| “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” |
| —Exodus 15:2 |
In the happiest times in our lives, we often express our joy by singing. Even if we don’t think we sing very well, in the privacy of our own home, or our car, or our truck, we burst into song when something brings us overwhelming joy. This is certainly not a new phenomenon.
The Patriarch Moses had just experienced one of the most mind blowing occurrences in his life. In obedience to God’s direction, Moses had marched the children of Israel to the edge of the Red Sea. The Egyptians were in hot pursuit. The only way of escape was to step off into the storm-tossed waters.
God gave Moses specific instructions. As soon as Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, God sent a mighty wind that opened up a pathway on dry land, while the waters stood high above on each side of the pathway. The children of Israel crossed over the Red Sea. As soon as the Egyptians pursued them, God instructed Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea once again. As soon as Moses did this, in obedience to God, the water closed over the pursuing Egyptians and they drowned.
In response to this marvelous act of God’s mercy and grace, Moses sang a song of joy and worship to the Lord. This song included the following, found in Exodus 15:2:
“The Lord is my strength and my defense ; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”
Moses didn’t need any other defender—just the all-powerful hand of God—and neither do we need any other defender in the times of distress in our own lives. As we begin a new day, let’s learn to rely on the “Defender of our Souls.” God stands ready to protect us and to save us, from all who would harm us. He is the one who has become our salvation and our defense. Like Moses, the only logical thing for us to do is the praise Him and exalt His holy name. Yes! We can lift our voices in songs of praise to our God.
