Psalm 114:8 kjv
Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.
Psalm 114:8 nkjv
Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of waters.
Psalm 114:8 niv
who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.
Psalm 114:8 esv
who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.
Psalm 114:8 nlt
He turned the rock into a pool of water;
yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock.
Psalm 114 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 17:6 | "Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock...you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it..." | God commands Moses to strike the rock for water. |
| Num 20:10-11 | "Hear now, you rebels...Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice...and water came out abundantly..." | Second instance of water from rock. |
| Deut 8:15 | "...who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness...who brought you water out of the flinty rock..." | Recalling God's provision in the wilderness. |
| Psa 78:15-16 | "He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as from the great deep. He made streams come out of the rock..." | Recounts the miracle for context. |
| Psa 78:20 | "He struck the rock so that water gushed out..." | Further confirmation of the miracle. |
| Psa 105:41 | "He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed in rivers through the desert..." | Emphasizes the abundance of the provision. |
| Isa 41:18 | "I will make rivers in the bare heights...make the desert a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water." | Prophecy echoing God's transformative power. |
| Isa 43:20 | "...for I provide water in the wilderness, streams in the desert..." | God as provider, mirroring past miracles. |
| Neh 9:15 | "You gave them bread from heaven...and water from the rock for their thirst." | Nehemiah's prayer recalling divine provision. |
| Job 28:9-10 | "(Man) puts his hand on the flinty rock and overturns mountains by the roots. He cuts out channels in the rocks..." | Man's limited ability vs God's miraculous power. |
| 1 Cor 10:4 | "and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ." | New Testament interpretation; Christ as the Rock. |
| Rev 21:6 | "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment." | Ultimate divine provision of spiritual life. |
| John 4:10 | "Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, "Give me a drink," you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.'" | Jesus as the source of living water. |
| John 7:38 | "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" | Spiritual water for believers. |
| Psa 65:9 | "You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water..." | God's general provision of water to creation. |
| Psa 107:35 | "He turns a desert into a pool of water, a thirsty ground into springs of water..." | Echoes the transforming power of God. |
| Hab 3:8 | "...Was your wrath against the rivers, O Yahweh, or against the sea, that you rode on your horses, your chariots of salvation?" | God's power over waters and natural elements. |
| Psa 95:1-3 | "Oh come, let us sing to the Lord...for the Lord is a great God...in his hand are the depths of the earth..." | God's sovereignty over creation and its elements. |
| Deut 32:13 | "...and he made him suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock." | Similar imagery of provision from unlikely sources. |
| Psa 23:2 | "He leads me beside still waters." | God's gentle, comforting provision. |
| Jer 2:13 | "...They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns..." | Contrasts God as the true source of water with idols. |
| Zech 14:8 | "On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem..." | Prophetic vision of eschatological life-giving water. |
Psalm 114 verses
Psalm 114 8 Meaning
Psalm 114:8 declares God's awesome power demonstrated during the Exodus, specifically His ability to miraculously provide life-giving water from solid, unyielding stone. It highlights the transformation of the inert into the life-sustaining, affirming His sovereign control over creation for the sake of His people.
Psalm 114 8 Context
Psalm 114 is a magnificent hymn recounting God's glorious acts during the Exodus and the giving of the Law at Sinai. It belongs to the Hallel Psalms (Psa 113-118), sung especially during Passover, remembering Israel's liberation from Egypt. The entire psalm marvels at how all of nature – the sea, Jordan, mountains, hills – responded with fear and awe to the presence of God. Verse 8 is the culmination of this portrayal, showcasing God's specific, dramatic intervention to sustain His people by transforming inanimate, harsh rock into a life-giving source, directly referencing the miracles at Rephidim (Ex 17) and Kadesh (Num 20). It stands as a powerful declaration that the God who commands oceans and mountains can surely bring forth water from the driest stone.
