The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 7

have heen ns grent ns poet, as we know him to have been as warrior, leader, statesman legislator, historian, patriot, and saint. The grandest features of poetry beloncr to th; thrilling piece before us. It is the magnificent outburst of the feeling of uncontrollable triumph, awakened by the sight of the overthrow of the Egyptians in the Red Sea, anr\ by the sense of deliverance and safety thence resulting. The language quakes am] thunders in keeping with the grandeur of the theme. The presentation of the ide:cs is in the highest degree picturesque. The strokes of imagery are masterpieces-the whole Ecene of defeat and disaster being repeatedly revealed, as by lurid lightning- flashes, in single sentences, and even single words. The movement is rapid, rhythmical, inspiring. 'l'he art displayed in the minutire of literary construction is very great, while in all, and through all, pervading, as its energising soul, every sylla·ole and stanza of the composition, is the spirit of adoring awe and wonder, blending with gratitude, which ascribes all the greatness, and honour, and renown, of the victory to Jehovah. We have to touch at present, however, less on the literary beauties than on the religious teaching of the ode; and the nature of this, after what has been said on eh. xiv., admits of bemg briefly indicated. I. THE TRIUMPH CELEBRATED- (vers. 1, 2). This celebration of the deliverance at the Hed Sea was-1. Nativral. Adoring and exultant feeling naturally passes into song. It seeks expression. It tends to become rhythmical. It unites itself with music. Like mountain torrents, tearing down to the plain, and cutting their channels as they flow, pent-up emotion of this kind will not be denied utterance, and if suitable channels of rhythmical expression are not provided for it, will cut out channels for itself. 2. Appropriate. It was right that, having experienced this great deliverance. the children of Israel should give utterance, in strains of praise, to the feelings of ,vonder, gratitude, and adoration with which it inspired them. It was due to God, and it would be beneficial in its reactive effects upon themselves. The duty of praise for benefits received is one to which no religious mind can be indifferent. If God has gifted us with the faculty of song, it is right that the first use we make of it should be ,to extol his goodness. See the Psalms (Ps. xcii. 1; xcviii 1; cv. 1, 2; cxi. 1; etc.). 3. Elevating. The faculty of song is not merely one of the faculties of our nature. It is connected with that which is deepest in us. When the Psalmist bids his faculty of song awake, he speaks of it as his "glory."-" Awake up, my glory" (Ps. !vii. 8 ; cf. Ps. xvi. 9 ; x.xx. 12). It is Carlyle who says-" All deep things are musical." Song, in its higher reaches, unites all the faculties of the soul in consentaneous exercise- heart, intellect, conscience, the religious nature, imagination, the artistic and tuneful sentiments, the social feelings. It arouses, elevates, fructifies, enkindles. It awakens the spirit to the sense cif its own infinitude; fills it with scorn of what is base; attunes and harmonises it to what is noble. We do well, therefore, to cultivate the faculty of song; to exercise it in public and in private worship; to make it the daily vehicle of the expres11jon of our religious feelings. "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns," etc. (Eph. v. 19). See that the melody is from the heart, yet with the understanding also (1 Cor. xiv. 15). II. THE TRIUMPH DESCRIBED (vers. 3--13). The quick, abrupt, vivid language of the ode brings the whole scene of Pharaoh's pursuit and destruction before us, almost as if it were transacting in our sight. The hot, breathless, intensely eager pursuit is depicted in ver. 9, but it is chiefly the destruction. that is dwelt on, and dwelt on in such terms, with the use of such similes, and in such relations of contrast to the proud monarch's insolence and boasting, as limns it with photographic distinctness on the mental vision. 'l'he design in the description being to exalt and glorify God's power in the overthrow, the points chiefly exhibited are these-1. The ease of this destruction. It is done in an instant, and without effort. In striking contrast with Pharaoh's para- phernalia of war, with his savage exertions in pursuit, and with his elaborate drawing out of his purposes iu ver. 9-" I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil," etc.-God simply blows with his wirnl, and the enemy is annihilated. "Thou didst blow with thy wind; the sea covered them; they sank as lead in the mighty waters" (ver. 10). A movement of his hand, a blast of his nostrils, a solitary waft from the heat of his anger, suffices to destroy them. 2. The swiftness of it. This, which was a most impressive feature of the overthrow, is brought out in various images. "The depths have covered them; they sank to the bottom ai; a stone . .. they sank as lead ill 8 THE BOOK OF EXODUS. [r,R, XV, 1-21.