Exodus 15:21, commentary and pictures

Miriam the prophetess led the women of Israel with timbrels and dance on the shore of the Red Sea, with Moses joining her in calling the whole host to sing praise to the Lord for His glorious victory in throwing horse and rider into the sea. God had opened a path through the sea for Israel to cross safely on dry ground while shielding them from Pharaoh's pursuing army, then overwhelmed that army in the waters with His angelic host fighting for Israel. It is the earliest recorded human song, an inspired outburst of grateful thanksgiving in which human hearts in sympathy with heaven respond to God's goodness, showing that praise belongs to the atmosphere of heaven and breaks out when heaven touches earth. The song was repeated along the wilderness journey to cheer the people and strengthen their faith, and was commanded to be preserved so that God's power and deliverance would be taught to children and kept in remembrance in worship for generations.

Red Sea Deliverance Celebrated

The song was sung on the shore of the Red Sea immediately after God delivered Israel from Egypt. He had opened a path through the sea so that Israel crossed safely on dry ground, while shielding them from Pharaoh's pursuing army. Then the sea overwhelmed and destroyed that army, drowning Pharaoh's forces after Israel was safe. In that deliverance God's angelic host fought for Israel. The voices of the people rang out in triumphant praise for the Lord's victory.

Miriam, the sister of Moses and a prophetess, led the women of Israel in that song. She led with music and timbrels and dance, in an inspired outburst of praise for God's deliverance and triumph over Egypt. Moses joined in the song with timbrels, calling the whole host to sing to the Lord. Her call summoned all to sing to the Lord because He had won a glorious victory. That victory was specifically that the horse and its rider had been thrown into the sea, cast in by God in His triumph over Egypt.

The song celebrated God's glorious triumph and became part of Israel's remembered experience. It marks the joyful beginning of the wilderness journey. That joyful beginning stands in contrast with Miriam's later death after lifelong wandering.

Song of Praise Remembered

This song is the earliest recorded from human lips, a glorious outburst of thanksgiving by the hosts of Israel at the Red Sea. It shows human hearts in sympathy with heaven responding to God's goodness in notes of praise, for the melody of praise is the atmosphere of heaven, and when heaven comes in touch with earth there is music and song. In that moment Miriam, Moses' sister and a prophetess, led the women in music with an inspired song of grateful praise for God's deliverance and triumph over Egypt after He destroyed the Egyptian host and army in the sea. Her call summoned the people to sing to the Lord because He had triumphed gloriously, throwing the horse and its rider into the sea, thereby linking a great event of human history with song.

After the deliverance from Pharaoh's army, Israel sang praise to Jehovah proclaiming that He had triumphed gloriously. That song of triumph by the whole host was repeated during the wilderness journey, cheering the people and strengthening their faith while fixing its precious lessons in their minds. Miriam's leading of the women in celebrating God's glorious triumph became part of Israel's remembered experience, sung in praise and thanksgiving during generations of worship. Moses was commanded to preserve the song of Israel's deliverance so the people could teach the history of God's dealings to their children, keeping His power and deliverance in remembrance across generations.

The praise after the Red Sea deliverance, celebrating God's saving act and triumph over the Egyptians, stands as a contrast with Israel's later failure to show comparable gratitude for God's provision at Elim.