Psalms 74:15

15 (73-15) Thou hast broken up the fountains and the torrents: thou hast dried up the Ethan rivers.

Psalms 74:15 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 74:15

Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood
That is, the rocks at Horeb and at Kadesh, from whence water flowed as out of a fountain, and became a flood, whereby the people of Israel were supplied with water in the wilderness, and also their beasts; and from this instance it may be concluded that God will not leave his people, nor suffer them to want, but will supply all their need while they are in the wilderness, and will open fountains and rivers for them, ( Isaiah 41:17 Isaiah 41:18 ) he himself is a fountain of living water; Christ is the fountain of gardens, and the Spirit and his grace a well of living water springing up unto everlasting life:

thou driedst up mighty rivers;
the river of Jordan, called "mighty", as Kimchi says, because by its strength it overflowed all its banks and "rivers", and because other rivers flowed into it; this was dried up, or way was made through it, as on dry land, for the people of Israel to pass into Canaan, ( Joshua 3:14 Joshua 3:15 ) , the Targum is,

``thou hast dried up the fords and brooks of Hermon, and the fords of Jabbok and Jordan;''

see ( Numbers 21:14 Numbers 21:24 ) , and the Lord, that did this, is able to dry up, and will dry up, the river Euphrates, as is foretold, ( Revelation 16:12 ) , that is, destroy the Turkish empire, and make way for the spread of the Gospel in the eastern parts of the world; to which reference is had in ( Isaiah 11:15 Isaiah 11:16 ) .

Psalms 74:15 In-Context

13 (73-13) Thou by thy strength didst make the sea firm: thou didst crush the heads of the dragons in the waters.
14 (73-14) Thou hast broken the heads of the dragon: thou hast given him to be meat for the people of the Ethiopians.
15 (73-15) Thou hast broken up the fountains and the torrents: thou hast dried up the Ethan rivers.
16 (73-16) Thine is the day, and thine is the night: thou hast made the morning light and the sun.
17 (73-17) Thou hast made all the borders of the earth: the summer and the spring were formed by thee.
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