Song of Praise

Call to Worship

Psalm 119:97–104 LSB

Oh how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are mine forever. I have more insight than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I perceive more than the aged, Because I have observed Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word. I have not turned aside from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me. How sweet is Your word to my taste! Sweeter than honey to my mouth! From Your precepts I get perception; Therefore I hate every false way.

First Reading

Genesis 32:22–31 LSB

And he arose that same night and took his two wives and his two servant-women and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. And he took them and sent them across the stream. And he sent across whatever he had. Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of dawn. And he saw that he had not prevailed against him, so he touched the socket of his thigh; and so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been delivered.” And the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh.

Scripture and Prayer

Luke 18:1–8 LSB

Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a certain judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. “Now there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice from my opponent.’ “And for a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow is bothering me, I will give her justice, lest by continually coming she wears me out.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. “Now, will God not bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find that faith on the earth?”

Intro:

AG: TS: MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary) The structure of the song now sung by the nation contains 4 stanzas (vv. 1–5; 6–10; 11–13; and 14–17) and a one-line closing declaration (v. 18).

Stanzas one and two end with “They went down” and “They sank … ,” a refrain emphasizing the finality of the enemy army’s defeat.

Stanzas three and four end with reference to God’s Holy Place (vv. 13 and 17).

RS:

Praising God for His Mighty Deliverance (Exodus 15:1–12)

A. Explanation of the Text

Context: This section, the heart of the Song of Moses, celebrates Yahweh’s victory over Pharaoh’s army at the Red Sea (Exod 14:26–28).

It begins with “I will sing”

Though a community song, they made it personal. Each of them raised their voice “I WILL SING of God’s victory!

The poetic language uses vivid imagery—“horse and rider hurled into the sea” (v. 1),

Exodus 15:1 LSB

Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to Yahweh and said, “I will sing to Yahweh, for He is highly exalted; The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.

Exodus 15:2–6 LSB

“Yah is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will extol Him. “Yahweh is a warrior; Yahweh is His name. “Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; And the choicest of his officers are sunk in the Red Sea. “The deeps cover them; They went down into the depths like a stone. “Your right hand, O Yahweh, is majestic in power, Your right hand, O Yahweh, shatters the enemy.

“right hand shatters the enemy” (v. 6),

God’s power is on display

Majestic Power

Shatters the enemy

God had delivered them from Egypt with a mighty and strong power.

Exodus 15:7–10 LSB

“And in the greatness of Your exaltation You pull down those who rise up against You; You send forth Your burning anger, and it devours them as chaff. “And at the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up, The flowing waters stood up like a heap; The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea. “The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be fulfilled against them; I will draw out my sword, my hand will dispossess them.’ “You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

God judged those who exalted themselves up against Him

With HIS nostrils He parted the waters and also later closed them

Ultimately the enemy- “sank like lead” (v. 10)

Moses used the poetic language to emphasize God’s power over Egypt’s military might and the chaotic waters.

Exodus 15:11–12 LSB

“Who is like You among the gods, O Yahweh? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, Fearsome in praises, working wonders? “You stretched out Your right hand, The earth swallowed them.

The rhetorical question “Who is like You among the gods?” (v. 11) asserts Yahweh’s incomparability, challenging the Egyptian pantheon

(e.g., Nun, god of waters; Montu, god of war) and the divine council of lesser spiritual beings (Ps 82:1).

Psalm 82:1 LSB

God takes His stand in the congregation of God; He judges in the midst of gods.

All other spiritual beings are created beings. God made angels of various sorts and ranks. He gave them charge to carry out His will. Some sit in His congregation, or divine council.

The emphasis is that HE is the most high of all beings.

Sadly, some of these created beings fell and followed Lucifer. They promoted and accepted worship on Earth that should have always gone to God.

God’s actions vividly demonstrated that He alone is the MOST High.

Key Theological Points:

Yahweh is a warrior (“man of war,” v. 3) who defeats both human and cosmic forces, asserting His sovereignty.

The Red Sea victory demonstrates God’s control over creation, subduing the “deeps” (tehôm, v. 8), a term linked to ancient Near Eastern chaos motifs.

