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Psalm 77:14-20
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 77:14-20
New Catholic Bible
14 O God, your way is holy.[a]
What god is as great as our God?
15 You are the God who works wonders;
you have displayed your might to the nations.
16 With your strong arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.[b] Selah
17 [c]When the waters[d] beheld you, O God,
when the waters beheld you, they writhed;
the very depths trembled.
18 The clouds poured forth their water,
the skies thundered,
your arrows[e] flashed back and forth.
19 The crash of your thunder resounded in the heavens;
your flashes of lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.[f]
20 Your path led through the sea,
your way, through the mighty waters,
though none could trace your footsteps.[g]
Footnotes
- Psalm 77:14 Your way is holy: see Ps 18:31; Deut 32:4. Another translation is: “your ways are seen in the sanctuary” (see Ps 63:3).
- Psalm 77:16 Descendants of Jacob and Joseph: those who emigrated to Egypt (Jacob) and those who were born there (Joseph’s sons) (see Ps 81:5ff; Gen 46:26f; 48:5).
- Psalm 77:17 The miracle of the crossing of the Red Sea is presented in a cosmic perspective, possibly to heighten the description of God’s majesty in bringing his people from slavery to freedom, which led to the Passover. For Christians, the culminating miracle was God’s deed in bringing Jesus from death to life after the crucifixion (see Mt 28:2; Eph 1:18-22), which led to the Christian Passover, Easter.
- Psalm 77:17 The waters are at the mercy of the Creator (see Pss 89:10; 93:3f; 104:7; 106:9; 114:3; Job 7:12; 38:10; Nah 1:4; Hab 3:10).
- Psalm 77:18 This verse is inspired by Hab 3:11. See also Pss 18:16; 68:9; 144:6. Arrows: i.e., lightning bolts.
- Psalm 77:19 This verse evokes the theophany at Sinai (see Ps 97:4; Ex 19:18).
- Psalm 77:20 See Neh 9:11; Wis 14:3; Isa 43:16; 51:10. God’s action reveals his invisible presence as Shepherd and Savior (see Ps 78:52; Isa 63:11ff; Mic 6:4).
