Psalms 78:13-16
He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap. In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a fiery light. He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. He made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The psalm doesn't just recount God parting the sea; it emphasizes how He made the towering walls of water stand still. This "heap" wasn't a natural phenomenon but a deliberate divine act, highlighting God's power not just to control chaos, but to suspend natural laws for His people's sake. This detail reveals the sheer, breathtaking force God wielded to deliver them, a testament to His active, intervening love.
This psalm is a call to remember God's mighty acts, using Israel's history as a lesson. It begins not with Egypt's plagues as one might expect, but with the dramatic crossing of the Red Sea. The psalmist recounts these incredible events to remind his audience that God's past faithfulness, despite Israel's recurring disobedience, should inspire present trust and obedience.
Remember that time God literally stopped the ocean in its tracks? This Psalm isn't just a history lesson; it's a power-up for your faith.
The psalmist, Asaph, is calling the people of Israel to remember God's incredible acts. He starts with the parting of the Red Sea, a moment of sheer, impossible divine intervention. This wasn't just a gentle parting; the waters were made to stand up like a solid wall, a 'heap' on either side.
A God Who Rewrites Nature
Think about it:
This isn't just ancient history; it's a reminder that the God who performed these 'marvellous things' is still the same God today, capable of overcoming any obstacle in our lives.
Why does the Bible keep retelling old stories? Because our past, and God's faithfulness in it, holds vital lessons for our present.
Psalm 78, as a whole, is a 'maschil' – a teaching psalm. Asaph isn't just recounting events; he's using Israel's history as a mirror for the current generation.
Lessons from the Wilderness
The parting of the Red Sea is the dramatic opening to a larger narrative of God's deliverance and Israel's subsequent forgetfulness and rebellion in the wilderness. The psalm highlights a pattern:
Understand the original words
baqa · Hebrew Verb
To make a way, part, or split something. Used in a theological sense, it describes God’s miraculous power over the elements of creation, establishing a path for His people where none existed.
ned · Hebrew Noun
A mass of water or fluid piled up; in the context of the Red Sea, it refers to the miraculous barrier created by God that stood as a solid wall, allowing for the dry passage of the Israelites.
anan · Hebrew Noun
A visible manifestation of God’s presence and guidance. In the wilderness, it served as both a protective covering during the day and a directional sign for the nation of Israel.
midbar · Hebrew Noun
The barren, uncultivated, and desolate region where the Israelites wandered. It functions in Scripture as a place of testing, dependency on God, and refinement of faith.
This psalm recounts Israel's history not chronologically, but thematically, emphasizing God's consistent faithfulness amidst Israel's persistent unfaithfulness. The miraculous parting of the Red Sea serves as the ultimate example of God's power and deliverance, setting the stage for a long history of God's mercy met by human rebellion.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Exodus from Egypt
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, a pivotal event marked by miraculous interventions like the parting of the Red Sea.
c. 1446-1406 BC
Wilderness Wanderings
Following the Exodus, the Israelites journey through the Sinai desert for 40 years, during which God continues to provide for them in miraculous ways.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
After 40 years, under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites finally enter and begin to conquer the Promised Land.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom Established
King David unites the tribes and establishes Jerusalem as the capital, marking a golden age for Israel.
This passage directly describes the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, mirroring the poetic language of the Psalm and recounting the event as the foundational act of deliverance.
Exodus 15:8This verse from the Song of Moses contains language similar to the Psalm's description of the waters standing like a heap, emphasizing the awe-inspiring and unnatural way God controlled the sea.
Joshua 3:13-16This passage describes the Israelites crossing the Jordan River, another instance where God miraculously parted waters to allow His people to pass through, drawing a parallel between two pivotal moments of divine intervention.
Nehemiah 9:11This prayer recounts God's mighty acts, including His dividing of the sea, reinforcing the historical significance of the event as a testament to God's power and faithfulness to His people.
1 Corinthians 10:1-2The Apostle Paul explicitly references the Israelites passing through the sea as a spiritual type for baptism, highlighting the enduring theological significance of this miraculous event.
clarkePsalms 78:13: "He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap."
He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through - The reader is requested to consult the notes on the parallel passages marked in the margin on this verse and Psalm 78:14-17 , etc., where all these miracles are largely explained.
cambridgePsalms 78:13: "He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap."
- He divided the sea ] Lit. clave, as in Psalm 78:15 ; the word which is used in Exodus 14:16 ; Isaiah 63:12 ; Nehemiah 9:11 . as an heap ] Cp. Exodus 15:8 ; Psalm 33:7 .
The psalm doesn't just recount God parting the sea; it emphasizes how He made the towering walls of water stand still. This "heap" wasn't a natural phenomenon but a deliberate divine act, highlighting God's power not just to control chaos, but to suspend natural laws for His people's sake. This detail reveals the sheer, breathtaking force God wielded to deliver them, a testament to His active, intervening love.
This psalm is a call to remember God's mighty acts, using Israel's history as a lesson. It begins not with Egypt's plagues as one might expect, but with the dramatic crossing of the Red Sea. The psalmist recounts these incredible events to remind his audience that God's past faithfulness, despite Israel's recurring disobedience, should inspire present trust and obedience.
This psalm is a call to remember God's mighty acts, using Israel's history as a lesson. It begins not with Egypt's plagues as one might expect, but with the dramatic crossing of the Red Sea. The psalmist recounts these incredible events to remind his audience that God's past faithfulness, despite Israel's recurring disobedience, should inspire present trust and obedience.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Psalms 78:13-16 is available in the Sola app.
By retelling these foundational moments, the psalmist aims to build a bridge between God's past faithfulness and the present generation's need for obedience and trust. The history of salvation is meant to shape our walk with God now.
tehom · Hebrew Noun
The vast, subterranean reservoirs of water in the ancient Near Eastern cosmology. When associated with God’s provision, it represents the immeasurable, life-sustaining resources of the Creator that are available even in the driest conditions.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's death, the united kingdom splits into two: the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, scattering its people and ending its existence.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonian Empire destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling much of the population and marking a devastating low point for Judah.
"He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap. In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a fiery light. He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them d…" — The psalm doesn't just recount God parting the sea; it emphasizes how He made the towering walls of water stand still. This "heap" wasn't a natural phenomenon but a deliberate divine act, highlight…
