Psalm 114 4

Psalm 114:4 kjv

The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.

Psalm 114:4 nkjv

The mountains skipped like rams, The little hills like lambs.

Psalm 114:4 niv

the mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs.

Psalm 114:4 esv

The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.

Psalm 114:4 nlt

The mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like lambs!

Psalm 114 verses

Psalm 114 4 Meaning

Psalm 114:4 powerfully depicts the reaction of inanimate nature to the manifest presence of God during the Exodus. It employs vivid personification, portraying the imposing mountains and the gentler hills as if they are leaping and trembling in awe and submission before the Lord's glorious might. This verse emphasizes the profound, transformative impact of divine power on creation, indicating that no part of the universe remains unaffected when the Creator acts in power. It serves as a poetic testament to God's absolute sovereignty, capable of causing the most stable elements of the earth to move with the vibrant energy of living creatures.

Psalm 114 4 Context

Psalm 114 is a quintessential hymn of praise (a Hallel Psalm), specifically sung during the Passover celebration. It serves as a profound poetic meditation on the miraculous events of the Exodus from Egypt. The chapter rapidly moves through key moments: God delivering Israel from a foreign language, Jacob (Israel) entering God's sanctuary, and then a series of rhetorical questions addressed to creation.

Verse 4 is part of a crescendo of natural phenomena described as reacting dramatically to God's presence. The preceding verses (vv. 3-4) recall the Red Sea fleeing and the Jordan River turning back, emphasizing nature's obedient response. Verse 4 specifically introduces the image of mountains and hills "skipping" or "leaping," immediately prompting the psalmist's direct inquiry in verse 5, "What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?" This vivid personification underscores that these grand events in nature were not mere coincidences or natural occurrences but direct responses to the glorious appearance and active power of Yahweh. The psalm's imagery indirectly serves as a polemic against ancient Near Eastern deities associated with controlling elements of nature, such as the Canaanite storm god Baal or the various local river and mountain gods, asserting Yahweh's sole and supreme power over all creation.

Psalm 114 4 Word analysis

• The mountains (הֶהָרִים - heharim): This Hebrew word refers to large, prominent geological formations, symbolizing permanence, strength, and immobility. The definite article "the" highlights specific, known mountains (likely alluding to Sinai, but also symbolic of all mountains). The use of the plural emphasizes the universality of this natural phenomenon. Despite their usual stability, these grand structures are depicted as moved by God's presence, signifying His unmatched power over even the most unyielding aspects of creation.

• skipped (רָקְדוּ - rak'du): This verb means "danced," "leaped," or "bounded." While often associated with joyful movement (e.g., in celebrations), here, in the context of mighty mountains, it conveys a sense of vigorous, involuntary, and even startled motion. It indicates a powerful, rhythmic trembling or surging, compelled by an irresistible force—God's presence. It gives life and responsiveness to the inanimate.

• like rams (כְּאֵילִים - ke'eilim): The Hebrew eilim refers to male sheep, especially those strong and full-grown, known for their powerful leaps, vigorous head-butting, and agility. Comparing mountains to rams emphasizes their robust, weighty, yet dynamic movement, highlighting the tremendous power causing their skipping. This is an apt metaphor for monumental force being brought into surprising, awe-inducing motion.

• the little hills (וְהַגְּבָעוֹת - ve’hageva'ot): Geva'ot denotes smaller hills, contrasting with the towering harim (mountains). The conjunction "and" (וְ - ve) links this parallel image, emphasizing that not only the greatest, most formidable elements of creation but also the lesser ones are profoundly affected. The repetition in form reinforces the comprehensive nature of God's dominion.

• like lambs (כִּבְנֵי־צֹאן - kivnei-tzon): Literally "as sons of a flock" or "young of a flock," referring typically to lambs. Lambs are known for their lively, agile, and somewhat playful skipping or frolicking. Comparing the smaller hills to lambs implies a lighter, quicker, perhaps less ponderous, but equally spirited and spontaneous response to the divine presence. It rounds out the picture, showing that God's power affects all parts of creation, from the majestically weighty to the nimbler and more graceful.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs": This phrase exemplifies masterful poetic parallelism, specifically synthetic parallelism where the second line expands upon or intensifies the first. It also utilizes emblematic parallelism through the similes. The progression from large "mountains" to "little hills," and from powerful "rams" to lighter "lambs," creates a comprehensive picture of universal response. The entire landscape, from its most formidable peaks to its gentler contours, is animated and shown to be fully subservient to God. This vivid imagery personifies the earth, demonstrating that nothing is static or unresponsive when the living God acts in power. The effect is one of awe-inspiring wonder and the confirmation of God's unmatched supremacy.

Psalm 114 4 Bonus section

• Anthropomorphic Depiction: The Psalm uses anthropomorphism to describe nature's reaction. Mountains and hills, typically seen as immutable and inanimate, are given human-like qualities of dancing and fear. This serves to emphasize the terrifying and magnificent reality of God's presence, portraying nature itself as responding consciously and dynamically to its Creator.
• Theological Statement of Control: This verse is a powerful theological statement about Yahweh's unparalleled authority over the natural world, a direct counterpoint to pagan beliefs where various gods were assigned control over specific natural phenomena (e.g., mountain gods, river gods). Psalm 114:4 declares that the God of Israel alone commands all of nature.
• Literary Foreshadowing: The dramatic movement described in this verse (mountains skipping) sets the stage for the direct rhetorical questions that immediately follow in Psalm 114:5, heightening the drama and making the eventual reveal of God's presence more impactful. It builds a sense of mystery before revealing the divine cause.

Psalm 114 4 Commentary

Psalm 114:4 is a magnificent poetic articulation of God's sovereign power over creation, particularly as demonstrated during the Exodus from Egypt. It's not a literal geological report but a theological declaration, portraying mountains and hills not as inert mass but as sentient beings trembling and leaping in profound reverence. The imagery evokes a scene of the entire natural world caught in a divinely orchestrated "dance" of awe and submission. The powerful rams and nimble lambs symbolize the two scales of this cosmic reaction – immense, enduring structures responding with might, and lesser formations with agility – all under the absolute control of the Creator. This verse acts as an immediate answer to the implied question, "What causes nature to behave so astonishingly?" The answer, confirmed in later verses, is the awe-inspiring presence of the Lord. It vividly communicates that the God of Israel is not confined to the heavens but actively intervenes on earth, asserting His mastery over all physical laws and over the very fabric of existence.

• Example for Practical Usage: When facing overwhelming circumstances, such as daunting challenges ("mountains") or persistent anxieties ("little hills"), this verse can serve as a reminder of God's absolute sovereignty. Just as He can cause immovable mountains to "skip" and transform formidable obstacles, He can certainly command and alter any situation in the lives of His people. It inspires confidence in His ultimate control and the extraordinary nature of His interventions.