Psalm 105:41

He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(41) Rock.—The Hebrew tsûr refers us to the miracle at Horeb.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

105:24-45 As the believer commonly thrives best in his soul when under the cross; so the church also flourishes most in true holiness, and increases in number, while under persecution. Yet instruments shall be raised up for their deliverance, and plagues may be expected by persecutors. And see the special care God took of his people in the wilderness. All the benefits bestowed on Israel as a nation, were shadows of spiritual blessings with which we are blessed in Christ Jesus. Having redeemed us with his blood, restored our souls to holiness, and set us at liberty from Satan's bondage, he guides and guards us all the way. He satisfies our souls with the bread of heaven, and the water of life from the Rock of salvation, and will bring us safely to heaven. He redeems his servants from all iniquity, and purifies them unto himself, to be a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He opened the rock ... - See the notes at Psalm 78:15. "They ran in the dry places like a river." Or, "a river." They flowed along in the desert - a river of waters. See the notes at 1 Corinthians 10:4.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

39. covering—in sense of protection (compare Ex 13:21; Nu 10:34). In the burning sands of the desert the cloud protected the congregation from the heat of the sun; an emblem of God's protecting favor of His people, as interpreted by Isaiah (Isa 4:5, 6; compare Nu 9:16).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

They flowed in channels which God provided for them, and followed the Israelite’s in their march, as is noted, 1 Corinthians 10:4. Hence they complained no more of want of water till they came to Kadesh, Numbers 20, which was many years after this time.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out,.... That is, God opened the rock, who before is said to spread the cloud, and bring the quails, for it was a miraculous affair; or Moses, by divine orders, which was done by smiting it, when waters flowed out in great abundance, sufficient to give drink to men and beasts, and which continued, Exodus 17:6. This was typical of Christ the Rock, 1 Corinthians 10:4, and of the opening of his side, from whence flowed blood and water, John 19:34 and of his being smitten with the rod of justice, and by the law of Moses, from whom flow abundance of grace, and the blessings of it, freely to all his people; See Gill on Psalm 78:15. See Gill on Psalm 78:16.

They ran in the dry places like a river; and did not sink and soak into them, but continued their flow, and followed the Israelites, wherever they went; see 1 Corinthians 10:4.

Geneva Study Bible

He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

41. the rock] In Rephidim, Exodus 17:1 ff. A different word (‘cliff’) is used in Numbers 20:8 ff. The language is borrowed from Psalm 78:15-16; Psalm 78:20 : cp. Isaiah 41:18; Isaiah 48:21.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 41. - He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out (see Exodus 17:5, 6, and Numbers 20:8-11). They ran in the dry places like a river. A poetical exaggeration of Numbers 20:11, "The water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also." Psalm 105:41

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Now follows the miraculous guidance through the desert to the taking possession of Canaan. The fact that the cloud (ענן, root ען, to meet, to present itself to view, whence the Arabic ‛ănăn, the visible outward side of the vault of heaven) by day, and becoming like fire by night, was their guide (Exodus 13:21), is left out of consideration in Psalm 105:39. With למסך we are not to associate the idea of a covering against foes, Exodus 14:19., but of a covering from the smiting sun, for פּרשׁ (Exodus 40:19), as in Isaiah 4:5., points to the idea of a canopy. In connection with the sending of the quails the tempting character of the desire is only momentarily dwelt upon, the greater emphasis is laid on the omnipotence of the divine goodness which responded to it. שׁאלוּ is to be read instead of שׁאל, the w before w having been overlooked; and the Kerמ writes and points שׂליו (like סתיו, עניו) in order to secure the correct pronunciation, after the analogy of the plural termination יו-. The bread of heaven (Psalm 78:24.) is the manna. In Psalm 105:41 the giving of water out of the rock at Rephidim and at Kadesh are brought together; the expression corresponds better to the former instance (Exodus 17:6, cf. Numbers 20:11). הלכוּ refers to the waters, and נהר for כּנּהרות, Psalm 78:16, is, as in Psalm 22:14, an equation instead of a comparison. In this miraculous escort the patriarchal promise moves on towards its fulfilment; the holy word of promise, and the stedfast, proved faith of Abraham - these were the two motives. The second את is, like the first, a sign of the object, not a preposition (lxx, Targum), in connection with which Psalm 105:42 would be a continuation of Psalm 105:42, dragging on without any parallelism. Joy and exulting are mentioned as the mood of the redeemed ones with reference to the festive joy displayed at the Red Sea and at Sinai. By Psalm 105:43 one is reminded of the same descriptions of the antitype in Isaiah, Isaiah 35:10; Isaiah 51:11; Isaiah 55:12, just as Psalm 105:41 recalls Isaiah 48:21. "The lands of the heathen" are the territories of the tribes of Canaan. עמל is equivalent to יגיע in Isaiah 45:14 : the cultivated ground, the habitable cities, and the accumulated treasures. Israel entered upon the inheritance of these peoples in every direction. As an independent people upon ground that is theirs by inheritance, keeping the revealed law of their God, was Israel to exhibit the pattern of a holy nation moulded after the divine will; and, as the beginning of the Psalm shows, to unite the peoples to themselves and their God, the God of redemption, by the proclamation of the redemption which has fallen to their own lot.