Psalms 104:13

13 Watering hills from His upper chambers, From the fruit of Thy works is the earth satisfied.

Psalms 104:13 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 104:13

He watereth the hills from his chambers
The house of his superior treasures, as the Targum. The airy regions, ( Psalms 104:3 ) with the clouds of heaven, by the rain which they drop down upon them; the usefulness of which blessings of nature is largely described in this and some following verses. "The hills", which are naturally dry and barren, and receive but little advantage from the springs, fountains, and rivers below, are supplied with water from above; and become fruitful, bear herbage, and are clothed with flocks. This seems to refer to the first rain that was upon the earth, ( Genesis 2:5 Genesis 2:6 ) and which favour is continued to all lands, excepting some part of the land of Egypt, and in all ages since; see ( Psalms 65:9-13 ) . So ministers of the word, who are set in the first place, and are eminent in the church of God, and who water others, are watered themselves with the gifts and graces of the Spirit descending from above, as the apostles were, in an extraordinary manner, at the day of Pentecost; and as others in a more ordinary manner daily are. So likewise the churches of Christ, comparable to hills and mountains for firmness and visibility, and the several members thereof, are watered with the dews of divine favour, with the rain of the divine word; which comes down from heaven as the rain does, and drops and distils like that; and with the grace of the divine Spirit, whereby their souls become as a watered garden, whose springs fail not.

The earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works;
with the fruits which grow out of it by means of rain, as are after mentioned; herbs, grass, and trees, so Aben Ezra: or with the influences of the heavens, which are the work of God's hands, and by which the earth is made fruitful; or more particularly with the virtue and efficacy of the rain, so Kimchi; which is the Lord's peculiar work, ( Jeremiah 14:22 ) . This the earth drinking in, is as satisfied with as a thirsty man is with drinking a draught of water; see ( Deuteronomy 11:11 ) ( Hebrews 6:7 ) . So the people of God, comparable to the good earth that drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, are satisfied with the love of God, with the blessings of his grace, with the doctrines of his Gospel, and with the ordinances of his house.

Psalms 104:13 In-Context

11 They water every beast of the field, Wild asses break their thirst.
12 By them the fowl of the heavens doth dwell, From between the branches They give forth the voice.
13 Watering hills from His upper chambers, From the fruit of Thy works is the earth satisfied.
14 Causing grass to spring up for cattle, And herb for the service of man, To bring forth bread from the earth,
15 And wine -- it rejoiceth the heart of man, To cause the face to shine from oil, And bread -- the heart of man it supporteth.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.