and passed through the sea; they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. Yet, with most of them, God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness" (1 Corinthians 10:1-6).

What more do you desire, beloved brethren? This truth is evident, not through human speculation but through the Apostle's words, which convey the voice of God amid humanity. From such considerable testimony, it is clear that all previous figurative actions are now fulfilled in our salvation; what was foretold is now recognized, while we experience the present reality.

Consider the marvel of it all: the concealed and enigmatic truths within ancient scriptures are revealed in some measure through them. The prophet Micah proclaims, "In the days of your exodus from Egypt, I will show him wonders," and although this Psalm reflects the prophetic voice looking into the future, it seemingly details past occurrences. It states, "Judah became His sanctuary," and as the sea fled and the Jordan receded, these phrases carry past-tense meaning, yet they offer insight into the future as well. Even after a significant time following the departure from Egypt, the testimony remains a prophetic declaration. "In the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt, I will show him wonders. The nations shall be ashamed to see" captures the essence of this; if the passage suggests future revelations through past tense phrasing, who can confidently apply the phrase “shall see and be confounded” to mere historical events?

Notably, the subsequent verses explicitly refer to our foes—our sins—symbolized by the Egyptians, which are vanquished and submerged in Baptism, just as the Egyptians were drowned in the sea. It affirms that God, who does not postpone His mercy forever despite His goodness, will show compassion and eradicate our inequities, casting all our sins into the depths of the sea.

What does this mean for you, beloved? You who recognize yourselves as Israelites, descendants of Abraham, members of the house of Jacob and heirs according to promise, realize that you too have escaped Egypt by renouncing worldly ways; you have distanced yourselves from a foreign nation, standing apart from the blasphemies of the Gentiles through your profession of faith in God. It is not your own words, but foreign tongues that lack the ability to praise God, to whom you sing Hallelujah. For within you, Judah has become His sanctuary; true Judaism is internal and consists of the circumcision of the heart (Romans 2:28-29).

Thus, examine your hearts and assess if your faith has truly circumcised them, if your confession has purified them; within you, Judah has transformed into His sanctuary, and you have become His realm. He grants you the authority to be called children of God (John 1:12).

Do not seek your own path, akin to how the Jordan turns, nor imagine any ill-omen. The Lord rebukes those who turn away from Him instead of facing Him (Jeremiah 2:27). Anyone who abandons the essence of their being and turns their back on their Creator, will naturally drift into the bitter sorrows of this world. It is better for such a one to turn back so that God, whom they had placed behind them, may now be in front of them upon their return. The sea of worldly distractions, which they previously faced, must now lie behind them, enabling them to forget what is past and to strive toward what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13), thereby benefitting from their transformation.

"Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob" (Psalm 113:7). What does it mean to be in His presence, but to acknowledge the one who promised, "Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:30)? The earth trembled, indicating that our slothfulness prompts a greater need for strength in the presence of the Lord.

He is the one who transformed solid rock into a fountain and flint into flowing streams (Psalm 113:8). He softened Himself, turning hardness into refreshment, offering springs of living water to those who believe in Him, thereby becoming within them a source of everlasting life (John 4:14). In moments of misunderstanding, when He seemed hard to those who remarked, "This is a hard saying; who can hear it?" (John 6:60), they failed to await His blessings and divine revelation. The rock, initially viewed as unyielding, became a source of sustenance when, post-resurrection, He explained to His disciples how the Christ must suffer, starting from Moses and continuing through the prophets (Luke 24:26-27) and then sent the Holy Spirit, extending an invitation: "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink" (John 7:37).

Goldsmith observes a distinctive aspect of Scripture: when conveying significant or disastrous events, it often depicts even lifeless entities as possessing consciousness, not because they truly have awareness, but to underscore the magnitude of what has occurred. For instance, we often say that the city was filled with grief, the very earth bore a somber visage, and the stones were vocalizing. St. Gregory the Theologian notes that Scripture frequently attributes speech to various lifeless things, stating things like "the sea proclaimed this" and "the abyss declared, I have none" (Job 28:14). The heavens recount the splendor of God, and the mountains and hills are inquired about the source of the uproar. Isychius reflects on this in a profound manner, asserting that all the prophets rejoice at the conversion of those who repent; some, having received greater grace, are likened to mountains and sheep, while others, who have received lesser grace, are compared to higher hills and lambs.

Thus, while the words are directed at the sea, the mountains, and the Jordan, the Prophet aims his message at us, encouraging each of us to reflect deeply and understand that such transformations cannot be ascribed to natural phenomena or earthly causes, but rather to the evident hand of God at work. The analogy he employs concerning sheep and lambs may seem disconnected from the grandeur of the scene—after all, the stability of the universe rests upon mountains, and what do sheep and lambs have in common with this? Nevertheless, the Prophet seeks to convey, in straightforward terms, how God's extraordinary power is displayed even in the most unresponsive of creatures. In doing so, he does not lessen the miracle, but rather uses simple language to imprint upon the minds of the unthinking the astonishing signs of God's might.

Both the sea and the Jordan exemplify those who have experienced Christ's grace, returning from iniquity to holy faith, ready for baptism. Creation itself bowed and receded, recognizing its Leader and making way for Him, so the Jewish people could witness that God's might is present everywhere. The mountains symbolize prophets, and the hills represent apostles, who rejoice in Christ the Lord, intent on saving mankind. The sea parted at God's command, segregated by the transient Jews, while the Jordan reversed its course upon the delivery of the covenant to them, leading to the prophecy of the Lord's baptism. Among all rivers, Christ instituted the sacrament of baptism in the Jordan, which is formed by the confluence of two springs, Porus and Dan, flowing not into the living sea but into the Dead Sea. The Jordan stands as a representation of our mortal existence. The mountains depict angels, and the hills represent God’s cherished ones, rejoicing over Christ, the Savior of the world. Humanity—the earth—has been moved by the joyous proclamation of the Gospel, transitioning from sin to repentance. The goodness of Jacob—the heirs of Abraham—signals that patriarchs and prophets spoke of Christ, whom He led out of the depths of hell.