Psalms 74:15
You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Psalms 74:15
You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse contrasts God's power by showing He can bring forth water from rock for His thirsty people and dry up mighty rivers like the Jordan to clear their path. This highlights His sovereignty over both scarcity and abundance, demonstrating His control over the very elements to serve His redemptive purposes.
The Psalmist is recounting God's mighty acts of salvation, primarily focusing on the Exodus from Egypt and the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. These powerful displays of God's strength, like dividing the sea and causing water to burst from a rock, are recalled to bolster faith during a time of national crisis and destruction. The verse immediately following will continue this theme by highlighting God's sovereignty over the very fabric of creation, the day and the night.
Imagine a vast, dry desert. Water is life itself. What happens when God turns solid rock into a gushing spring?
The Psalmist recalls God's incredible power to provide life-giving water in the most desolate places. "You split open springs and brooks" isn't just poetic language; it points to a specific, miraculous event. Remember when the Israelites were thirsty in the wilderness and cried out against Moses? God told Moses to strike the rock, and water flowed out (Exodus 17:1-7). This wasn't just a one-time trick; it was a demonstration of God's faithfulness and His ability to sustain His people even when all seems impossible. He can bring life and refreshment from the hardest, most unyielding places.
Crossing a mighty, flowing river is one thing. But what if the river itself vanished, leaving dry land?
The second part of the verse, "you dried up mighty rivers," points to another pivotal moment: the Israelites crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land (Joshua 3:14-17). Imagine the sheer power it took to halt the flow of such a substantial river! This wasn't just about getting them across; it was a divine sign. It showed that no obstacle, no matter how immense, could stand in the way of God's plan for His people. These acts demonstrate God's sovereign control over the very elements of creation, ensuring His promises are fulfilled.
Understand the original words
ma'yan · Hebrew Noun
A source of life and refreshing water; in the desert, they represent God’s providential care. Splitting them open signifies God’s power to bring life and sustenance in barren, impossible circumstances.
This verse recalls two powerful acts of God during the Exodus: providing water from a rock in the desert and drying up rivers for the Israelites' passage, demonstrating His control over the natural world for His people's deliverance.
c. 1440 BC
Israelites Cross the Red Sea
God miraculously parts the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to escape Pharaoh's pursuing army, which is then drowned when the waters return.
c. 1440 BC— this verse
Water from the Rock
In the wilderness of Sin, God commands Moses to strike a rock, from which water gushes forth to quench the thirst of the Israelites and their livestock.
c. 1400 BC
Israelites Cross the Jordan River
As the Israelites enter the Promised Land, the Jordan River's waters stop flowing upstream, allowing them to cross on dry ground.
This passage directly parallels the 'cleaving the fountain' imagery, describing God causing water to gush from a rock to quench the thirst of the Israelites in the desert.
Joshua 3:13-17This passage illustrates the 'drying up mighty rivers' imagery, detailing how the Jordan River ceased its flow so the Israelites could cross into the Promised Land.
Exodus 14:21-22While not a river, the parting of the Red Sea is a powerful example of God manipulating waters for His people's deliverance, showing His control over mighty bodies of water.
Psalm 78:15-16This Psalm recounts the same historical events, explicitly mentioning God striking the rock to produce streams and leading the people by a flood of waters, echoing Psalm 74:15.
Isaiah 43:1-2This prophetic passage assures God's people of His presence and protection through dangerous waters and fires, suggesting a continuation of His power over natural forces for their salvation.
pulpitPsalms 74:15: "Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers."
Verse 15. - Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood; rather, and the torrent (comp. Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:11). Thou driedst up mighty rivers; i.e. the Jordan (Joshua 3:13, et seqq.).
clarkePsalms 74:15: "Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers."
Thou didst cleave the fountain - Thou didst cleave the rock in the wilderness, of which all the congregation drank. Thou driedst up mighty rivers - Does not this refer to the cutting off the waters of the Jordan, so that the people passed over dryshod?
The verse contrasts God's power by showing He can bring forth water from rock for His thirsty people and dry up mighty rivers like the Jordan to clear their path. This highlights His sovereignty over both scarcity and abundance, demonstrating His control over the very elements to serve His redemptive purposes.
The Psalmist is recounting God's mighty acts of salvation, primarily focusing on the Exodus from Egypt and the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. These powerful displays of God's strength, like dividing the sea and causing water to burst from a rock, are recalled to bolster faith during a time of national crisis and destruction. The verse immediately following will continue this theme by highlighting God's sovereignty over the very fabric of creation, the day and the night.
The Psalmist is recounting God's mighty acts of salvation, primarily focusing on the Exodus from Egypt and the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. These powerful displays of God's strength, like dividing the sea and causing water to burst from a rock, are recalled to bolster faith during a time of national crisis and destruction. The verse immediately following will continue this theme by highlighting God's sovereignty over the very fabric of creation, the day and the night.
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"You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams." — The verse contrasts God's power by showing He can bring forth water from rock for His thirsty people and dry up mighty rivers like the Jordan to clear their path. This highlights His sovereignty ov…