Exodus 15:11

Exodus 15:11

Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

King James Version (KJV)

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Context

Within the Song of the Sea, Israel exalts the LORD as incomparable after witnessing His triumph over Egypt.

What Does Exodus 15:11 Mean?

This verse means that no power, real or imagined, can compare to the LORD in holiness, majesty, and saving might. Fresh from the wonder of the Red Sea, Israel asks a question that needs no answer: "Who is like unto thee, O LORD?" The gods of Egypt, so feared by a nation in slavery, have proved powerless. The God who split the sea stands utterly alone -- glorious in holiness, awesome in the praises He inspires, and constant in doing wonders.

This is worship reaching for words and finding that none are large enough. To say God is "glorious in holiness" is to confess that His purity and greatness set Him apart from everything else. The deliverance Israel just witnessed was not the act of one mighty being among many; it was the unrivaled work of the only true God. For a people learning who their God really is, this verse plants a conviction that would shape their whole life: there is none like Him. The right response to His wonders is not comparison but awe.

In the Original Language

The phrase "glorious in holiness" combines the ideas of adir (majestic, mighty) and qodesh (holiness, set-apartness).

Application

Let God's unmatched holiness and power lift your worship beyond comparison, trusting the One who has no rival.

Topics

Keep Studying Exodus 15

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