21 The waters of the Red Sea are here personified; they are portrayed as seeing God and fearing him.
22 The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.
23 The words “of the sea” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
24 The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.
25 Heb “water.”
26 Heb “a sound the clouds gave.”
27 The lightning accompanying the storm is portrayed as the Lord’s “arrows” (see v. 18).
28 The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force. Verses 16–18 depict the Lord coming in the storm to battle his enemies and subdue the sea. There is no record of such a storm in the historical account of the Red Sea crossing. The language the psalmist uses here is stereotypical and originates in Canaanite myth, where the storm god Baal subdues the sea in his quest for kingship. The psalmist has employed the stereotypical imagery to portray the exodus vividly and at the same time affirm that it is not Baal who subdues the sea, but Yahweh.
29 Heb “in the sea [was] your way.”
30 Heb “and your paths [were] in the mighty waters.”
31 Heb “and your footprints were not known.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

When the waters saw you, O God,

when the waters saw you, they were afraid;

indeed, the deep trembled.

The clouds poured out water;

the skies gave forth thunder;

your arrows flashed on every side.

The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;

your lightnings lighted up the world;

the earth trembled and shook.

Your way was through the sea,

your path through the great waters;

yet your footprints were unseen.

You led your people like a flock

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The waters saw you, God,

the waters saw you and writhed;

the very depths were convulsed.

The clouds poured down water,

the heavens resounded with thunder;

your arrows flashed back and forth.

Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,

your lightning lit up the world;

the earth trembled and quaked.

Your path led through the sea,

your way through the mighty waters,

though your footprints were not seen.

You led your people like a flock

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The water saw you, God.

The water saw you; it trembled.

Even the depths shook.

The clouds poured down water.

The storm clouds thundered;

your arrows flashed back and forth.

The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind;

lightning lit up the world.

The earth shook and quaked.

Your way went through the sea

and your path through the vast water,

but your footprints were unseen.

You led your people like a flock

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

NLTNew Living Translation

When the Red Sea saw you, O God,

its waters looked and trembled!

The sea quaked to its very depths.

The clouds poured down rain;

the thunder rumbled in the sky.

Your arrows of lightning flashed.

Your thunder roared from the whirlwind;

the lightning lit up the world!

The earth trembled and shook.

Your road led through the sea,

your pathway through the mighty waters—

a pathway no one knew was there!

You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep,

with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Waters saw you, O God;

waters saw you and they trembled.

Surely the deeps shook.

The clouds poured out water.

The skies thundered.

Your arrows also flew about.

The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind;

lightnings lit the world;

the earth shook and quaked.

Your way was through the sea,

and your path through many waters.

Yet your footprints were not discerned.

You led your people like a flock

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

KJV 1900King James Version

The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid:

The depths also were troubled.

The clouds poured out water:

The skies sent out a sound:

Thine arrows also went abroad.

The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven:

The lightnings lightened the world:

The earth trembled and shook.

Thy way is in the sea,

And thy path in the great waters,

And thy footsteps are not known.

Thou leddest thy people like a flock

By the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Public Domain