February 7
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PSALM 114
When Israel went out from Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2 Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
3 The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.
5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back?
6 O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turns the rock into a pool of water,
the flint into a spring of water. – Psalm 114:1-8
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PSALM 114 TREMBLE AT GOD’S GLORIOUS PRESENCE!
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Remember how the Lord delivered the Israelites from their oppressors?
He parted the Red Sea so they can cross it and killed the Egyptians
He turned rocks and flints into bodies of water so they can drink
He rained manna from heaven so they have something to eat
He had a cloud by day and fire by night to guide their path
The Lord even granted their cravings for food and rained down meat
Yet they didn’t tremble in all the deeds that God has done for them
They grumbled instead and made idols for themselves and didn’t fear him.
The Lord made all things for his pleasure; he owns everything
He alone can command his creation to do what he pleases
The sun follows his direction to shine light upon the earth
The trees and grass dance as God tells the wind to blow hard
The skies paint different colors above the horizon
The shadows add contrast to the painted firmament
All the nature trembles at God’s glorious presence
Why can’t humans also fear and shudder at his magnificence?
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REFLECTION
• What does it mean to tremble in God’s presence? Why is it hard for us to do so?