Exodus 15 2

Exodus 15:2 kjv

The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.

Exodus 15:2 nkjv

The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God, and I will exalt Him.

Exodus 15:2 niv

"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.

Exodus 15:2 esv

The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.

Exodus 15:2 nlt

The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.
This is my God, and I will praise him ?
my father's God, and I will exalt him!

Exodus 15 verses

Exodus 15 2 Meaning

Exodus 15:2 is a profound declaration of praise and trust, proclaiming the Lord's definitive role in Israel's miraculous deliverance from Egypt. It identifies Him as the ultimate source of strength, the inspiration for jubilant song, and the very embodiment of their salvation. This personal confession acknowledges God as uniquely Israel's God, particularly as the God of their ancestors, leading to an vowed commitment to worship and exalt Him for His mighty acts and enduring covenant faithfulness.

Exodus 15 2 Context

Exodus 15:2 is part of the "Song of the Sea" (Exo 15:1-18), sung by Moses and the Israelites immediately after their miraculous deliverance from Pharaoh's army at the Red Sea. Following centuries of brutal slavery and the ten plagues, the climax of God's redemptive work was the division of the waters and the drowning of the Egyptian forces. This song serves as the inaugural worship anthem of the redeemed Israel, the first recorded liturgy after a major redemptive act in their history. Its immediate context is overwhelming awe and gratitude for divine intervention. Historically, it commemorates the birth of Israel as a free nation, bound directly to Yahweh as their deliverer and King. Culturally, it sets a precedent for celebrating God's triumph in song and public declaration. The song implicitly stands in polemic opposition to the impotent gods of Egypt, whose power proved nothing against the mighty acts of Yahweh. The sea, often associated with a chaotic deity in ancient Near Eastern mythology, is here completely submissive to Yahweh's command, demonstrating His absolute sovereignty over all creation and rival deities.

Exodus 15 2 Word analysis

• The LORD (יהוה, YHWH):

  • Refers to the covenant God of Israel, the personal and revealed name of God.
  • Emphasizes His eternal, self-existent nature and His active presence in saving His people.
  • Distinct from pagan deities, stressing His uniqueness and power demonstrated at the Red Sea.

• is my strength (עָזִּי, ozzi):

  • From עוז (oz), meaning 'strength,' 'might,' 'fortress,' 'refuge.'
  • Not just internal fortitude, but God as the source of enabling power and protection, particularly in battle and deliverance.
  • Implies a complete reliance on God's active, saving power in a dangerous situation.

• and my song (וְזִמְרָתִי, v'zimrati):

  • From זמרה (zimra), meaning 'song,' 'melody,' 'praise.'
  • God Himself is the content, the inspiration, and the subject of their joyous song.
  • Reflects the spontaneous outpouring of worship due to deep-seated gratitude for His deliverance.
  • Signifies that the joy and celebration stem directly from who God is and what He has done.

• he has become (וַיְהִי-לִי, vayhi-li):

  • Signifies a completed action with enduring effect; a transformation from potential deliverer to active deliverer.
  • Marks a decisive moment where God's nature and power were tangibly demonstrated and experienced by them.

• my salvation (לִישׁוּעָה, l'ishuah):

  • From ישועה (yeshu'ah), meaning 'salvation,' 'deliverance,' 'victory,' 'help.'
  • Encompasses the totality of the Red Sea crossing: the deliverance from bondage, the physical rescue from drowning, and the establishment of freedom.
  • Points to God as the sole provider of rescue, underscoring that no human effort achieved this.

• He is my God (אֵלִי, eli):

  • From אל (El), a general term for God, here with a first-person possessive suffix 'my'.
  • A deeply personal and intimate confession, asserting exclusive allegiance and relationship.
  • Emphasizes God's particular covenant relationship with Israel, distinguishing Him from the gods of other nations.

