From Songs to Bitter Waters
June 14, 2025
Commentary
After crossing the Red Sea, Israel stood safely on the eastern shore—finally free from their enemies. Moses led the people in the first recorded song in the Bible, a song of praise to the Lord for His mighty victory. His sister Miriam and the women joined in with tambourines, singing and dancing before God.
The song of Moses has four parts. Stanza one (vv. 1–5) introduces God’s victory over Pharaoh’s army. Stanza two (vv. 6–10) celebrates how God’s power crushed the proud words of Egypt’s warriors. Stanza three (vv. 11–13) asks, “Who is like the Lord?”—a reminder that there is no one as glorious, holy, or powerful as Him. Stanza four (vv. 14–18) looks ahead to the nations who will hear of this miracle and tremble, as Israel journeys toward their new home. The song ends with the great truth: “The Lord reigns forever and ever.”
But soon after the singing ended, the testing began. God led His people from the seaside into the hot, dry wilderness (v. 22). For three days they found no water. When they finally reached Marah, the water was bitter, and the people complained against Moses (vv. 23–24). Moses cried out to the Lord, and God showed him a piece of wood to throw into the water. When he obeyed, the water became sweet (v. 25).
God then reminded them that obedience would bring His blessing and protection (v. 26). Soon after, they came to Elim, a place with twelve springs and seventy palm trees (v. 27)—a picture of God’s refreshing grace after hard-ship. It’s easy to sing after victory, but harder to trust when life turns bitter. The same LORD who saves us at the Red Sea is able to make our bitter experiences sweet.
Application
What bitter situation am I facing that tempts me to complain instead of trust God? When life feels dry or disappointing, will I grumble or pray like Moses did? How can I let God use “the tree” (the cross) to make my bitterness sweet? How can I show faith and obedience when my path feels hard this week?
Exodus 15:1–27 (NET)
1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously, the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
3 The Lord is a warrior — the Lord is his name.
4 The chariots of Pharaoh and his army he has thrown into the sea, and his chosen officers were drowned in the Red Sea.
5 The depths have covered them; they went down to the bottom like a stone.
6 Your right hand, O Lord, was majestic in power; your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy.
7 In the abundance of your majesty you have overthrown those who rise up against you. You sent forth your wrath; it consumed them like stubble.
8 By the blast of your nostrils the waters were piled up, the flowing water stood upright like a heap, and the deep waters were solidified in the heart of the sea.
9 The enemy said, ‘I will chase, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire will be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.’
10 But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11 Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, fearful in praises, working wonders?
12 You stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them.
13 By your loyal love you will lead the people whom you have redeemed; you will guide them by your strength to your holy dwelling place.
14 The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will seize the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be terrified, trembling will seize the leaders of Moab, and the inhabitants of Canaan will shake.
16 Fear and dread will fall on them; by the greatness of your arm they will be as still as stone until your people pass by, O Lord, until the people whom you have bought pass by.
17 You will bring them in and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, in the place you made for your residence, O Lord, the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established.
18 The Lord will reign forever and ever!
19 For the horses of Pharaoh came with his chariots and his footmen into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the Israelites walked on dry land in the middle of the sea.”
20 Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a hand drum in her hand, and all the women went out after her with hand drums and with dances. 21 Miriam sang in response to them, “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea.”
22 Then Moses led Israel to journey away from the Red Sea. They went out to the wilderness of Shur, walked for three days into the wilderness, and found no water. 23 Then they came to Marah, but they were not able to drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter. (That is why its name was Marah.)
24 So the people murmured against Moses, saying, “What can we drink?” 25 He cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When Moses threw it into the water, the water became safe to drink. There the Lord made for them a binding ordinance, and there he tested them. 26 He said, “If you will diligently obey the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, then all the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians I will not bring on you, for I, the Lord, am your healer.”
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water.
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