January 1 - Song of Moses

January 1 - Song of Moses

Exodus 15:1-18

“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. 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 15:1-2)

Moses composed this song of praise soon after they were delivered from the Egyptians.  It is said by many scholars to be the oldest poem in the world.  Miriam taught it to the women of Israel and with tambourines and dancing, sang praise for deliverance! (Exodus 15:20)

Can you imagine this song of praise being sung by the Israelites as they crossed the desert on the way to Mount Sinai?  Much as singing the “Hallelujah Chorus” at Easter and Christmas reminds us of the joy we feel in praising God, this song would have crossed generations as they told their children of their history through music.  In fact, the song is part of the song of the Lamb in Revelation 15:3.

It is a victory hymn.  The song is sung to God and is about God.  It praises Him for allowing Israel to have victory over their enemies.  The people of Israel had spent the last four hundred years as slaves in Egypt.  They had forgotten what it was like to be free, to live as a people who relied on the Lord God for all of their needs.  But, now, He had brought them victory, He brought them through the sea to dry land, he conquered their enemies.

This song of praise is appropriate as we begin a new year.  Looking back over the last year, we praise the Lord for standing with us through all that we faced and for clearing paths in ways we may never know.  We praise Him for blessing us with good things and we praise Him because tomorrow is another day in which we can walk with Him.