Midrasch zu Tehillim 40:2

Another interpretation [(of Exod. 15:1): THEN (az) SANG MOSES….] This text is related (to Ps. 40:2 [1]): I WAITED PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD…. R. Pinhas ben Hama the Priest said: If you waited patiently and he did not come, continue to wait. David said (in Ps. 27:14): WAIT FOR THE LORD; [BE STRONG AND LET YOUR HEART TAKE COURAGE! O WAIT FOR THE LORD]. If he came, your expectation was right. If not, continue to WAIT FOR THE LORD. David said (in Ps. 40:2 [1]): I WAITED PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD. Because of the waiting, (ibid., cont.:) HE INCLINED TOWARD ME AND HEARD MY CRY. (Exod. 2:24:) AND GOD HEARD THEIR MOANING…. (Ps. 40:3 [2]:) AND HE RAISED ME UP FROM THE PIT OF DESOLATION, FROM THE MIRY CLAY…, <i.e.,> from the clay of bricks. (Ibid.:) AND HE SET MY FEET UPON A ROCK, in that he gave me the booty of Egypt and the booty of the sea. {(Ibid., cont.:) HE ESTABLISHED MY STEPS.} (Ps. 40:4 [3]:) AND HE HAS PUT A NEW SONG IN MY MOUTH. (Exod. 15:1) THEN (az) SANG MOSES. What is the meaning of (az)? With an az the Holy One made the dry land into sea for the generation of Enosh. It is so stated (in Gen. 4:26): THEN (az) THERE WAS PROFANATION IN CALLING <OTHER GODS> BY THE NAME OF THE LORD.³¹The verse is consistently understood in this sense throughout Rabbinic literature. Thus the wickedness resulting in the flood had its beginning in the generation of Enosh. But for us he made the sea into dry land. With az we praised him.³²The midrash is alluding here to Exod. 15:1: THEN (az) SANG MOSES…. See above, Gen. 1:32; below, Lev. 6:14.