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Psalm 78:16

He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

14In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, and all night with a light of fire.
15He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.
16He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17Yet they still went on to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert.
18They tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire.
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← Psalm 78:15Psalm 78:17 →
Notice

Streams running from rock make the scale of God's provision hard to miss, even as the next verse records the people's continued rebellion.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

What does the phrase “like rivers” add to your understanding of God's provision here?

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What do you notice in the turn from abundant water to rebellion in the next verse?

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What provision in your own life would you want to remember alongside this account of water?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

7 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.

This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Numbers 20:11Moses lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice, and water came out abundantly. The congregation and their livestock drank.Both passages describe abundant water coming from rock; Numbers names Moses' action and the congregation and livestock that drank.
Numbers 20:10–11Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Shall we bring water out of this rock for you?”Water from rock is central to both passages; Numbers records Moses addressing the assembly, while the psalm credits God with providing it.
Ezekiel 47:9It will happen that every living creature which swarms, in every place where the rivers come, will live. Then there will be a very great multitude of fish; for …Both passages describe flowing waters with river language, though Ezekiel describes creatures living and waters being healed wherever the river comes.
Numbers 20:8“Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it pour out its water. You shall bring …God commands water to come from the rock in Numbers, and the psalm recounts God bringing streams from rock.
Deuteronomy 8:15who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with venomous snakes and scorpions, and thirsty ground where there was no water; who poured water for …Both passages credit God with bringing water out of rock; Deuteronomy names the thirsty wilderness and the rock of flint.
Psalm 105:41He opened the rock, and waters gushed out. They ran as a river in the dry places.Both psalms describe God bringing water from rock in such abundance that it flows like a river.
Deuteronomy 9:21I took your sin, the calf which you had made, and burned it with fire, and crushed it, grinding it very small, until it was as fine as dust. I threw its dust …Both mention water flowing downward, though Deuteronomy describes a mountain brook receiving the calf's dust rather than water brought from rock.
Where this verse fits

Gratitude. job loss or money fear. sermon or Bible study notes.

What the Bible says about gratitude →What the Bible says about money →
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Read Psalm 78:15–17 and write down the contrast

scriptureoncelight
Encouragement

The water in this account was abundant, and God was its source. Israel's later rebellion does not erase the generosity recorded here.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 78:16. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.

Keep goingPsalm 78 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).