Psalm 114 8 Word analysis
- which turned (הַהֹפְכִי - ha'hōp̄'ḵî): The root HPS means "to turn, to overthrow, to change, to transform." The participle form emphasizes God as the one who is continually or who habitually turns/transforms. This highlights God's ongoing capacity for profound, unexpected change, not just a one-time event. It signifies an act of divine re-ordering of creation's fundamental properties.
- the rock (הַצּוּר - ha'tsūr): This Hebrew word (צור) generally refers to a large rock or cliff, a stable and often unmoving geological feature. It denotes strength, solidity, and a sense of permanence, making its transformation into water an even greater demonstration of divine power.
- into a pool of water (לַאֲגַם־מָיִם - la'agam-mayim):
- pool (אֲגַם - agam): Implies a standing body of water, perhaps a still, calm reservoir. It suggests sufficiency and accessibility for the masses.
- water (מָיִם - mayim): The plural form often indicates abundance or a vast quantity of water. The provision was not a mere trickle but enough for a large multitude and their livestock.
- the flint (חַלָּמִישׁ - ḥallāmiš): This word is even stronger than "tsur," referring to hard, unyielding, impenetrable rock like flint or basalt. It suggests the absolute impossibility of human intervention. The use of both "rock" and "flint" in parallelism intensifies the miracle, demonstrating God's power over different, increasingly difficult, types of stone. It's a progression from challenging to utterly impossible from a human perspective.
- into a fountain of waters (לְמַעְיְנוֹ־מָיִם - l'maʿyĕnô-mayim):
- fountain (מַעְיָן - ma'yan): Denotes a spring, a flowing, continuous source of water. This contrasts with a "pool" (standing water) and indicates a never-ending, gushing supply.
- waters (מָיִם - mayim): Again, emphasizes the copious and living nature of the water provided.
- Words-group Analysis:
- "the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a a fountain of waters": This poetic parallelism builds in intensity. "Flint" is harder than "rock," and a "fountain" (flowing source) implies an even more dynamic and generous supply than a "pool" (still water). This progressive imagery underscores the escalating nature of God's miraculous power. It's not just a small act, but a super-abundant, life-sustaining transformation. The very elements that symbolize hardness and scarcity are rendered into symbols of life and plenty.
- Polemics: This verse inherently serves as a powerful polemic. In a world where fertility and water were often associated with local deities or natural cycles, this passage asserts that the God of Israel, YHWH, is the sole source of such miraculous provision, able to defy natural limitations and sustain His people even in the most barren places. It implicitly refutes any power attributed to Egyptian deities (who controlled the Nile) or Canaanite storm gods like Baal (who supposedly brought rain). YHWH provides life where there is no humanly conceivable way.
Psalm 114 8 Bonus section
- The use of inanimate objects like "rock" and "flint" responding to God's command further illustrates His ultimate authority over all creation. It’s not just Israel trembling before Him, but the very earth itself.
- This verse provides a crucial foundation for the New Testament understanding of Christ as the spiritual Rock (1 Cor 10:4) from whom believers draw life and spiritual sustenance. The physical provision of water prefigures the spiritual living water of Christ.
- The Psalm's inclusion in the Hallel Psalms means it was central to Israel's liturgical memory of deliverance, continually reminding them of the miraculous God who leads them through seemingly insurmountable challenges.
Psalm 114 8 Commentary
Psalm 114:8 acts as a climactic affirmation of God's unique and overwhelming power demonstrated during the Exodus. After declaring that the seas and mountains recoiled in the divine presence, the psalm specifies this divine authority by recalling the seemingly impossible act of extracting abundant water from rock. The transformation of a steadfast, solid "rock" into a ready "pool of water" and, more profoundly, the unyielding "flint" into a gushing "fountain of waters," highlights the progressive nature and magnitude of God's power. This isn't just about meeting a need; it's about the Creator manifesting His sovereignty by overturning natural laws to sustain His chosen people. The "fountain" speaks of not just a single provision but a continuous, life-giving flow. The passage serves as a reminder that with God, no situation is too hard, no resource too scarce, and no obstacle too great for Him to provide for those whom He calls His own. It underscores His faithfulness, provision, and mighty work in challenging circumstances.