He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.

PSALMS 78:15KJV
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Psalms 78:15 (KJV)

What does Psalms 78:15 mean?

Psalms 78:15 recalls God providing water for the people of Israel during their journey through the wilderness. The verse portrays the supply as abundant: God split rocks and gave the people drink like water drawn from vast depths.

The singer uses an image of a dry, hard rock yielding a great flow of water. After describing God’s guidance in verse 14, the song turns to his provision for the people’s thirst. The account would recall Israel’s wilderness journey to those who first heard it.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 78:15

  • “clave” — בָּקַע (baqaʿ): This word means “split open.” The KJV’s older word “clave” describes an action done to the rock, rather than water merely appearing beside it.
  • “depths” — תְּהוֹם (tehom): This word can refer to deep waters. Here, “great depths” gives the picture of a vast supply, making the amount of water stand out.

Why Psalms 78:15 matters

  • The verse places the water among the remarkable events of Israel’s journey. The next verse adds that streams came out of the rock, developing the picture of a plentiful flow.
  • The gift of water is part of a story that also includes the people’s response. Verses 17–20 describe their continued wrongdoing and their questions about whether God could provide food as well.

Where else these words appear

“depths” Hebrew H8415 · used in 35 verses

  • Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
  • Job 41:32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.
  • Proverbs 3:20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

“clave” Hebrew H1234 · used in 50 verses

  • Genesis 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
  • 1 Chronicles 11:18 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,
  • Isaiah 48:21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.

“drink” Hebrew H8248 · used in 72 verses

  • Genesis 2:6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
  • Genesis 40:20 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.
  • Psalms 36:8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

“rocks” Hebrew H6697 · used in 74 verses

  • Exodus 17:6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
  • 1 Chronicles 11:15 Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
  • Psalms 81:16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.