114
1 At the time of the exodus of Israel from Egypt, when the descendants of Jacob left that foreign country,*
2 the land of Judah became the Lord's sanctuary, Israel his kingdom.
3 The Red Sea saw them and ran away; the Jordan River retreated.
4 Mountains jumped in fright† like rams, hills startled‡ like lambs.
5 Red Sea—why did you run away? Jordan River—why did you retreat?
6 Mountains—why did you jump in fright? Hills—why did you startle like lambs?
7 Earth, tremble in the presence of the Lord, tremble in the presence of the God of Jacob!
8 He is the one who turned the rock into a pool of water; making water flow from the hard rock.§
* 114:1 “Foreign country”: literally, “people of a foreign language.” † 114:4 Literally “skipped,” but this suggests a playful action when the context makes it clear that the jumping is due to fear, not joy. ‡ 114:4 “Startled”: implied. The image is of mountains and hills shaking as in an earthquake. § 114:8 See Exodus 17:1-7; Numbers 20:1-13.