Did Moses Sing or Will He Sing? 

Past or future tense?

In the Talmud (Sanhedrin 91b), a special conclusion is drawn from the first line of Exodus 15:1. It is usually translated “Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song.” 

But if we take the phrase by itself it could also be read as “Then Moses and the sons of Israel will sing this song.” (The Hebrew uses the verb form ישיר which could be read as a future tense.) According to Rabbi Meir in Sanhedrin 91b this “He will sing” in the future tense is a proof for the resurrection of the dead.

Rashi

Rashi correctly points out that in context the simple meaning of the text is not directly indicating a future singing. He explains the verse and the form of the verb as “When he saw the miracle it entered his mind that he should sing.” (Rashi gives additional examples of such usage in the Hebrew Bible.)

Still, Moses Will Sing Again…

Still, when we consider, as we did in the article “Reaching the other shore of the exile”, how the Song of the Sea echoes all the way into the Messianic age we could say that Rabbi Meir was onto something. Because Moses and Israel will sing it again. “And you will say in that day … the L-RD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:1-2, Exodus 15:2). And yes, His salvation makes a way even through death.