The Mekhilta offers a variant reading of "He is high on high" (Exodus 15:1) that relocates the mutual exaltation from Egypt to the Red Sea itself. In this version, the back-and-forth between God and Israel took place not over the course of the Exodus narrative but in a single concentrated moment at the waters.
God exalted Israel at the sea. The proof: "And the angel of God who went before the camp of Israel moved and went behind them" (Exodus 14:19). The divine angel shifted from leading the Israelites to standing behind them as a rear guard against the pursuing Egyptians. This repositioning was itself an act of exaltation — God placed His angelic protection between Israel and their enemies, elevating the entire nation to the status of a people worth shielding with heaven's own forces.
Israel, in turn, exalted God at the sea by singing. "I shall sing to the Lord for He is high on high." Their song was not merely gratitude. It was an act of exaltation — lifting God's name before all the nations who would hear of the miracle. When Israel sang, every nation in the ancient world took notice. The song itself became the mechanism of God's glorification among the peoples of the earth.
This variant strips the teaching down to a single scene. No background in Egypt, no buildup over months. Just God protecting Israel with His angel, and Israel responding with song. Two acts, perfectly matched, perfectly simultaneous — mutual exaltation in its purest form.