Exodus l5:2 is part of a song of celebration of our Lord’s mighty work of deliverance at the Red Sea. In the previous chapter we read that Moses stretched out his hand over the sea as God instructed. The waters were divided so that one wall of water was on the Israelites’ left side and another one was on their right (14:21-22). After the Israelites crossed over to the other side our Lord told Moses to stretch out his arm over the sea again. Water flowed over the Egyptians, their chariots and their horsemen. (see verse 26).
The group affirmations in this Scripture are also personal affirmations. God had acted on behalf of all of the Israelites, but they knew He had delivered each one of them. The first of their three affirmations is, “The Lord is my strength.” Notice that we do not read “The Lord gives me strength”, but “The Lord is my strength.” Our Lord was their strength that day, even as He is our strength today. Isaiah writes, “Even youths shall grow tired and weary, and young men shall stumble and fall, but those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:30, 31)
Their second affirmation is that the Lord “is my song.” Music has always been an important part of worshipping and praising God. Our Bibles contain l50 Psalms which are filled with praise for our Lord. We express our joy to our Lord in the songs we sing, even as the Israelites expressed their joy to the Lord after their deliverance. We express our joy that transcends circumstances.
Moses and the Israelites praised God most for their salvation. Their salvation was freedom from slavery in Egypt. That bondage had become more and more rigorous. In Exodus 56-8 Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen: “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota.” Unfortunately, it didn’t take them long to forget how miserable they had been. They soon moaned about starvation (see Exodus l6:2).
Our salvation is not from Egyptian slavery, but from bondage to sin and from eternal separation from God to the freedom and joy of walking with Him every day and being assured of a home in Heaven with our Lord forever.
Since our Lord is our strength, our song and our salvation we have three wonderful reasons (and these are just three of many) to praise Him every day!
By: David Oldfather
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