Psalm 114 Part 3 

The idea of ‘tremble’ in v7 literally means ‘to be pained as in childbirth.’ When the Sovereign Lord of all creation acts and His might convulses nature, a nation is born!  “Who turned the rock into a pool of waters” – the psalmist remembered one more event which demonstrated God’s power over creation during the Exodus years – when God brought forth water for His people from the rock and the hardened flint. This assured the people of God that His mighty presence works for them, not against them. 

Dwell upon this: The Exodus was bookended with the red sea and river miracles. V8 also refers to the twin miracles of water from the rock that occurred at either end of the Exodus. The first word, ‘rock’ is the Hebrew word, ‘tsar’ which means a low-lying rock. The word translated ‘flint’ (Hebrew; sela) means a high cliff. Both were types of Christ (1Cor10:4). The first rock represents Jesus’ humiliation and crucifixion, where he was smitten! The second, high rock, was a type of His intercession – Moses was told to “speak to the rock.” (Num20:8). By disobeying God and striking the rock, Moses broke the type (i.e. Spiritual significance).  

As Ps113 closed with God’s compassion on a barren woman, this psalm closes with God’s compassion on thirsty Israel. His great power and might are not merely for the dividing of waters and the shaking of mountains. His majestic might bring blessing to His people one by one.  

The ‘fountains of waters’ are a miracle which we all need to have wrought in our experience. Our hearts are flint, our eyes are dry, our souls fail to respond with tears and regrets to the love of the Pierced One, and to the indictment that charges us with His death. This is the music of the night and I am reminded as I close that Jesus sang this psalm with His disciples the night he was betrayed. Now He would grant the People of God a greater deliverance than Israel from Egypt. In this work, all nature would be shaken. (Matt 27:45,51) He is The Rock and the Water of Life.