1
When Israel went out of Egypt,
The house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2
Judah became His sanctuary,
And Israel His dominion.
My Thoughts
These verses reflect on Israel’s dramatic exodus from Egypt, emphasizing their liberation from oppression. The “house of Jacob” symbolizes their unity as a people, rebelling against the foreign culture of Egypt, while Judah represents their sanctity and closeness to God, confirming His presence among them.
The commentaries below underline the significance of this deliverance as a foundational act of redemption, symbolizing a theocratic governance where God is King. This historical event showcases both Israel’s transformation and the divine purpose for them as a holy nation, dedicated to worship and service………Bill
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Commentaries:
Charles Spurgeon
“When Israel went out of Egypt. The song begins with a burst, as if the poetic fury could not be restrained, but overleaped all bounds. The soul elevated and filled with a sense of divine glory cannot wait to fashion a preface but springs at once into the middle of its theme. Israel emphatically came out of Egypt, out of the population among whom they had been scattered, from under the yoke of bondage, and from under the personal grasp of the king who had made the people into national slaves. Israel came out with a high hand and a stretched-out arm, defying all the power of the empire, and making the whole of Egypt to travail with sore anguish, as the chosen nation was as it were born out of its midst.
“The house of Jacob from a people of strange language.” They had gone down into Egypt as a single family—”the house of Jacob;” and, though they had multiplied greatly, they were still so united, and were so fully regarded by God as a single unit, that they are rightly spoken of as the house of Jacob. They were as one man in their willingness to leave Goshen; numerous as they were, not a single individual stayed behind. Unanimity is a pleasing token of the divine presence and one of its sweetest fruits. One of their inconveniences in Egypt was the difference of languages, which was very great. The Israelites appear to have regarded the Egyptians as stammerers and babblers since they could not understand them, and they very naturally considered the Egyptians to be barbarians, as they would no doubt often beat them because they did not comprehend their orders. The language of foreign taskmasters is never musical in an exile’s ear.
“Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.” The pronoun “his” comes in where we should have looked for the name of God; but the poet is so full of thought concerning the Lord that he forgets to mention his name, like the spouse in the Song, who begins, “Let him kiss me,” or Magdalene when she cried, “Tell me where thou hast laid him.” From the mention of Judah and Israel, certain critics have inferred that this Psalm must have been written after the division of the two kingdoms; but this is only another instance of the extremely slender basis upon which a hypothesis is often built up. Before the formation of the two kingdoms David had said, “Go number Israel and Judah,” and this was common parlance, for Uriah the Hittite said, “The ark, and Israel and Judah abide in tents;” so that nothing can be inferred from the use of the two names. No division into two kingdoms can have been intended here, for the poet is speaking of the coming out of Egypt when the people were so united that he has just before called them “the house of Jacob.” It would be quite as fair to prove from the first verse that the Psalm was written when the people were in union as to prove from the second that its authorship dates from their separation. Judah was the tribe which led the way in the wilderness march, and it was foreseen in prophecy to be the royal tribe, hence its poetical mention in this place. The meaning of the passage is that the whole people at the coming out of Egypt were separated unto the Lord to be a peculiar people, a nation of priests whose motto should be, “Holiness unto the Lord.” Judah was the Lord’s “holy thing,” set apart for his special use. The nation was peculiarly Jehovah’s dominion, for it was governed by a theocracy in which God alone was King. It was his domain in a sense in which the rest of the world was outside his kingdom. These were the young days of Israel, the time of her espousals, when she went after the Lord into the wilderness, her God leading the way with signs and miracles. The whole people were the shrine of Deity, and their camp was one great temple. What a change there must have been for the godly amongst them from the idolatries and blasphemies of the Egyptians to the holy worship and righteous rule of the great King in Jeshurun. They lived in a world of wonders, where God was seen in the wondrous bread they ate and in the water they drank, as well as in the solemn worship of his holy place. When the Lord is manifestly present in a church, and his gracious rule obediently owned, what a golden age has come, and what honorable privileges his people enjoy! May it be so among us.
