”Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has hurled both horse and rider into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him— my father’s God, and I will exalt him! The Lord is a warrior; Yahweh is his name! Pharaoh’s chariots and army he has hurled into the sea. The finest of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. The deep waters gushed over them; they sank to the bottom like a stone. “Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in power. Your right hand, O Lord, smashes the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty, you overthrow those who rise against you. You unleash your blazing fury; it consumes them like straw. At the blast of your breath, the waters piled up! The surging waters stood straight like a wall; in the heart of the sea the deep waters became hard. “The enemy boasted, ‘I will chase them and catch up with them. I will plunder them and consume them. I will flash my sword; my powerful hand will destroy them.’ But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters. “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord— glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, performing great wonders? You raised your right hand, and the earth swallowed our enemies. “With your unfailing love you lead the people you have redeemed. In your might, you guide them to your sacred home. The peoples hear and tremble; anguish grips those who live in Philistia. The leaders of Edom are terrified; the nobles of Moab tremble. All who live in Canaan melt away; terror and dread fall upon them. The power of your arm makes them lifeless as stone until your people pass by, O Lord, until the people you purchased pass by. You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain— the place, O Lord, reserved for your own dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established. The Lord will reign forever and ever!” When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers rushed into the sea, the Lord brought the water crashing down on them. But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground! Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine and led all the women as they played their tambourines and danced. And Miriam sang this song: “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has hurled both horse and rider into the sea.”“
Exodus 15:1-21 NLT
Though Exodus 15 is a descriptive, rather than prescriptive, act, it gives a good indication of what to do in after God triumphs in our lives. That is to say that we ought to praise him. Certainly, the Hebrew people were a spiritually immature people. It wasn’t long ago that they had claimed it would be better to return to Egypt than be with God. This act of praise was more of an emotional response to God’s obvious goodness than it was a measured theological response. They still knew of God, but didn’t know him in their hearts. It was a reaction to his love, but it wasn’t necessarily generated by their love. In this way, this worshipful reaction is not unlike a child who sings about their love for their parents. This song is genuine, though also immature. Yet, we see God accepting it. There is an entire industry of worship that caters to this phenomenon of emotional reaction to salvation. Though the money makers might be problematic, those who worship reactively ought to be allowed to worship. It should be noted, however, that this emotional response is not a show of devotion. Just as these same people would die without entering the promised land out of bitterness and anxiety, Jesus was also worshipped by his murderers. It was only one week after the Jews shouted, “Hosanna in the highest!,” that they shouted, “crucify him!”. We ought not think that an event based, reactive worship makes us devout. Nonetheless, it is still a good thing, and we should accept it.
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