He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's often missed is how the psalmist personifies the sea, speaking of God "rebuking" it like a disobedient child. This poetic language highlights God's absolute authority, not just over nature, but as a powerful leader who makes the impossible path through the sea as smooth and easy as a walk through a familiar pasture.
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm is reflecting on Israel's history of sin and God's faithfulness, specifically recalling their unfaithfulness even after miraculous deliverance. Immediately before this verse, the psalm laments that the Israelites "rebelled at the sea, even the Red Sea," highlighting their lack of faith right after God had saved them. The verse then recounts God's powerful intervention to lead them through the parted sea, emphasizing the miraculous nature of their escape.
How can the sea, a force of nature, respond to a rebuke? This verse paints a vivid picture of God's ultimate authority over creation.
The psalm uses powerful language to describe God's interaction with the Red Sea. It says God 'rebuked' the sea. This isn't just a gentle suggestion; it's a command, a forceful address that demands obedience.
Think of it like a parent calling a child to attention with a firm voice. Here, the sea is depicted as an entity that hears and obeys God's spoken word.
This imagery highlights that the natural world, with all its power and fury, is not an independent force but is completely subject to its Creator. God doesn't just control nature; creation itself recognizes and responds to His authority.
Imagine walking through what was just a raging sea. This verse describes a passage that felt as secure and easy as walking through an open field.
The miracle at the Red Sea wasn't just about parting the waters; it was about transforming a terrifying, watery abyss into a safe pathway. The people of Israel walked 'through the deep as through a desert.'
This comparison to a desert or wilderness crossing emphasizes the miraculous ease and safety of their passage. It wasn't a treacherous path; it was level, dry, and open, much like a well-trodden path through arid land.
This transformation was a testament to God's power to make a way where there seems to be no way, turning a place of imminent destruction into a highway of salvation. It demonstrates God's ability to provide for His people even in the most impossible circumstances.
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This psalm looks back to the miraculous Exodus from Egypt, specifically the parting of the Red Sea. It highlights God's powerful intervention and the Israelites' immediate unfaithfulness, reminding us that even in the face of astonishing deliverance, human hearts can quickly turn away from God.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Leave Egypt
After centuries of slavery, the Israelites, led by Moses, were miraculously freed from Egyptian bondage.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Crossing the Red Sea
Pursued by the Egyptian army, God parted the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground. The waters then returned, drowning their pursuers.
c. 1446 BC
Journey Through the Wilderness
Following the Red Sea crossing, the Israelites began their 40-year journey through the Sinai wilderness, facing many challenges and demonstrating frequent distrust in God.
c. 1406 BC
Entry into the Promised Land
After 40 years of wandering, the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, entered the land God had promised them, conquering various Canaanite nations.
This passage describes the actual event of God parting the Red Sea, providing the historical basis for the psalmist's poetic description of God 'rebuking' the sea.
Isaiah 63:13This verse uses a similar metaphor, describing God leading his people through the deep waters 'like horses in the wilderness,' echoing the imagery of a smooth, easy passage through what should have been a dangerous abyss.
Psalm 77:16-20This psalm recounts the Red Sea crossing with vivid imagery of God's power displayed in the waters, storm, and thunder, offering another perspective on this miraculous event.
Joshua 3:15-17This passage details how the Jordan River also parted for the Israelites to cross into the Promised Land, showing a pattern of God using water as a barrier and then making a way for His people.
1 Corinthians 10:1-2The Apostle Paul explicitly uses the Red Sea crossing as an example of God's people being 'baptized' in the cloud and the sea, linking this historical event to a spiritual reality.
wesleyPsalms 106:9: "He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness."
106:9 Led them - As securely as if they had walked upon the dry land.
clarkePsalms 106:9: "He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness."
He rebuked the Red Sea - In the descriptions of the psalmist every thing has life. The sea is an animated being, behaves itself proudly, is rebuked, and retires in confusion.
What's often missed is how the psalmist personifies the sea, speaking of God "rebuking" it like a disobedient child. This poetic language highlights God's absolute authority, not just over nature, but as a powerful leader who makes the impossible path through the sea as smooth and easy as a walk through a familiar pasture.
This psalm is reflecting on Israel's history of sin and God's faithfulness, specifically recalling their unfaithfulness even after miraculous deliverance. Immediately before this verse, the psalm laments that the Israelites "rebelled at the sea, even the Red Sea," highlighting their lack of faith right after God had saved them. The verse then recounts God's powerful intervention to lead them through the parted sea, emphasizing the miraculous nature of their escape.
This psalm is reflecting on Israel's history of sin and God's faithfulness, specifically recalling their unfaithfulness even after miraculous deliverance. Immediately before this verse, the psalm laments that the Israelites "rebelled at the sea, even the Red Sea," highlighting their lack of faith right after God had saved them. The verse then recounts God's powerful intervention to lead them through the parted sea, emphasizing the miraculous nature of their escape.
"He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and he led them through the deep as through a desert." — What's often missed is how the psalmist personifies the sea, speaking of God "rebuking" it like a disobedient child. This poetic language highlights God's absolute authority, not just over nature, bu…
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Last reviewed October 2026