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Enduring Word
When Israel went out of Egypt: Israel’s deliverance from Egypt was the central act of redemption under the Old Covenant. It was to be constantly remembered and celebrated, and this song joins in the celebration. (Guzik)
i. For those who are under the New Covenant in Jesus, the work of Jesus at the cross and empty tomb becomes the central act of redemption. We are likewise called to constantly remember and celebrate what God did to set us free by dying on the cross for us. (Guzik)
The house of Jacob from a people of strange language: The emphasis is on the idea that Israel did not belong in Egypt. Though they lived there for some 400 years, it was never their home. In a similar way, this world is a place of a people of strange language for all whom God redeems. (Guzik)
i. “The reference to the ‘foreign tongue’ evokes the association with oppression (cf. Isaiah 28:11; Jeremiah 5:15) and is synonymous with ‘the house of bondage’ (cf. Exodus 20:2).” (VanGemeren)
Judah became His sanctuary: The leading tribe of Israel (Judah) represented the whole nation which became the dwelling place of God (His sanctuary). The godly in Israel always understood that God’s dwelling in the Tabernacle or temple was only symbolic of His presence in His people. (Guzik)
i. “There is a dramatic change of status between the first verse and the second. The group of aliens, their isolation increased by the strange language that surrounded them, is now viewed in relation not to man but to God.” (Kidner)
ii. “Judah he mentions as the chief of all the tribes, not only in number and power, but also in dignity, in which the kingdom was to be seated, Genesis 49:10, etc., as at this time it actually was, and from which the Messiah was to spring.” (Poole)
iii. “They are two names [Judah and Israel] for the one people that came out of Egypt at the exodus. This one people is declared to be both God’s sanctuary and God’s kingdom.” (Boice)
And Israel His dominion: Any place God dwells, He dominates. God’s desire to make Israel His sanctuary was so they could honor Him as Lord and Master, not merely as a helper or mascot. (Guzik)
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Albert Barnes
Judah was his sanctuary – His home; his abode; his sacred dwelling place. Judah was the principal or leading tribe, recognized as the tribe where power was to be concentrated, and from which the Messiah was to proceed Genesis 49:8-12; and hence, the name was early used to denote the entire people, and ultimately, as modified in the word Jews, became the common name of the nation.
And Israel his dominion – The nation that he ruled; the nation that had his law; the nation that he governed by his presence – or, of which he was the recognized king. There can be no doubt that the reference here is to God, but it is remarkable that the name “God” is not used. Perhaps the reason may be that this psalm was designed to be employed in connection with the preceding one, and as that consists entirely of the praises of God, it was not necessary to repeat the name when his praise was to be continued under another form, and in connection with another line of thought.
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John Gill
When Israel went out of Egypt,…. The people of Israel in a body, publicly, openly, and not by stealth; freely and willingly, not forced and drove out; though urged by the Egyptians to go, through the hand of God upon them; and so went out with the mighty hand and outstretched arm of the Lord, and with great riches, and in health, not one feeble or sick among them.
The house of Jacob from a people of strange language; or barbarous; as every language was reckoned by the Jews but their own; the Egyptian language they did not understand; see Psalm 81:5, no doubt many of them learned it during their long stay there, but in general they retained their own language. This was an emblem of the Lord’s people in effectual calling, coming out of bondage into liberty, out of darkness into light, out of superstition, and idolatry, and profaneness, to the service of the true God in righteousness and true holiness; and from a people of a strange language to those that speak the language of Canaan, a pure language, in which they can understand one another when they converse together, either about experience or doctrine; and the manner of their coming out is much the same, by strength of hand, by the power of divine grace, yet willingly and cheerfully, with great riches, the riches of grace, and a title to the riches of glory, and with much spiritual strength; for, though weak in themselves, yet are strong in Christ.
Judah was his sanctuary,…. Meaning not the tribe of Judah only, though that in many things had the preeminence; the kingdom belonging to it, the chief ruler being out of it, especially the Messiah; its standard was pitched and moved first; it offered first to the service of the Lord; and the Jews have a tradition, mentioned by Jarchi and Kimchi, that this tribe, with its prince at the head of it, went into the Red sea first; the others fearing, but afterwards followed, encouraged by their example: but rather all the tribes are meant, the whole body of the people; for this is not to be understood of the tabernacle or temple in the tribe of Judah, sometimes called a sanctuary; for neither of these were in being when Israel came out of Egypt; but it may be rendered, “Judah was his holiness”, or was holiness to the Lord, the Lord’s holy people; see Jeremiah 2:2, not all internally holy; for there were many that came out of Egypt that were unholy, rebellious, and disobedient, and whose carcasses fell in the wilderness; but externally, when brought out of Egypt they were separated from all other people, and in this sense sanctified, and became a holy and special people, chosen by the Lord to be so; with whom, he made a covenant, and to whom he gave holy laws and righteous statutes: and in this they were typical of those who are effectually called by grace with an holy calling, and unto holiness; have principles of grace and holiness wrought in them, and have Holiness to the Lord written upon them; they have the sanctification of the Spirit, and Christ is made sanctification to them; and they are the Lord’s sanctuary, in which he dwells.