B. Illustration

Story: In 2018, the dramatic rescue of the Thai soccer team trapped in the Tham Lua0/ng cave gripped the world. After 18 days, divers navigated treacherous floodwaters to save all 12 boys and their coach. Upon rescue, the community erupted in celebration, with families and rescuers giving thanks for the miracle. (Source: BBC News, “Thailand Cave Rescue: How the Boys Were Saved,” July 10, 2018, ) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44782132

Connection: Like Israel’s deliverance through the Red Sea, the cave rescue was moment of divine-like intervention, prompting gratitude and praise. Just as Israel sang of Yahweh’s power, we too can celebrate God’s deliverance in our lives.

C. Application for Today’s World

Worship with Gratitude:

Reflect on personal moments of deliverance—physical, emotional, or spiritual—and respond with heartfelt praise, as Moses did.

Personally:

 Worship Him!  Our lives should be marked by personal worship.

Corporately:

Share that testimony with others! That is one of the ways we collectively build up each other and encourage each other in the faith.

Trust God’s Power:

When facing overwhelming challenges, trust that God is mightier than any chaotic force in your life.

Transition: Having praised God’s past deliverance, the song now looks forward to His ongoing guidance.

II. Trusting God’s Faithful Guidance (Exodus 15:13–18)

Exodus 15:13–18 LSB

“In Your lovingkindness You have guided the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have led them to Your holy habitation. “The peoples have heard, they tremble; Anguish has seized the inhabitants of Philistia. “Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed; The leaders of Moab, trembling seizes them; All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. “Terror and dread fall upon them; By the greatness of Your arm they are still as stone; Until Your people pass over, O Yahweh, Until the people pass over whom You have purchased. “You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, The place, O Yahweh, which You have made for You to inhabit, The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established. “Yahweh shall reign forever and ever.”

A. Explanation of the Text

Context: This section shifts to future-oriented hope, celebrating Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness (esed, “lovingkindness,” v. 13) in leading His redeemed people to His “holy habitation” (v. 13), likely Canaan or the future temple site.

The fear of surrounding nations—Philistia, Edom, Moab, Canaan (vv. 14–16)—shows Yahweh’s reputation preceding Israel, ensuring their safe passage.

Yahweh’s victory of the gods and chariots of Egypt shocked the surrounding nations.  God had so overwhelming defeated Egypt, that the nations were “as stone”.  They feared the Almighty ruler of heaven and Earth.  They feared what He might have in store for them.  They were ripe to allow Israel to go through without opposition.

THUS:  God’s victory was not just over Egypt, He demonstrated He was over all other gods. Yahweh’s victory over the gods of Egypt asserts His unrivaled authority over the divine council—lesser spiritual beings or gods

Psalm 89:5–7 LSB

The heavens will praise Your wonders, O Yahweh; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the sky is comparable to Yahweh? Who among the sons of the mighty is like Yahweh, A God greatly dreaded in the council of the holy ones, And fearsome above all those who are around Him?

The song implicitly places Yahweh above any competing spiritual powers in the divine realm.

There is no one who is His equal.  He has no rival.

Yahweh’s eternal reign surpasses all earthly or spiritual powers,

The song culminates in the promise of being “planted” in God’s “mountain of Your inheritance” (v. 17) and His eternal reign (v. 18).

They praised God for keeping His promise from 700 years before in Gen 12, 15& 17)

Key Theological Points:

God’s redemption is not just liberation but a journey toward His presence.

He had taken Israel out of Egypt to be HIS people. He led them by day and night.  He now had them on the path to Sinai to meet with them and give the Law.

B. Illustration

Scriptural Passage: In Joshua 2:9–11,

Joshua 2:9–11 LSB

and said to the men, “I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. “For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. “Indeed we heard it, and our hearts melted, and a courageous spirit no longer rose up in any man because of you; for Yahweh your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

Rahab tells the Israelite spies that the Canaanites’ hearts “melted” because of Yahweh’s mighty acts, echoing Exodus 15:15 (“inhabitants of Canaan have melted away”).

Rahab’s faith in Yahweh led to her inclusion in God’s people, showing how His reputation draws others to Him.

Connection: Just as Yahweh’s deeds inspired awe and faith in Rahab, His guidance today can lead others to trust Him through our testimony.

