Psalm 77 · a question people ask

Was there a storm when Israel crossed the sea?

In the text

Psalm 77 speaks of one in the verses about the sea: "The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder. Your arrows also flashed around. The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind. The lightnings lit up the world. The earth trembled and shook" (77:17-18), and then, "Your way was through the sea" (77:19). Exodus tells the crossing with "a strong east wind all night" (Exodus 14:21) and "the pillar of fire and of cloud" (Exodus 14:24), and the song says, "You blew with your wind" (Exodus 15:10). The WEB of Exodus 14 and 15 has no thunder, lightning or rain. Thunders and lightnings come later in Exodus, at the mountain: "there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain" (Exodus 19:16). Psalm 77 doesn't say whether it tells more of the crossing than Exodus tells, or speaks of God's coming in the words of a storm, and these notes don't choose.

The verses

“The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder. Your arrows also flashed around. The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind. The lightnings lit up the world. The earth trembled and shook. Your way was through the sea, your paths through the great waters. Your footsteps were not known.”
Psalm 77:17-19 · World English Bible
“Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.”
Exodus 14:21 · World English Bible
“In the morning watch, the LORD looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.”
Exodus 14:24 · World English Bible
“You blew with your wind. The sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.”
Exodus 15:10 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 77

Psalm 77: Your way through the sea

Psalm 77's "I complain" (77:3) and "consider" (77:12) are one Hebrew word: the same word is his complaint and then his considering of God's doings. His questions (77:8-9) ask in the Hebrew words and roots of Exodus 34:6's "merciful and gracious God, slow to anger" (Exodus 34:6). And from 77:13 on, the psalm speaks in the Hebrew words of the song at the sea (Exodus 15).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions