Psalm 104:10-14
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It's easy to read this as simply describing nature, but the wording reveals God's active, intentional provision. The verse highlights not just that springs exist, but that God sends them, emphasizing His direct hand in bringing life-giving water to even the most ordinary places, like valleys and hillsides.
You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills; they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage unfolds within a larger poetic reflection on God's creation and sustenance of the world. Following descriptions of the vast seas and the separation of land from water, the psalm now focuses on how God provides fresh water, crucial for life, by making springs flow from the earth's hidden depths. This deliberate act of provision sets the stage for the abundance of life – from wild animals to birds – that thrives in these life-giving valleys and hills.
Have you ever wondered how water gets to the valleys and hills, especially in dry places? It’s a divine design at work, far more intricate than we might imagine.
The verse speaks of God sending springs into the valleys that flow among the hills. This isn't just a pretty picture; it describes a profound hydrological cycle that’s essential for life.
A Grand Design
The psalm doesn't just talk about water for us; it points to a broader generosity. Who else does God provide for, even in the wildest places?
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The text points out that these springs and rivers don't just benefit humans; they sustain all animal life. It's a beautiful reminder of God's expansive care.
Provisions for All Creatures
Understand the original words
ma'yan · Hebrew Noun
Natural sources of water that emerge from the ground. They are frequently used in Scripture as symbols of God's sustaining grace, life-giving provision, and the refreshing nature of His presence.
chayto · Hebrew Noun
A generic term for untamed, terrestrial animals, often contrasted with humanity in the created order to highlight God's sovereign care for all creatures.
aliyah · Hebrew Noun
A poetic reference to God’s dwelling place, emphasizing His transcendence, majesty, and position as the Creator-King who rules from above the created realm.
peri · Hebrew Noun
The Hebrew term used here denotes the result, bounty, or productivity of God’s creative activity, demonstrating that the world's fertility is a divine gift.
behemah · Hebrew Noun
Often synonymous with domesticated cattle or grazing animals, representing those creatures dependent upon the ground's bounty which God provides.
This passage describes the initial separation of land and water during creation, setting the stage for the springs and rivers mentioned in Psalms that sustain life.
Job 38:8-11Here, God directly questions Job about His control over the seas, setting boundaries for the powerful waters, which resonates with the Psalmist's depiction of God managing water sources.
Isaiah 41:17-18This prophecy speaks of God turning the desert into a watery place and making streams flow in barren land, mirroring the Psalmist's theme of God providing water in dry places.
John 4:14Jesus speaks of Himself as the source of 'living water' that springs up to eternal life, offering a spiritual parallel to the life-giving physical springs described in the Psalm.
Revelation 21:1This verse mentions a 'new heaven and a new earth' where there is no sea, pointing to a future, perfected creation where God's provision of life-sustaining elements will be transformed.
bensonPsalms 104:10: "He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills."
Psalm 104:10-11 . He sendeth the springs — “The waters of the sea are not only prevented from destroying the earth, but, by a wonderful machinery, are rendered the means of preserving every living thing which moveth thereon. Partly ascending from the great deep, through the strata of the earth, partly exhaled in vapour, from the surface of the ocean, into the air, and from thence falling in rain, especially on…
calvinPsalms 104:10-15: "He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills."
- Sending out springs by the valleys, which shall run between [182] the hills. 11. All the beasts of the field shall drink thereof: the wild asses [183] shall quench [184] their thirst. 12. Nigh them the fowls of the air shall dwell, from the midst of the branches they shall send out their voice. [185] 13. Watering the mountains from his chambers: the earth shall be satisfied from the fruit of thy [186] wo…
It's easy to read this as simply describing nature, but the wording reveals God's active, intentional provision. The verse highlights not just that springs exist, but that God sends them, emphasizing His direct hand in bringing life-giving water to even the most ordinary places, like valleys and hillsides.
This passage unfolds within a larger poetic reflection on God's creation and sustenance of the world. Following descriptions of the vast seas and the separation of land from water, the psalm now focuses on how God provides fresh water, crucial for life, by making springs flow from the earth's hidden depths. This deliberate act of provision sets the stage for the abundance of life – from wild animals to birds – that thrives in these life-giving valleys and hills.
This passage unfolds within a larger poetic reflection on God's creation and sustenance of the world. Following descriptions of the vast seas and the separation of land from water, the psalm now focuses on how God provides fresh water, crucial for life, by making springs flow from the earth's hidden depths. This deliberate act of provision sets the stage for the abundance of life – from wild animals to birds – that thrives in these life-giving valleys and hills.
"You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills; they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among…" — It's easy to read this as simply describing nature, but the wording reveals God's active, intentional provision. The verse highlights not just that springs exist, but that God sends them, emphasi…
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Last reviewed October 2026
