Psalm 114 (KJV): Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord

From Psalms

Psalm 114

¹When Israel went out of Egypt,
      the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
²Judah was his sanctuary,
      and Israel his dominion.

³The sea saw it, and fled:
      Jordan was driven back.
⁴The mountains skipped like rams,
      and the little hills like lambs.

⁵What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest?
      thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
⁶Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams;
      and ye little hills, like lambs?

⁷Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord,
      at the presence of the God of Jacob;
⁸Which turned the rock into a standing water,
      the flint into a fountain of waters.

I'm going to let you in on a secret.  I also speak a foreign language.  The ability to speak foreign languages has always come easily - a gift I can only attribute to God and be very grateful for.  There have many situations where my ability to speak a foreign language has incredibly changed my perspective on life.  To see things in a way I didn't before.

Psalms, it seems are another example of this.  I have been reading and re-reading psalm 114 trying to find something meaningful to share.  When I decided to read the foreign language translation.  If you think there's variety in the English translations of the bible, try another language.  Only reading the foreign language did I realize the psalmist is asking questions of inanimate objects in verses 5 and 6.  And in that translation not only were these objects in the presence of God - but they saw the face of God, too.  Now I understand why the earth shaked.  I can imagine what I might do if I looked into the face of God.

I discuss this because, this shift in perspective and view that I was able to get from a foreign language was not unlike the shift in perspective that came with a relationship with God.  A walk in my neighborhood wasn't the same.  Time with loved ones was somehow more valuable and meaningful.  A bright sunny day wasn't annoying sun in my eyes it was a warm sun on my face.  I guess, as cliche as it sounds, the glass was half full instead of half empty.  This, perspective, I pray for others out there, addicts that still suffer, people searching and wanting more - but never finding it, and for anyone.  May you find this perspective in your day, this perspective that comes from being in the presence of the Lord.

Thanks for letting me share.