Psalms 114:8
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who turned the rock into a pool, the flint into a fountain of water!
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The writer celebrates the deliverance from extreme perils by which he was favored, and pledges grateful and pious public acknowledgments. (Psa. 116:1-19) A truly grateful love will be evinced by acts of worship, which calling on God expresses (Psa 116:13; Psa 55:16; Psa 86:7; compare Psa 17:6; Psa 31:2).
Open source ↗Which turned the rock into a standing water,.... Both at Rephidim and at Kadesh; which being smitten, streams of water flowed out like rivers, as if the rock itself was changed into water; and which came a constant and continual supply for the Israelites, for it is said to follow them; see Exo 17:6. The flint into a fountain of waters; referring to the same thing, the rocks were flinty ones. This was a type of Christ the Rock; who has an abiding fulness of grace in him; is the fountain of it, from whence it flows in great abundance for the supply of his people's wants, while passing through this wilderness to Canaan's land. Next: Psalms Chapter 115
Open source ↗The deliverance of Israel out of Egypt gave birth to their church and nation, which were then founded, then formed; that work of wonder ought therefore to be had in everlasting remembrance. God gloried in it, in the preface to the ten commandments, and Hos 11:1, "Out of Egypt have I called my son." In this psalm it is celebrated in lively strains of praise; it was fitly therefore made a part of the great Hallelujah, or song of praise, which the Jews were wont to sing at the close of the passover-supper. It must never be forgotten, I. That they were brought out of slavery (Psa 114:1). II. That God set up his tabernacle among them (Psa 114:2). III. That the sea and Jordan were divided before them (Psa 114:3, Psa 114:5). IV. That the earth shook at the giving of the law, when God came down on Mount Sinai (Psa 114:4, Psa 114:6, Psa 114:7). V. That God gave them water out of the rock (Psa 114:8). In singing this psalm we must acknowledge God's power and goodness in what he did for Israel, applying it to the much greater work of wonder, our redemption by Christ, and encouraging ourselves and others to trust in God in the greatest straits.
Open source ↗114:8 The Lord miraculously provided for his people in hard times after the Exile, just as he had done in the wilderness after the Exodus.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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He turns a desert into pools of water and a dry land into flowing springs.
He led you through the vast and terrifying wilderness with its venomous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty and waterless land. He brought you water from the rock of flint.
Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink.
He opened a rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.
Behold, I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. And when you strike the rock, water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.
and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven; in their thirst You brought them water from the rock. You told them to go in and possess the land which You had sworn to give them.