The Morning Psalm
Symbol

Water

Cleansing, life, and the Spirit

Water is one of the Bible's richest symbols, holding both life and cleansing. The Spirit hovered over the waters at creation; the Red Sea and the Jordan were waters of deliverance; and washing with water pictured purification from sin. To a dry land, water is simply life — and the Bible often speaks of thirst for God as thirst for water in a parched place.

Jesus took up the image and made it his own. To the woman at the well he offered living water... a well of water springing up into everlasting life; on the last day of the feast he cried, if any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink — pointing to the Spirit he would give. The Bible ends beside a pure river of water of life, and the invitation: whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Water in Scripture

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
John 4:14, KJV