TRV
Translation
King James Version
Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.
American Standard Version
Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of waters.
World English Bible Messianic
who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of waters.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Which turneth the rocke into waterpooles, and the flint into a fountaine of water.
Young's Literal Translation
He is turning the rock to a pool of waters, The flint to a fountain of waters!
In the KJVVerse 15,831 of 31,102
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Commentary on Psalms 114 verses 1–8
1 ¶ When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
2 Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.
3 The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.
5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;
8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.
The psalmist is here remembering the days of old, the years of the right hand of the Most High, and the wonders which their fathers told them of (Jdg 6:13), for time, as it does not wear out the guilt of sin, so it should not wear out the sense of mercy. Let it never be forgotten,
I. That God brought Israel out of the house of bondage with a high hand and a stretched-out arm: Israel went out of Egypt, Psa 114:1. They did not steal out clandestinely, nor were they driven out, but fairly went out, marched out with all the marks of honour; they went out from a barbarous people, that had used them barbarously, from a people of a strange language, Psa 81:5. The Israelites, it seems, preserved their own language pure among them, and cared not for learning the language of their oppressors. By this distinction from them they kept up an earnest of their deliverance.
II. That he himself framed their civil and sacred constitution (Psa 114:2): Judah and Israel were his sanctuary, his dominion. When he delivered them out of the hand of their oppressors it was that they might serve him both in holiness and in righteousness, in the duties of religious worship and in obedience to the moral law, in their whole conversation. Let my people go, that they may serve me. In order to this, 1. He set up his sanctuary among them, in which he gave them the special tokens of his presence with them and promised to receive their homage and tribute. Happy are the people that have God's sanctuary among them (see Exo 25:8, Eze 37:26), much more those that, like Judah here, are his sanctuaries, his living temples, on whom Holiness to the Lord is written. 2. He set up his dominion among them, was himself their lawgiver and their judge, and their government was a theocracy: The Lord was their King. All the world is God's dominion, but Israel was so in a peculiar manner. What is God's sanctuary must be his dominion. Those only have the privileges of his house that submit to the laws of it; and for this end Christ has redeemed us that he might bring us into God's service and engage us for ever in it.
III. That the Red Sea was divided before them at their coming out of Egypt, both for their rescue and the ruin of their enemies; and the river Jordan, when they entered into Canaan, for their honour, and the confusion and terror of their enemies (Psa 114:3): The sea saw it, saw there that Judah was God's sanctuary, and Israel his dominion, and therefore fled; for nothing could be more awful. It was this that drove Jordan back, and was an invincible dam to his streams; God was at the head of that people, and therefore they must give way to them, must make room for them, they must retire, contrary to their nature, when God speaks the word. To illustrate this the psalmist asks, in a poetical strain (Psa 114:5), What ailed thee, O thou sea! that thou fleddest? And furnishes the sea with an answer (Psa 114:7); it was at the presence of the Lord. This is designed to express, 1. The reality of the miracle, that it was not by any power of nature, or from any natural cause, but it was at the presence of the Lord, who gave the word. 2. The mercy of the miracle: What ailed thee? Was it in a frolic? Was it only to amuse men? No; it was at the presence of the God of Jacob; it was in kindness to the Israel of God, for the salvation of that chosen people, that God was thus displeased against the rivers, and his wrath was against the sea, as the prophet speaks, Hab 3:8-13; Isa 51:10; Isa 63:11, etc. 3. The wonder and surprise of the miracle. Who would have thought of such a thing? Shall the course of nature be changed, and its fundamental laws dispensed with, to serve a turn for God's Israel? Well may the dukes of Edom be amazed and the mighty men of Moab tremble, Exo 15:15. 4. The honour hereby put upon Israel, who are taught to triumph over the sea, and Jordan, as unable to stand before them. Note, There is no sea, no Jordan, so deep, so broad, but, when God's time shall come for the redemption of his people, it shall be divided and driven back if it stand in their way. Apply this, (1.) To the planting of the Christian church in the world. What ailed Satan and the powers of darkness, that they trembled and truckled as they did? Mar 1:34. What ailed the heathen oracles, that they were silenced, struck dumb, struck dead? What ailed their idolatries and witchcrafts, that they died away before the gospel, and melted like snow before the sun? What ailed the persecutors and opposers of the gospel, that they gave up their cause, hid their guilty heads, and called to rocks and mountains for shelter? Rev 6:15. It was at the presence of the Lord, and that power which went along with the gospel. (2.) To the work of grace in the heart. What turns the stream in a regenerate soul? What ails the lusts and corruptions, that they fly back, that the prejudices are removed and the whole man has become new? It is at the presence of God's Spirit that imaginations are cast down, Co2 10:5.
