Psalms 104:10 - Meaning and Application

Having first praised God as the mighty protector of the earth, who kept it from being covered by the flood, the writer now praises him as its generous provider, who supplies what every creature needs. He gives fresh water for drinking: “He sends the springs into the valleys” (Psalm 104:10). There is plenty of water in the sea, but it cannot refresh us because it is salty, so God has kindly given water that is fit to drink.

People may argue about where springs come from, but whatever the secondary causes are, God is their first cause. It is he who sends the springs into the streams that move gently between the hills, and these streams gather strength from rainwater flowing down from above. God gives this water not only to people and to the animals that serve people, but to every beast of the field (Psalm 104:11). Where God gives life, he also provides what life needs.

Even the wild donkeys, though untamed and of no use to people, are allowed to quench their thirst. We should not resent that, because we are better provided for, even if we are born helpless and needy. We have good reason to thank God for the abundance of clean water he has given to the livable parts of the earth, since without it the earth could not be lived on. A blessing is greater when its absence would cause great distress, and the more common it is, the greater mercy it becomes.

God also provides food for both people and animals. “The heavens drop fatness,” and they water the earth, while God himself hears the earth’s need (Hosea 2:21). “He waters the hills from his chambers” (Psalm 104:13), meaning from the clouds, those storehouses from which fruitful showers fall. Hills that are not watered by rivers, like Egypt by the Nile, are watered by rain from heaven, called “the river of God” (Psalm 65:9), as Canaan was (Deuteronomy 11:11-12). In this way the earth is satisfied with the fruit of God’s works, whether by the rain it drinks in or by the crops it brings forth.

The food God brings out of the earth (Psalm 104:14) is part of his works, and the earth is satisfied to produce it for human good. Notice how varied and valuable those products are. For cattle there is grass, and for man there is herb, a better kind of grass, and even a simple meal of herbs and roots should not be despised. He also provides wine, oil, and bread (Psalm 104:15). This should make us humble and thankful.

It should make us humble because we depend on God for every support in this life. We live on what he gives us, and our own hands are not enough to sustain us. Our food comes from the earth, reminding us where we came from and where we must return. So we must not think we live by bread alone, since bread feeds only the body. We must look to God’s word for the food that lasts into eternal life. We should also remember that, in this respect, we share the same level with the beasts, since the same earth feeds both cattle and people.

It should make us thankful because God provides for our servants and our needs as well. The animals useful to people are especially cared for, and grass grows in great plenty for them, while the young lions, which are not useful to man, often go hungry. Our food is also near at hand. Since we live on the earth, our storehouse is here too, and we do not depend entirely on merchant ships bringing food from far away (Proverbs 31:14). And from the earth God gives us not only what is needed, but also what is pleasant and beautiful, showing what a good Master we serve.

If nature asks for strength to keep going and repair its daily wear, there is bread, which strengthens the human heart and is rightly called the staff of life. If nature wants something pleasant, there is wine, which gladdens the heart and refreshes the spirit when used wisely and in moderation, so that we can do our work cheerfully. It is a shame when what was given to revive the heart is abused until it overburdens the heart and hinders duty. If nature wants something for ornament too, there is oil to make the face shine, so that a person may be not only cheerful but pleasant to others.

God’s care extends beyond animals to plants as well (Psalm 104:16). “The trees of the Lord are full of sap.” This includes not only trees people tend in orchards and parks, but also trees in wild places, which are cared for only by God’s providence. Even the cedars of Lebanon, though tall and massive and needing much nourishment, receive enough from the earth. They are trees he has planted, so he will both protect and provide for them.

We may apply this also to the trees of righteousness, the people God plants in his vineyard. They are full of sap, because what God plants he will water. Those planted in the house of the Lord will flourish in the courts of our God (Psalm 92:13).

God also sees that creatures have fitting homes to live in. People have been given wisdom to build houses for themselves and for the animals that help them, but some creatures are given homes more directly by God. The birds, by instinct, make nests in bushes near rivers (Psalm 104:12). By the springs that run among the hills, some birds of the air find their homes and sing among the branches. They sing, in their own way, to honor their Creator and provider, and their song should put our silence to shame.

Our heavenly Father feeds them (Matthew 6:26), so they are calm and cheerful and do not worry about tomorrow. Since birds were made to fly above the earth (Genesis 1:20), they build their nests high, in the tops of trees (Psalm 104:17). It seems as if nature itself had this in view when it planted the cedars of Lebanon, so that they might serve as resting places for the birds.

Those that fly up toward heaven will not lack resting places. The stork is named in particular. The tall fir trees are her home, her castle, and her safe place.

God also cares for the smaller animals (Psalm 104:18). Wild goats do not have much strength or speed to protect themselves, so by instinct they go to the high hills, which serve as a refuge. The rabbits are also weak creatures, yet they find shelter in the rocks, where they can keep away from wild animals.

If God provides like this for the lesser creatures, will he not surely be a refuge and dwelling place for his own people?