• and I will praise him (וְאַנְוֵהוּ, v'anvehu):

  • A nuanced word (נוה, navah). Often translated as 'praise,' 'glorify,' 'adorn,' or 'beautify.'
  • It can also carry the connotation of making a "beautiful dwelling place" or preparing a sanctuary. This hints at the Tabernacle and later the Temple, implying that true praise might culminate in establishing a sacred space for God's presence, an act of "beautifying" Him.
  • Suggests an active response: not just words but potentially acts that honor God's beauty and worth.

• my father's God (אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי, Elohei avi):

  • Acknowledges God's continuity and faithfulness across generations, tying their present salvation to the ancestral promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
  • Reinforces the covenant bond and the enduring nature of God's commitment to His people through their heritage.

• and I will exalt him (וַאֲרֹמְמֶנְהוּ, v'aromemenhu):

  • From רום (rum), meaning 'to be high,' 'to raise,' 'to exalt,' 'to magnify.'
  • Signifies lifting God up in honor and reverence, publicly proclaiming His supremacy and greatness.
  • A powerful statement of adoration, giving God the highest possible place in their hearts and worship.

Words-group Analysis:

• "The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.": This initial phrase establishes a fundamental connection between God's active power (strength), His saving acts (salvation), and the human response (song). It encapsulates the divine action leading to human joyous declaration. The parallel structure highlights that God himself is these things, not just the giver of them. It signifies a shift from needing salvation to having experienced it.

• "He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.": This second part emphasizes the deeply personal and relational aspect, grounding their present experience in their historical covenant with God. The parallelism "my God... praise him" and "my father's God... exalt him" reinforces the intimate and familial bond. It expresses both individual and communal allegiance, stressing the duty and desire to honor God who proved faithful through generations. The combination of "praise" and "exalt" expresses total worship, recognizing both His inherent glory and His magnified greatness.

Exodus 15 2 Bonus section

• Chiastic Structure: The verse can be observed to have a chiastic structure, "Strength (A) and Song (B), Salvation (C); God (C'), Praise (B'), Exalt (A')." While not perfectly symmetrical in word choice for 'A' and 'A'', the parallel themes of power/exaltation and expression/song framing the core identity of God as Salvation is evident. This literary device emphasizes God's central role as "salvation."
• First Biblical "Song": This hymn is not just a song; it's considered by many scholars to be one of the oldest and most important poetic passages in the Hebrew Bible. Its placement here as the immediate response to deliverance sets a paradigm for worship throughout Scripture—redemption always leads to praise and song.
• Model for Worship: Exodus 15:2 encapsulates core elements of genuine worship: recognition of God's character (strength, salvation), personal appropriation ("my"), remembering His historical acts (Red Sea, ancestral covenant), and an expressed resolve to glorify Him.
• Forecasting Tabernacle: The ambiguity around v'anvehu ('I will praise Him' or 'I will make Him a beautiful dwelling') is significant. At this point, the people are liberated but landless. Their pledge to 'beautify' God could prophetically anticipate the building of the Tabernacle as a "beautiful dwelling" for His presence, thereby making their praise a physical act of devotion that established His rightful place among them. This would represent not just a spiritual praise but a commitment to create the space where His glory would abide, aligning perfectly with God's subsequent instructions for the Tabernacle (Exo 25:8).

Exodus 15 2 Commentary

Exodus 15:2 stands as a cornerstone of biblical worship, distilling the essence of God's redemptive work and the human response. Following the climactic deliverance at the Red Sea, this verse opens Israel's collective song, declaring God as the singular source of their strength and the very reason for their joyous melody. It is a profound theological statement, asserting God is their salvation, a tangible reality rather than just a future hope. This confession, "He is my God," underscores the intensely personal covenant relationship forged through this monumental event, further rooted in the legacy of their ancestors—"my father's God." This ties present redemption to historical faithfulness. The reciprocal verbs, "I will praise Him" and "I will exalt Him," signify not merely verbal adoration but an absolute dedication to magnify God for His unparalleled power and steadfast love. It foreshadows the worship of the redeemed in all ages, who will find in God their strength, song, and salvation, culminating in an eternal posture of praise and exaltation.