IV. That the earth shook and trembled when God came down on Mount Sinai to give the law (Psa 114:4): The mountains skipped like rams, and then the little hills might well be excused if they skipped like lambs, either when they are frightened or when they sport themselves. The same power that fixed the fluid waters and made them stand still shook the stable mountains and made them tremble for all the powers of nature are under the check of the God of nature. Mountains and hills are, before God, but like rams and lambs; even the bulkiest and the most rocky are as manageable by him as they are by the shepherd. The trembling of the mountains before the Lord may shame the stupidity and obduracy of the children of men, who are not moved at the discoveries of his glory. The psalmist asks the mountains and hills what ailed them to skip thus; and he answers for them, as for the seas, it was at the presence of the Lord, before whom, not only those mountains, but the earth itself, may well tremble (Psa 114:7), since it has lain under a curse for man's sin. See Psa 104:32; Isa 64:3, Isa 64:4. He that made the hills and mountains to skip thus can, when he pleases, dissipate the strength and spirit of the proudest of his enemies and make them tremble.
V. That God supplied them with water out of the rock, which followed them through the dry and sandy deserts. Well may the earth and all its inhabitants tremble before that God who turned the rock into a standing water (Psa 114:8), and what cannot he do who did that? The same almighty power that turned waters into a rock to be a wall to Israel (Exo 14:22) turned the rock into waters to be a well to Israel: as they were protected, so they were provided for, by miracles, standing miracles; for such was the standing water, that fountain of waters into which the rock, the flinty rock, was turned, and that rock was Christ, Co1 10:4. For he is a fountain of living waters to his Israel, from whom they receive grace for grace.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–8. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 114
"Who turned the hard rock into standing waters, and the flint stone into springing wells" [Psalm 114:8]. For He melted Himself, and what may be called His hardness to water those who believe in Him, that He might in them become "a fountain of water gushing forth unto everlasting life;" [John 4:14] because formerly, when He was not known, He seemed hard. Hence they who said, "This is an hard saying, who can bear it?" [John 6:60] were confounded, and waited not until He should flow and stream upon them when the Scriptures were revealed. The rock, that hardness, was turned into pools of water, that stone into fountains of waters, when on His resurrection, "He expounded unto them, commencing with Moses and all the prophets, how Christ ought to suffer thus;" [Luke 24:26-27] and sent the Holy Ghost, of whom He said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink." [John 7:37]
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalm 114:8 serves as the powerful culmination of a dramatic hymn celebrating God's awe-inspiring deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage and their miraculous journey through the wilderness. This verse highlights the Creator's absolute sovereignty over nature, specifically His ability to transform the hardest elements—rock and flint—into life-sustaining water, underscoring His boundless power and unwavering faithfulness to provide for His people in the most desolate and seemingly impossible circumstances.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 114:8, like the entire psalm, is rich in poetic artistry. A prominent device is Personification, where the "rock" and "flint" are implicitly portrayed as responding to God's command, yielding their essence as if they possess agency. This continues the psalm's earlier personification of the sea, Jordan, and mountains. The description of turning solid rock into flowing water employs Hyperbole to magnify God's power; while literally true in the biblical account, the poetic language emphasizes the extraordinary, almost unbelievable nature of the event, pushing beyond mere factual reporting to evoke awe. There is a powerful Contrast at play, juxtaposing the extreme hardness, barrenness, and lifelessness of "rock" and "flint" with the life-giving, flowing abundance of "standing water" and a "fountain of waters." This vivid imagery creates a striking picture of divine transformation and omnipotence. The use of Parallelism ("the rock...standing water" and "the flint...fountain of waters") is also evident, characteristic of Hebrew poetry, where the second line reinforces or expands upon the first, adding emphasis and depth to the miraculous act and highlighting the comprehensive nature of God's power.