Exodus 15: “From Salvation to Praise — and the First Test of the Redeemed”
1. “Then Moses and the People Sang”
“I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously.” (Ex 15:1)
This is crucial: praise comes after salvation.
God does not demand a song before deliverance.
He draws praise out of a saved people.
The Church has always understood this:
Liturgy flows from redemption.
St Augustine of Hippo writes:
“The song is born when fear is drowned; praise rises where the enemy has fallen.”
(Sermons)
2. Praise Is Personal and Communal
“The Lord is my strength and my song.” (v. 2)
The song is sung together, but the words are personal.
Catholic worship holds both together:
The Church sings as one
Each believer claims salvation personally
This verse is later quoted in the Psalms and the prophets, showing that true praise becomes the language of faith.
3. God Is Named as a Warrior
“The Lord is a man of war.” (v. 3)
This does not mean God delights in violence.
It means:
God actively defends His people
God fights against oppression and death
The Fathers are clear:
God fights for life, not for destruction.
St Gregory of Nyssa explains:
“God wars not against flesh, but against tyranny and death.”
(Life of Moses)
For Christians, this is fulfilled in Christ’s victory over sin and death.
4. The Enemy Is Named and Remembered
“Pharaoh’s chariots and his host He cast into the sea.” (v. 4)
Praise remembers what God has defeated.
Catholic faith does not deny the reality of sin or evil —
it proclaims that they have been overcome.
St Augustine says:
“The Church sings not because danger never existed, but because it has passed.”
(Sermons)
5. God’s Power Is Described Poetically
“Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power.” (v. 6)
This is poetic language.
It teaches:
God acts personally
God’s power is intentional
Salvation is not accidental
The Church uses similar language in the Psalms and the Mass.
6. The Enemy’s Pride Is Remembered
“The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake.’” (v. 9)
The song recalls the enemy’s arrogance.
Why?
So that the people never forget:
Salvation came when pride was at its height.
St John Chrysostom comments:
“The boast of the enemy makes the victory of God more glorious.”
(Homilies on Exodus)
7. God’s Breath Overcomes the Enemy
“You blew with Your wind; the sea covered them.” (v. 10)
Salvation requires no effort from Israel.
God breathes — and the enemy is gone.
The Fathers see here:
Creation
New creation
The Spirit of God at work
8. “Who Is Like You, O Lord?”
(v. 11)
This is the heart of the song.
Praise is not vague emotion —
it is truth spoken joyfully.
God is:
Holy
Glorious
Powerful
Saving
Catholic worship always centres on who God is, not on how we feel.
9. Praise Looks Forward
“You will bring them in and plant them on Your own mountain.” (v. 17)
The song moves beyond the Red Sea.
Salvation has a destination:
The Promised Land
God’s dwelling place
For Christians, this points to:
The Church
Heaven
St Augustine explains:
“The song looks ahead, because salvation is a journey, not a moment.”
(City of God)
10. “The Lord Will Reign for Ever and Ever”
(v. 18)
This is a declaration of faith.
God’s rule is:
Not temporary
Not threatened
Not limited
This verse is echoed in Christian worship to this day.
11. Miriam Leads the Women
“Miriam the prophetess… took a tambourine.” (v. 20)
This is important.
Women lead praise.
Joy is embodied.
Worship is communal and expressive.
The Church has always affirmed:
Praise belongs to the whole people of God.
12. Salvation Is Immediately Tested
“Then Moses made Israel set out… and they went three days without water.” (v. 22)
This sudden shift is deliberate.
Scripture teaches:
The redeemed are tested quickly.
Freedom does not remove difficulty.
13. The Bitter Water at Marah
“The water was bitter; therefore it was named Marah.” (v. 23)
The first test after salvation is disappointment.
The Fathers saw this as deeply symbolic:
Life is not instantly easy
Faith must mature
14. The People Grumble
“The people grumbled against Moses.” (v. 24)
This mirrors earlier fear.
Salvation is real — but trust is still growing.
The Church recognises this pattern in Christian life.
15. God Heals the Water
“The Lord showed him a tree, and he threw it into the water.” (v. 25)
The Fathers unanimously saw the tree as a figure of the Cross.
St Justin Martyr says:
“The wood sweetens the water, just as the Cross heals the bitterness of life.”
(Dialogue with Trypho)
Life’s bitterness is not removed —
it is transformed.
16. God Reveals Himself as Healer
“I am the Lord, your healer.” (v. 26)
This is not a promise of no suffering.
It is a promise of meaningful suffering.
God heals by:
Teaching
Purifying
Leading
Catholic faith holds suffering within hope.
17. Elim: Rest After Testing
“They came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water.” (v. 27)
God provides rest.
The numbers matter:
Twelve springs → the people of God
Seventy palm trees → abundance
The journey includes:
Trial
Relief
God is faithful in both.
Key Catholic Themes in Exodus 15
| Theme | Catholic Meaning |
| Praise | The proper response to salvation |
| Worship | Communal and personal |
| Memory | Remembering victory |
| Testing | Faith grows after deliverance |
| The Cross | Transforms bitterness |
| Healing | God restores the redeemed |
Christ at the Centre of Exodus 15
The Fathers read this chapter through Christ:
Song of Moses → Christian praise
Defeated enemy → sin and death
Bitter water → suffering
Tree → the Cross
Sweetened water → grace
Elim → rest in God
St Augustine summarises:
“The Cross does not remove suffering, but makes it drinkable.”
(Sermons)
Spiritual Application
Praise God for what He has done.
Expect testing after deliverance.
Bring bitterness to the Cross.
Trust God as healer.
Rest when God provides it.
Closing Prayer
Lord God, our strength and our song,
You have delivered us from death
and taught us to praise Your name.
When life becomes bitter,
show us the Cross of Christ,
that our suffering may be healed
and our hearts kept faithful.
Lead us through trial and rest alike
until we sing Your praise for ever.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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