Bible Strands
Psalms 147:18
He sends forth His word and melts them; He unleashes His winds, and the waters flow.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The psalmist describes Yahweh’s sovereign control over winter weather, directly following the hail and ice of verse 17 and preceding the declaration of His statutes to Israel in verse 19.
The words — יִשְׁלַח (yishlach) means "he sends," and יַמְסֵם (yamsem) means "he melts," capturing the divine command that triggers physical thaw.
The thread — This motif of God’s spoken word commanding nature appears in Psalms 147:15, where His command runs swiftly, and echoes the creative authority of Psalms 33:9.
Why it lands — The text states that God’s word and winds directly cause ice to melt and waters to flow, demanding recognition that natural cycles operate solely by divine decree.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
Cross-references
- Psalms 33:9 For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.
- Psalms 147:15 He sends forth His command to the earth; His word runs swiftly.
- Job 37:10 By the breath of God the ice is formed and the watery expanses are frozen.
- Job 6:16 darkened because of the ice and the inflow of melting snow,
- Psalms 107:20 He sent forth His word and healed them; He rescued them from the Pit.
- Job 37:17 You whose clothes get hot when the land lies hushed under the south wind,