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 114:8 serves as a profound theological statement on God's absolute sovereignty, particularly His power over creation and His unwavering commitment to His covenant people. It is a testament to the fact that God is not limited by natural laws or human impossibilities; He can transform the most desolate and unyielding circumstances into sources of life and provision. This verse reminds us that the God who delivered Israel from Egypt and sustained them in the wilderness is the same God who remains active in the world, capable of providing for His people in every need. It underscores the theme of divine care and the miraculous nature of God's intervention in human history, offering a powerful assurance of His ever-present help and boundless resources for those who trust in Him.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 114:8 offers a timeless message of hope and radical trust for believers today. In a world often characterized by scarcity, hardship, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles, this verse assures us that our God is a God of limitless power and boundless provision. When we face "rock-like" situations—circumstances that appear hard, unyielding, and devoid of hope or solution—this psalm calls us to remember the God who turned flint into a fountain. It encourages us to cultivate a radical trust in His ability to provide, to transform, and to sustain, even when our own resources and strength are utterly depleted. This verse is a powerful reminder that God's faithfulness is not contingent on our circumstances but on His unchanging character. It invites us to look beyond the immediate barrenness and anticipate the miraculous outpouring of His grace, comfort, and provision in our lives, knowing that the same God who cared for ancient Israel continues to care for His people today, bringing life and abundance even from the most unexpected and seemingly impossible sources.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "standing water" versus "fountain of waters" in this verse?
Answer: The distinction between "standing water" (מַיִם, mayim) and "fountain of waters" (מַעְיָן מַיִם, ma'yan mayim) in Psalms 114:8 is primarily a poetic parallelism, but it also subtly enhances the imagery of God's abundant provision. "Standing water" suggests a pool or reservoir, implying a stable and accessible source of water that can be drawn from. This might allude to the initial gushing of water that then collected into a usable body. "Fountain of waters," on the other hand, evokes a gushing, continuous, and fresh spring, signifying an unending supply. Together, these phrases emphasize the comprehensive nature of God's miracle: not just a temporary trickle, but a sustained, abundant, and life-giving flow that met the needs of a vast multitude in the wilderness. It underscores that God's provision is both stable and dynamically overflowing, sufficient for all needs. The use of two distinct terms for water, mirroring the two terms for hard stone ("rock" and "flint"), serves to intensify the miraculous transformation and the lavishness of God's grace, demonstrating His complete mastery over creation.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalm 114:8, with its vivid imagery of water gushing from the rock, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul explicitly identifies this wilderness rock with Christ, stating in 1 Corinthians 10:4 that the Israelites "drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ." This theological connection transforms the ancient miracle from a mere historical event into a powerful type and shadow of the living water that Christ provides. Just as the physical rock provided life-sustaining water in the barren desert, Jesus Christ, the ultimate "Rock of Salvation" (Psalm 62:7), offers spiritual life and refreshment to a thirsty world. He declared, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink" (John 7:37), promising that "Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again" (John 4:14). Thus, the turning of rock into water in Psalm 114:8 prefigures Christ's ultimate provision of the Holy Spirit and eternal life, satisfying the deepest spiritual thirst of humanity and demonstrating God's ultimate power to bring forth life from the most unexpected and seemingly barren source—the crucified and resurrected Savior, who poured out His Spirit for all who believe.