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Matthew Henry
The psalmist is here remembering the days of old, the years of the right hand of the Most High, and the wonders which their fathers told them of (Jdg. 6:13), for time, as it does not wear out the guilt of sin, so it should not wear out the sense of mercy. Let it never be forgotten,
I. That God brought Israel out of the house of bondage with a high hand and a stretched-out arm: Israel went out of Egypt, v. 1. They did not steal out clandestinely, nor were they driven out, but fairly went out, marched out with all the marks of honor; they went out from a barbarous people, that had used them barbarously, from a people of a strange language, Ps. 81:5. The Israelites, it seems, preserved their own language pure among them, and cared not for learning the language of their oppressors. By this distinction from them, they kept up an earnest of their deliverance.
II. That he himself framed their civil and sacred constitution (v. 2): Judah and Israel were his sanctuary, his dominion. When he delivered them out of the hand of their oppressors it was that they might serve him both in holiness and in righteousness, in the duties of religious worship and in obedience to the moral law, in their whole conversation. Let my people go, that they may serve me. In order to this,
1. He set up his sanctuary among them, in which he gave them the special tokens of his presence with them and promised to receive their homage and tribute. Happy are the people that have God’s sanctuary among them (see Ex. 25:8, Eze. 37:26), much more those that, like Judah here, are his sanctuaries, his living temples, on whom Holiness to the Lord is written.
2. He set up his dominion among them, was himself their lawgiver and their judge, and their government was a theocracy: The Lord was their King. All the world is God’s dominion, but Israel was so in a peculiar manner. What is God’s sanctuary must be his dominion. Those only have the privileges of his house that submit to the laws of it, and for this end Christ has redeemed us that he might bring us into God’s service and engage us forever in it.
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Adam Clarke
A people of strange language — This may mean no more than a barbarous people; a people whom they did not know, and who did not worship their God. But it is a fact that the language of the Egyptians in the time of Joseph was so different from that of the Hebrews that they could not understand each other. See Psalms 81:5; Genesis 42:23.
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The Pulpit Commentaries
When Israel went out of Egypt; literally, at the going forth of Israel from Egypt; ἐν ἐξόδῳ Ἰσράηλ, LXX. The “going forth from Egypt” was the only thing parallel in Israelitish history to the going forth from Babylon. The nation should learn what to expect in the future by what occurred in the past. The house of Jacob (compare the more common “house of Israel,” Psalms 98:3; Psalms 115:12; Psalms 135:19) from a people of strange language; literally, from a stammering people; but a people of foreign speech is no doubt meant.
Judah was his sanctuary; or “became his sanctuary;” Judah—i.e. the land of Judah—received the special honor of being chosen for the seat of God’s sanctuary. And Israel his dominion. While all the rest of Israel was accepted as constituting his kingdom or dominion. The whole people came under God’s special protection.
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Cross References
Psalm 81:5 (KJV 1900)
5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony,
When he went out through the land of Egypt:
Where I heard a language that I understood not.
Exodus 12:51 (KJV )
51 And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.
Jeremiah 5:15 (KJV )
15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the Lord: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
Exodus 13:3 (KJV )
3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.
Exodus 19:5–6 (KJV )
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
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KJV W/Strongs Bible
114:1 When Israel 3478 went out 3318 8800 of Egypt 4714, the house 1004 of Jacob 3290 from a people 5971 of strange language 3937 8802;
114:2 Judah 3063 was his sanctuary 6944, [and] Israel 3478 his dominion 4475.
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Geneva Bible 1560
Psalm 114:1-2
1 When (*)Israél went out of Egypt, & the house of Jaakób from the (a) barbarous people,
2 Judáh was (b) his sanctification, and Israél his dominion.
(*) Ex. 14.21. (a) That is, from them that were of a strange language. (b) The whole people were witnesses of his holy majesty, in adopting them, and of his mighty power in delivering them.
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Final Thoughts:
And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; And they will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you; For I am with you to save you And deliver you,” says the Lord. “I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked, And I will redeem you from the grip of the terrible.” Jeremiah 15:20-21 NKJV
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