“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”
My Notes
What Does Exodus 15:11 Mean?
Moses and Israel sing this after crossing the Red Sea — one of the oldest songs in the Bible. The rhetorical question: who is like thee, O LORD, among the gods? The answer is no one. The comparison is impossible.
"Glorious in holiness" — the holiness of God is not grim. It is glorious — radiant, beautiful, awe-inspiring. Holiness and glory are inseparable.
"Fearful in praises" — God's praiseworthiness produces fear. Not terror, but the overwhelming awe that comes when you encounter someone too great to comprehend. The praises are fearful because the one being praised is fearful.
"Doing wonders" — the God who just parted the sea is the God who does wonders. The question — who is like thee? — comes from people who just walked on dry ground between walls of water. They have seen the wonders firsthand.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What 'Red Sea' has God brought you through that makes this song personal?
- 2.How is God's holiness 'glorious' rather than grim?
- 3.What does 'fearful in praises' mean — how do awe and praise coexist?
- 4.Who among the 'gods' of this world comes close to what the LORD has done in your life?
Devotional
Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? No one. The question expects no answer because the comparison is absurd. The gods of Egypt just failed. The LORD just parted the sea. There is no contest.
Glorious in holiness. God's holiness is not austere. It is glorious — brilliant, radiant, stunning. The holiness shines. When you see it clearly, it takes your breath away.
Fearful in praises. The praising produces fear. Not because God is frightening in the threatening sense. Because his greatness is so overwhelming that the appropriate response is awe. Praise and trembling belong together.
Doing wonders. They had just walked through a sea on dry ground. The army that pursued them was drowning behind them. And Moses sang: doing wonders. The plural is significant — not one wonder. Wonders. A God who specializes in the impossible.
This song was sung on the far side of the Red Sea — by people who were slaves yesterday and free today. The wonder was fresh. The awe was immediate. The question — who is like thee? — was not theological. It was experiential. They had just seen it.
Have you seen it? Whatever Red Sea you have passed through — whatever impossible thing God did — let the wonder produce the song. Who is like thee? No one. Not even close.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?.... For the perfections of his nature, for the blessings of his goodness,…
With the deliverance of Israel is associated the development of the national poetry, which finds its first and perfect…
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? - We have already seen that all the Egyptian gods, or the objects of the…
Having read how that complete victory of Israel over the Egyptians was obtained, here we are told how it was celebrated;…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture