When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion. The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's striking here is that "strange language" wasn't just about sounds; it signified a complete disconnect from their culture and their God. The verse emphasizes that their deliverance was from a people utterly alien in every way, highlighting the radical nature of God's intervention.
When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion. The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This Psalm begins by immediately recalling the foundational event of Israel's liberation from Egyptian bondage, highlighting Jacob's descendants leaving a nation with an unfamiliar language. This exodus wasn't just a physical departure; it was a divine rescue, setting the stage for the entire Psalmic celebration of God's powerful intervention and ongoing faithfulness. The verse directly leads into the subsequent verses that detail the miraculous reactions of nature to God's presence as He led His people.
The Bible often uses pivotal moments like the Exodus to symbolize a radical new beginning. What does this 'going out' truly represent for God's people?
Psalm 114:1 doesn't just describe a physical departure from Egypt; it paints a picture of a profound transition. The phrase 'went out from' signifies a complete break, a separation from one identity to embrace another. This wasn't just about leaving a place, but about being called out to become God's own people. Think of it like leaving behind an old life to step into a destiny God ordained. This event marked the birth of Israel as a nation under God's unique covenant, a theme echoed throughout Scripture as a metaphor for spiritual transformation and liberation from sin.
What did the 'strange language' of the Egyptians signify for the Israelites, and what does it reveal about their unique calling?
The mention of a 'people of strange language' highlights the profound cultural and spiritual chasm between Israel and Egypt. This wasn't just about different dialects; it symbolized a world apart from God's ways. The Egyptians spoke a language of idolatry, oppression, and foreign gods. For Israel, being delivered from this meant being freed from a spiritual environment that was antithetical to Yahweh. This 'strange language' represents anything that stands in opposition to God's truth and His people's identity in Him. It serves as a reminder that God calls us out of systems and ways of thinking that are not His.
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Yisra’el · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, chosen by God to be His people. It signifies a relationship of election, promise, and divine identity.
Mitsrayim · Hebrew Proper Noun
A historical, geographic, and symbolic site of oppression and bondage for God's people. In biblical typology, it often represents the world, sin, and the domain from which God delivers His people.
Ya’aqov · Hebrew Proper Noun
The name given to the patriarch who would become the father of the twelve tribes. Referring to the "house of Jacob" emphasizes the genealogical and covenantal descent of the nation of God.
qodesh · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting a place set apart, consecrated, and holy for the presence and worship of God. It signifies where God manifests His holiness and where He rules as King.
memshalah · Hebrew Noun
The authority, sovereignty, and administrative rule exerted by a king or ruler. When applied to God, it refers to His supreme reign over His creation and His covenant people.
This Psalm celebrates the foundational event of Israel's liberation from Egypt, emphasizing the dramatic and world-altering nature of God's intervention on behalf of His people, who were a distinct group in a foreign land.
c. 1876 BC
Jacob's family moves to Egypt
Jacob and his family, ancestors of the Israelites, migrate to Egypt during a famine. They settle in the land of Goshen and begin to grow in number.
c. 1500-1300 BC
Israelites' population grows
Over generations, the Israelites' population dramatically increases in Egypt, becoming a large and distinct group within the land.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
The Exodus from Egypt
Led by Moses, the Israelites depart from Egypt after a series of plagues. This event marks their liberation and the beginning of their journey to the Promised Land.
c. 1406 BC
Israel enters the Promised Land
After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites cross the Jordan River and begin the conquest and settlement of Canaan.
This passage describes the actual event of Israel leaving Egypt, the foundational moment of their liberation that Psalm 114 celebrates. It highlights the immense number of people and the urgency of their departure, setting the stage for the 'going out' mentioned in the psalm.
Jeremiah 5:15Jeremiah calls the foreign invaders 'a nation of barbarous language,' echoing the phrase in Psalm 114:1. This connection shows how the concept of a 'strange language' was used to signify an alien and often hostile people throughout Israel's history.
Acts 28:2-4The Apostle Paul is described as being shipwrecked on Malta, where the inhabitants were called 'barbarians' due to their language. This parallels Psalm 114:1, illustrating how a 'strange language' was often associated with perceived uncivilized or foreign peoples from an Israelite perspective.
Psalm 81:3-5This psalm directly references the exodus and mentions God setting 'a law for him' when 'he went out against the land of Egypt,' and a 'language that I did not know' he heard. It provides a similar context of God’s interaction with Israel amidst a foreign tongue.
poolePsalms 114:1: "When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;"
THE ARGUMENT This Psalm is a solemn commemoration of Israel’s deliverance out of Egypt; and probably it was to be sung, amongst others, at the celebration of the passover. The psalmist, rehearsing God’s delivering the Israelites out of Egypt, exhorteth all creatures to praise him. Which was a great aggravation of their captivity and misery. Compare Jeremiah 5:15 .
ellicottPsalms 114:1: "When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;"
(1) When Israel went out. —LXX., in “ the Exodus of Israel.” A people of strange language.—LXX., rightly, “a barbarous people.” Since the Hebrew word, like the Greek, implies a certain scorn or ridicule, which ancient races generally had for those speaking another language. To this day the Russians call the Germans “dumb.”
What's striking here is that "strange language" wasn't just about sounds; it signified a complete disconnect from their culture and their God. The verse emphasizes that their deliverance was from a people utterly alien in every way, highlighting the radical nature of God's intervention.
This Psalm begins by immediately recalling the foundational event of Israel's liberation from Egyptian bondage, highlighting Jacob's descendants leaving a nation with an unfamiliar language. This exodus wasn't just a physical departure; it was a divine rescue, setting the stage for the entire Psalmic celebration of God's powerful intervention and ongoing faithfulness. The verse directly leads into the subsequent verses that detail the miraculous reactions of nature to God's presence as He led His people.
This Psalm begins by immediately recalling the foundational event of Israel's liberation from Egyptian bondage, highlighting Jacob's descendants leaving a nation with an unfamiliar language. This exodus wasn't just a physical departure; it was a divine rescue, setting the stage for the entire Psalmic celebration of God's powerful intervention and ongoing faithfulness. The verse directly leads into the subsequent verses that detail the miraculous reactions of nature to God's presence as He led His people.
"When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion. The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back." — What's striking here is that "strange language" wasn't just about sounds; it signified a complete disconnect from their culture and their God. The verse emphasizes that their deliverance was from a p…
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Last reviewed October 2026