When God answers a prayer or brings you through a difficult season, what is your first response?
Key Verse:
“The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.” —Exodus 15:2 NASB
Background Context:
In Exodus 14, God parted the Red Sea, delivered Israel from Pharaoh’s army, and demonstrated His power in a way that would be remembered for generations.
Now in Exodus 15:1–21, the people respond to God’s deliverance with worship. Moses and the Israelites sing a song of praise, celebrating God’s victory, His faithfulness, and His unmatched power.
(Continued and expanded after scripture.)
The Song of Moses and Israel
1Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and said,
“I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted;
The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.
2“The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
This is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will extol Him.
3“The LORD is a warrior;
The LORD is His name.
4“Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea.
5“The deeps cover them;
They went down into the depths like a stone.
6“Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power,
Your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.
7“And in the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You;
You send forth Your burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff.
8“At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up,
The flowing waters stood up like a heap;
The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9“The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil;
My desire shall be gratified against them;
I will draw out my sword, my hand will destroy them.’
10“You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them;
They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11“Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in praises, working wonders?
12“You stretched out Your right hand,
The earth swallowed them.
13“In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed;
In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.
14“The peoples have heard, they tremble;
Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.
15“Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed;
The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them;
All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
16“Terror and dread fall upon them;
By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone;
Until Your people pass over, O LORD,
Until the people pass over whom You have purchased.
17“You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance,
The place, O LORD, which You have made for Your dwelling,
The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.
18“The LORD shall reign forever and ever.”
19For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and the LORD brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea.
20Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women out after her with timbrels and with dancing.
21Miriam answered them,
“Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted;
The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”
Reflection on Exodus 15:1–21:
One of the most encouraging aspects of this passage is that Israel responds correctly.
Throughout Exodus, we have already seen moments of fear, doubt, and questioning. But after witnessing God’s mighty deliverance at the Red Sea, the people stop and worship.
They do not immediately focus on themselves.
They do not boast about their courage.
They do not celebrate their own wisdom or strength.
Instead, they give glory to God.
The song begins:
“I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted…”
The focus is entirely on what God has done.
This is an important lesson because it is easy to enjoy God’s blessings while forgetting to thank the One who provided them.
The Israelites recognized that their salvation did not come through:
- military strength
- clever strategy
- personal ability
It came from God alone.
This is why Moses declares:
“The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.”
Notice the personal nature of that statement.
Not merely:
- our nation’s salvation
- our ancestors’ salvation
But:
“My strength.”
“My song.”
“My salvation.”
God’s work had become personal.
The same should be true for us.
It is not enough simply to know that God has worked throughout history.
We should also recognize how He has worked in our own lives.
The song continues by praising God’s power over Egypt.
Again and again, the emphasis is that God fought for His people.
This echoes the lesson from Exodus 14:
“The LORD will fight for you.”
The Israelites were reminded that their victory was not self-produced.
It was God-given.
The song also looks forward.
The people celebrate not only what God has done, but what He will continue to do.
They express confidence that the God who delivered them from Egypt will also lead them into the land He promised.
This is a beautiful picture of faith.
True worship remembers God’s past faithfulness and trusts Him for future faithfulness.
Miriam then leads the women in worship as the entire community joins in praise.
Worship becomes the natural response to God’s salvation.
This passage challenges us to consider how we respond after God answers prayers, provides for needs, or carries us through difficult circumstances.
Sometimes we cry out passionately when we need help.
But do we praise Him just as passionately after He answers?
Israel’s song reminds us that worship should not be reserved only for weekly gatherings.
It should be the natural response of grateful hearts.
There is another important lesson here as well.
The song came after the victory.
Soon Israel will face new challenges in the wilderness.
New tests.
New needs.
New opportunities to trust God.
This song would serve as a reminder of what God had already done.
Remembering God’s faithfulness in past trials strengthens our faith for future ones.
That is why worship and remembrance are so important.
They help us remember that the God who was faithful yesterday will still be faithful tomorrow.
Application:
- Take time to thank God when He answers prayers and provides deliverance.
- Give God the glory for victories rather than taking credit yourself.
- Remember God’s past faithfulness when facing new challenges.
- Make worship a regular response to God’s goodness.
- Trust that the God who has been faithful before will remain faithful in the future.
Closing Prayer:
Father, thank You for Your faithfulness and for the many ways You have worked in my life. Help me not to take Your blessings for granted or forget to praise You after You answer my prayers. Teach me to worship You with gratitude and joy, remembering that every good gift comes from You. Strengthen my faith through the memory of Your faithfulness, and help me trust You for whatever lies ahead. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.
May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda
Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.