The works of My hands are drowning in the sea, and you would utter song in My presence?

“…one could not come near the other all through the night.” (Exodus 14:20)

When the Holy One was about to drown the Egyptians in the sea, Uzza, the heavenly prince of Egypt rose up and prostrated himself before the Holy One, saying “Master of the Universe, You created the world by the measure of mercy. Why then do You wish to drown my children?” The Holy One gathered the entirely heavenly household and said to them: You judge between Me and Uzza, the prince of Egypt. At that, the heavenly princes of the other nations began to speak up on behalf of Egypt.

When the angel Michael perceived this, he gave the sign to Gabriel, who in one swoop darted down to Egypt, where he pulled out a brick with its clay enclosing a dead infant who had been buried alive in the pyramid. He then came back, stood before the Holy One, and said: “Master of the Universe, thus did the Egyptians enslave your children.” The Holy One then sat in judgment over the Egyptians in accord with the measure of justice and drowned them in the sea.

In that instance, the ministering angels began to sing songs of praise before the Holy One, but He rebuked them, saying “The works of My hands are drowning in the sea, and you would utter song in My presence?!?” [Sanhedrin 39b / BoL 75:86]