Lyrics
The Sea Before, The Sword Behind
The LORD Leads His People Through the Sea
Verse
The sea before, the sword behind,
No path for mortal feet to find;
The horsemen thunder on the sand,
And Egypt's armies close at hand.
Did Egypt hold no graves for us,
That we should die and perish thus?
But Moses answered, Stand and see
The LORD's salvation set you free.
Chorus
The LORD commands — the seas divide!
Behold the path through waters wide;
Stand firm, for God is on our side—
The LORD of hosts shall turn the tide.
Verse
The pillar turned and took its place,
A wall of cloud, a hidden face;
To Egypt, darkness veiled the night,
To us, the pillar burned with light.
Then Moses stretched his rod and hand,
An east wind swept the sea to land;
The deep grew solid, floods stood still,
The waters bowed to God's own will.
Chorus
The LORD commands — the seas divide!
Behold the path through waters wide;
Stand firm, for God is on our side—
The LORD of hosts shall turn the tide.
Verse
We walked where no man walked before,
On desert ground from shore to shore;
The waters rose on left and right,
Our path lay dry beneath His might.
No sandal wet, no infant lost,
No gold could buy the path we crossed;
The God who spake the world to be
Commanded, and obeyed the sea.
Chorus
The LORD commands — the seas divide!
Behold the path through waters wide;
Stand firm, for God is on our side—
The LORD of hosts shall turn the tide.
Verse
But Pharaoh followed in his pride,
And drove his thousands through the tide;
The wheels were loosed, the axles broke,
The LORD looked down through fire and smoke;
His hand went out, the walls gave way,
The sea returned at break of day;
They sank like lead and rose no more,
We saw them lying on the shore.
Chorus
The LORD commands — the seas divide!
Behold the path through waters wide;
Stand firm, for God is on our side—
The LORD of hosts shall turn the tide.
Verse
Then Moses raised the ransomed throng,
And all the desert rang with song:
Now praise the LORD, whose arm hath done
A triumph none could win but One.
The women raised their timbrels high,
And danced beneath the open sky;
The horse and rider sank from sight;
The LORD alone hath shown His might.
Chorus
The LORD commands — the seas divide!
Behold the path through waters wide;
Stand firm, for God is on our side—
The LORD of hosts shall turn the tide.
Bridge
Another sea lies yet ahead—
A rising tide of fear and dread;
The kingdoms surge like troubled seas
And rise against the LORD's decrees;
Yet He shall part that final flood
And bring us through by ransom blood,
Till on that shore we bless the Lamb
And praise the One who said, I AM!
Chorus
The LORD commands — the seas divide!
Behold the path through waters wide;
Stand firm, for God is on our side—
The LORD of hosts shall turn the tide.
Bridge
Another sea lies yet ahead—
A rising tide of fear and dread;
The kingdoms surge like troubled seas
And rise against the LORD's decrees;
Yet He shall part that final flood
And bring us through by ransom blood,
Till on that shore we bless the Lamb
And praise the One who said, I AM!
Chorus
The LORD commands — the seas divide!
Behold the path through waters wide;
Stand firm, for God is on our side—
The LORD of hosts shall turn the tide.
Music and lyrics: Public Domain / CC0 1.0 Universal · Sound recording: Public Domain / CC0 1.0 Universal.