C. Application for Today’s World

Follow God’s Guidance:

Trust God’s loving kindness to lead you through life’s wilderness to His promised rest.

Share Your Testimony:

Let God’s reputation shine through your story of deliverance, drawing others to faith.

Hope in God’s Kingdom:

Live with confidence that Christ’s eternal reign secures your future, no matter the obstacles.

Transition: The song concludes with a communal celebration led by Miriam, calling us to worship together.

III. Celebrating God’s Victory in Community (Exodus 15:19–21)

Exodus 15:19–21 LSB

For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and Yahweh brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea. And Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. And Miriam answered them, “Sing to Yahweh, for He is highly exalted; The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”

A. Explanation of the Text

Context: This section summarizes the Red Sea miracle (v. 19) and introduces Miriam, the prophetess, leading the women in worship with tambourines and dancing (v. 20).

Her song, “Sing to Yahweh, for He is highly exalted; The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea” (v. 21), echoes verse 1, suggesting antiphonal worship.

Antiphonal worship is a form of liturgical or musical worship in which two or more groups of singers or worshipers alternate in singing or reciting parts of a song, psalm, or liturgy, often in a call-and-response pattern.

The term derives from the Greek words anti ("opposite" or "against") and phone ("voice"), meaning "alternate voices."

 This practice creates a dynamic, interactive worship experience that emphasizes communal participation and highlights the dialogue-like nature of praise

The victory over the sea reaffirms Yahweh’s triumph over Egyptian gods like Nun and Sobek. Miriam’s leadership highlights the role of women in Israel’s worship.

Key Theological Points:

Corporate worship magnifies God’s glory and unites His people.

The prophetic role of Miriam points to the Spirit’s work in all believers.

Connection to Christ: Miriam’s song foreshadows the church’s worship of Christ’s victory (Rev 15:3–4, where the “song of Moses” and the “song of the Lamb” merge).

Connection: Like Miriam, this woman led her community in celebrating God’s faithfulness, showing that worship can thrive in any circumstance.

C. Application for Today’s World

Engage in Corporate Worship:

Join your church in praising God, to strengthen communal faith.

Lead in Worship:

Like Miriam, use your gifts—music, prayer, or testimony—to lead others in celebrating God’s victories.

Share what God has done for you, through you, etc.

Share what you are learning from Him

Celebrate Small Victories:

Worship is about who God is, what He has done, and what God WILL do. Even in trials, sing of God’s deliverance, trusting Him for future triumphs.

Conclusion

A. Summary

Exodus 15:1–21, the Song of Moses, moves from praising God’s mighty deliverance (vv. 1–12), to trusting His faithful guidance (vv. 13–18), to celebrating His victory in community (vv. 19–21).

Each section points to Christ, our Deliverer, Redeemer, and King, who fulfills God’s promises.

B. Call to Action

Reflect: Recall a time God delivered you and thank Him in prayer or song.

Trust: Commit to following God’s guidance in a current challenge, resting in His esed. ḥ

Worship: Join your church this week to celebrate Christ’s victory, perhaps by sharing your testimony or serving in worship.

C. Closing Illustration

In Revelation 15:3–4, the redeemed sing the “song of Moses” and the “song of the Lamb,” uniting the exodus with Christ’s ultimate victory.

Let’s live as those redeemed, singing of God’s deliverance until we join that heavenly choir.

D. Prayer

Citation Details

Biblical Text: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB), Exodus 15:1–21. Three Sixteen Publishing, 2021.

Illustration Sources:

Point I: BBC News, “Thailand Cave Rescue: How the Boys Were Saved,” July 10, 2018, . https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44782132

Point II: Joshua 2:9–11 (LSB).

Point III: Anecdotal, inspired by Christianity Today, “Churches Go Online During COVID-19,” March 2020, .https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/march/churches-online-services-coronavirus.html

Sermon Methodology: Freeman, Harold. Building Sermons to Meet People’s Needs. Beacon Hill Press, 1986.

Theological Resources:

Heiser, Michael S. The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible. Lexham Press, 2015 (for divine council worldview).

Stuart, Douglas K. Exodus: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture (The New American Commentary). B&H Publishing, 2006.

Outline Author: Grok 3, created by xAI, October 14, 2025.