Moses and the Israelites sang this song
in praise of the Lord
 

I sing praises to the Lord 
     for his great victory! 
He has thrown the horses 
and their riders 
     into the sea. 
The Lord is my strength, 
the reason for my song, 
     because he has saved me. 
I praise and honor the Lord-- 
he is my God and the God 
     of my ancestors. 
The Lord is his name, 
     and he is a warrior! 
He threw the chariots and army 
of Egypt's king 
     into the Red Sea, 
and he drowned the best 
     of the king's officers. 
They sank to the bottom 
     just like stones. 

With the tremendous force 
of your right arm, our Lord, 
     you crushed your enemies. 
What a great victory was yours, 
as you defeated everyone 
     who opposed you. 
Your fiery anger wiped them out, 
     as though they were straw. 
You were so furious  
that the sea piled up 
     like a wall, 
and the ocean depths 
     curdled like cheese. 

Your enemies boasted  
     that they would 
pursue and capture us, 
divide up our possessions, 
treat us as they wished, 
then take out their swords 
     and kill us right there. 
But when you got furious, 
they sank like lead, 
     swallowed by ocean waves. 

Our Lord, no other gods 
compare with you-- 
     Majestic and holy! 
     Fearsome and glorious! 
     Miracle worker! 
When you signaled 
     with your right hand, 
your enemies were swallowed 
     deep into the earth. 

The people you rescued 
were led by your powerful love 
     to your holy place. 
Nations learned of this  
     and trembled-- 
Philistines shook with horror. 
The leaders of Edom and of Moab 
     were terrified. 
Everyone in Canaan fainted, 
     struck down by fear. 
Our Lord, your powerful arm 
     kept them still as a rock 
until the people you rescued 
for your very own 
     had marched by. 

You will let your people settle 
     on your chosen mountain, 
where you built your home 
     and your temple. 
Our Lord, you will rule forever!

                                        Exodus 15:1-18
 

Contemporary English Version The Holy Bible (New York , NY: American Bible Society 1995)