He sends forth His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow. (v.18)
This verse pictures the LORD’s powerful command over nature. By sending forth His word, He acts decisively to “melt” obstacles, whether they be literal ice or the hardened hearts of His people. His word, which springs from His infinite power and wisdom, accomplishes precisely what He intends. The prophet Amos similarly proclaims that the same LORD “calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth,” underscoring His sovereign ability to control and reorder creation at will.
He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow describes how God arranges every element of the natural world. Wind—often symbolizing God’s Spirit or His instrument of judgment—moves under His authority (John 3:8; Hosea 13:15). The waters flow because He ordains that life-giving cycle to sustain His creation. We see in Scripture that the LORD uses wind and water as a means of both blessing and discipline (Genesis 7:11-12; Exodus 14:21), illustrating that He exercises full dominion over the physical realm for His good purposes.
God’s ability to melt what is frozen and to move what appears stagnant or unyielding offers spiritual hope. He can soften what seems immovable and bring restoration where there is dryness, much as “He pours out waters on the surface of the earth”. In Christ, we see this same power to renew and transform, as He is the Word made flesh (John 1:1), sent by God to bring spiritual life and refreshment to humanity.
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Psalms 147:18 meaning
He sends forth His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow. (v.18)
This verse pictures the LORD’s powerful command over nature. By sending forth His word, He acts decisively to “melt” obstacles, whether they be literal ice or the hardened hearts of His people. His word, which springs from His infinite power and wisdom, accomplishes precisely what He intends. The prophet Amos similarly proclaims that the same LORD “calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth,” underscoring His sovereign ability to control and reorder creation at will.
He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow describes how God arranges every element of the natural world. Wind—often symbolizing God’s Spirit or His instrument of judgment—moves under His authority (John 3:8; Hosea 13:15). The waters flow because He ordains that life-giving cycle to sustain His creation. We see in Scripture that the LORD uses wind and water as a means of both blessing and discipline (Genesis 7:11-12; Exodus 14:21), illustrating that He exercises full dominion over the physical realm for His good purposes.
God’s ability to melt what is frozen and to move what appears stagnant or unyielding offers spiritual hope. He can soften what seems immovable and bring restoration where there is dryness, much as “He pours out waters on the surface of the earth”. In Christ, we see this same power to renew and transform, as He is the Word made flesh (John 1:1), sent by God to bring spiritual life and refreshment to humanity.