Or HaChaim on Exodus 15:11/אור החיים על שמות ט״ו:י״א

1 מי כמוך באלים השם, "Who is comparable to You amongst the deities O Lord?" Israel describes that they had seen the guardian angel of Egypt die; hence they could say that absolutely no celestial force compares to the Lord our G'd.

2Another dimension of this verse is based on an observation in Chagigah 16 where our sages draw a comparison between G'd and terrestrial kings. The latter is unrecognisable when he chooses to hide amongst his people (soldiers). G'd is never unrecognisable when He is surrounded by His armies. The word באלים means that even when G'd is amongst celestial forces, He is immediately recognised as such.

3According to the Mechilta there is still another meaning to this comparison between G'd and other powers; whereas a king of flesh and blood inspires greater fear amongst his distant subjects than amongst those near at home, the reverse is true of G'd as we know from Leviticus 10,3: בקרובי אקדש. The composer of this song bemoans the fact that in the "distance," i.e. in the celestial regions, G'd is revered at all times, whereas here on earth He is revered only when He displays such miracles as the splitting of the sea, i.e. when He is נאדר בקדש.

4Still another meaning of the comparison drawn by the composer of this song is based on Daniel 7,10 where the waters of the mythical river Dinor are described as the product of the sweat of the Chayot [permanent kind of angels Ed.] which proclaim the holiness of G'd and to whom this is an awe-inspiring experience, i.e. נאדר בקודש (compare Chagigah 13).

5נורא תהלות עשה פלא, "fearful in praises doing wonders?" Everyone ought to be afraid to tell His praises seeing His deeds are so wonderful that no one is able to acknowledge them adequately. How dare one even express an appreciation of G'd's wonderful works knowing one's own inadequacy?