Praise the LORD!

Exodus 15:1-21          

1  Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted.  Both horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.

2  The LORD is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.  He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

11  Who among the gods is like You, LORD?  Who is like You—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?

20  Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing.

21  Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted.  Both horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.”

The Israelites had just taken part in one of the greatest miracles of all time—deliverance from their enemies, the Egyptians.  During the Passover, they left hurriedly in the middle of the night (Ex 12:29-42).  Did they burst into songs of praise when they left Egypt?  Perhaps when preparing the Passover, they were too tired and too busy (sounds like most of us!) to get ready to leave that they didn’t give God the praise and honor due Him.  No praises or thanksgiving to God from the Israelites were recorded. This was unacceptable to God, who deserves our praises.  After several days, the LORD disclosed to Moses, “..I will gain glory for Myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”  (Ex 14:4)  The weary, battle-hardened Israelite slaves, who long ran out of hope before God showed up, experienced an unforgettable display of God’s power when crossing through the Red Sea and then witnessing the deaths of their enemies when the sea came crashing down on them.  THAT did it, and the praises poured forth from their mouths, their hands, and their hearts, starting with their leaders Moses and Miriam.  Now they truly realized that God was fighting for them and that He can be trusted with their lives!  They finally started to know Who God is!

Does it take a huge cataclysmic event to move us to finally praise God?  We can praise the LORD for everyday little blessings—God’s Word and His Holy Spirit, peaceful lives, health, family, friends, freedom, church, job, clean air and water, food, opportunities, etc.  It shouldn’t take a disaster to fall on our knees before God!