Psalm 114: Group Study Handout

How to use: read Psalm 114 aloud together, then take the questions in order. One page is enough for an evening.

Overview

Israel departs from Egypt, with the house of Jacob leaving a foreign-speaking people (vv. 1-2). God chooses Judah as his sanctuary and Israel as his dominion. As Israel escapes, the sea sees this and flees, while the Jordan River is driven back (vv. 3-4). The psalmist raises questions to nature, asking why the sea fled and why the Jordan turned back. The mountains are questioned as well, as they skipped like rams and the little hills like lambs (vv. 5-6). The earth is called to tremble before the presence of the Lord, the God of Jacob (vv. 7-8). This God transformed a rock into a pool of water and flint into a spring of waters, showcasing His power and action in creation.

Key verse

“Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,”
Psalms 114:7 (WEB)

Outline

Psalm 114:1–2 Israel's Exodus and Divine Protection
Psalm 114:3–4 Nature's Response to God
Psalm 114:5–6 Questions Addressed to Nature
Psalm 114:7–8 Call to Tremble Before God

Discussion questions

In v1, who is described as coming out of Egypt and from where?
In v3, what do the sea and the Jordan do in response to God's presence?
The phrase 'skipped like rams' in v4: what does this imagery suggest about the mountains' reaction?
In v7, what does it mean for the earth to tremble at the presence of the Lord?
When have you sensed a shift in your environment, like the sea fleeing in v3?

Go deeper

Passages that echo Psalm 114: Habakkuk 3, Psalm 107, Psalm 104.

Before next time: read Psalm 115.