Single lesson
Psalm 114: A Psalm of Exodus
Psalms 114:1–8
Psalm 114 is a poem about Israel leaving Egypt. It speaks with vivid pictures of sea, river, mountains and rock so children can trace how the poem moves and what it says about the Lord’s presence.
Before you teach
The psalm begins with Israel and the house of Jacob going out of Egypt, then names Judah and Israel. It next describes the sea, the Jordan, mountains and hills, and ends by calling the earth to tremble before the Lord, the God of Jacob, who turned rock into water.
Students will be able to identify that Psalm 114 speaks in an unnamed poetic voice about Israel and directly addresses parts of creation, trace its movement from Egypt to trembling earth, and explain that the psalm praises the Lord’s presence and power.
Welcome: Listen for who is speaking
4 minTell students they are hearing a poem, so they should listen for both pictures and speaker. Read the whole psalm aloud once. Ask: Is this Israel speaking, God speaking, or an unnamed poet speaking about Israel and talking to creation? Let children listen for clues in the words themselves.
Psalms 114:1, Psalms 114:5, Psalms 114:7
Read and explain: From Egypt to God’s people
7 minRead Psalms 114:1–2 again. Explain that the poem opens by speaking about Israel in the third person: 'When Israel went out of Egypt'. The speaker is not named in the psalm. The poem says Judah became his sanctuary and Israel his dominion, showing that the people belong to him.
Psalms 114:1, Psalms 114:2
Discuss the images: Sea, Jordan, mountains and hills
6 minRead Psalms 114:3–6. Point out the surprising actions: the sea fled, the Jordan turned back, mountains skipped like rams and hills like lambs. Then notice the speaker asks questions directly to sea, river, mountains and hills. This helps children hear that the poem is speaking to creation in vivid picture language.
Psalms 114:3, Psalms 114:4, Psalms 114:5, Psalms 114:6
Make and respond: Image card with the message
8 minGive each child paper or card. They choose one image from Psalms 114:3–8 to draw. Under the picture they write, copy or dictate a short sentence such as, 'The earth trembles at the presence of the Lord' or 'The Lord turned the rock into water'. Encourage them to connect the picture to the poem’s message.
Psalms 114:3, Psalms 114:4, Psalms 114:7, Psalms 114:8
Closing: What does the psalm say in the end?
5 minRead Psalms 114:7–8 together. Explain clearly that the poem’s message becomes plain here: the earth trembles at the presence of the Lord, the God of Jacob, and he turned rock into a pool and flint into a spring. Finish by asking children to name the speaker, one image and the psalm’s message.
Psalms 114:7, Psalms 114:8
Questions to explore
Who seems to be speaking in Psalm 114, and what words help you decide?
The speaker is not named, but the poem speaks about Israel in Psalms 114:1–2 and then speaks directly to the sea, Jordan, mountains and hills in Psalms 114:5–6.
Psalms 114:1, Psalms 114:2, Psalms 114:5, Psalms 114:6
How does the poem move from the first verse to the last verse?
Start with Israel going out of Egypt in Psalms 114:1, notice the creation images in Psalms 114:3–6, and end with the earth trembling before the Lord in Psalms 114:7–8.
Psalms 114:1, Psalms 114:3, Psalms 114:4, Psalms 114:7, Psalms 114:8
What message does the psalm make clear about the Lord at the end?
Look at Psalms 114:7–8, where the earth trembles at the presence of the Lord, the God of Jacob, who turned rock into water.
Psalms 114:7, Psalms 114:8
Make, think or respond
Psalm 114 Image and Message Card
What you’ll need
- paper or card
- pencils or textas
- crayons or coloured pencils
- Bible or copied verses
Try it together
- Read Psalms 114:3–8 and ask each student to choose one image from the poem.
- Fold the paper or card in half to make a simple card.
- Draw the chosen image on the front, such as the sea fleeing, the Jordan turning back, mountains skipping, or rock becoming water.
- Inside or on the back, write or dictate one short sentence telling what the image says about the Lord or about the poem’s message.
- Invite students to share their card and read their sentence aloud.
The card helps children connect one vivid image in the poem with its message that the earth trembles at the presence of the Lord.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, offer two or three image choices aloud and let them dictate both the picture label and the message sentence.
- For older or confident readers, ask them to include who is speaking in the poem and to explain how the questions in Psalms 114:5–6 prepare for the answer in Psalms 114:7–8.
An optional closing prayer
Suggested prayer: "Lord, you are the God of Jacob. Thank you for this psalm. Help us to see your greatness and to respond with praise and respect. Amen."
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Psalms 114
1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign language,
2 Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
3 The sea saw it, and fled. The Jordan was driven back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs.
5 What was it, you sea, that you fled? You Jordan, that you turned back?
6 You mountains, that you skipped like rams? You little hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of waters.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.