What does it mean that, "With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" in Isaiah 12:3?
Isaiah 12:1 - 6
ESV - 1 You will say in that day: "I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me. 2 "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation."
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Asked December 04 2022
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Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
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Erhi Ojoboh
Supporter
God is our strength as we go through life challenges, and so we should guard our hearts as it is with joy we draw from the wells of salvation. You should consciously choose to be happy even in difficult situations as joy opens up opportunities to be saved.
Shirley H
Supporter
Water is often associated with salvation. Isaiah 12:3: "Therefore, with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." Exodus 15:2 says: "The Lord is my strength and my salvation..." Isaiah 43:20: "The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackels and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert..." Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:17-18 that the Lord gave him strength and delivered him from every evil work. He (God) preserved him for His heavenly Kingdom. The wilderness in the Exodus experience was an arid place. It was a wasteland. I think that life without God is like that. The provision of water then, in the wanderings of the Exodus, was essential. So too, it is and now in our day. Isaiah 12 is a hymn of praise. And the joy is found in the "Living water" that God provides for every creature. Isaiah 55:1:"Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters...come and buy and eat...without price..." John 4:10,14, Jesus said, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you 'give me a drink; you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. (Verse 14) Jesus said..."whoever drinks of the water I shall give Him will never thirst..." In John 7:37-38, Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to believers. He will always be present and never leave! This is JOY!
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
"Isaiah 12:3 is in the context of Isaiah 12:2,
("Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
For the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation")
Isaiah 12:3 then says, "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation" which contains the phrase, 'draw water … salvation,' indicating an expressive image of a hot country. This passage captures a rich biblical image of water as a symbol of life, salvation, and spiritual renewal. Water represents sustenance and vitality in the context of a hot and arid land, which is why it often appears in Scripture as a metaphor for God's provision and grace. The imagery connects deeply with the Feast of Tabernacles, where water from the Pool of Siloam was poured out as part of a ritual symbolizing thanksgiving for rain and prayers for future blessings (the Jews used to bring water in a golden pitcher from the fountain of Siloam and pour it, mingled with wine, on the sacrifice on the altar, with great rejoicing.)
In John 7:37–39, Jesus' declaration, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink,' directly references this tradition. He positions Himself as the ultimate source of living water—the Spirit of God—that quenches spiritual thirst and brings eternal life. This ties back to the Old Testament, where repentance and renewal are often linked with water (e.g., 1 Samuel 7:6). The future promise of an outpouring of the Spirit, as described in Joel 2:23 and Zechariah 12:10, reinforces the continuity of this theme.
The Pentecost outpouring, seen as a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, signifies the initial outflow of the Spirit, while the 'latter rain' speaks to a future, even greater revival of spiritual blessings and repentance. Together, these passages highlight God's plan to restore and refresh His people through the Spirit, much like water revives a parched land.
--The above is adapted from the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary.
"Water is here a metaphor for renewed life; the springs symbolize the restoration of God’s favor." -- bible.org
Consider the precious refrain of that great hymnwriter, Fanny Crosby, in her hymn, "The Wells of Salvation":
"Think of the promise, the soul-cheering promise,
Left to encourage the young and the old,
They shall draw water from wells of salvation,
Beautiful promise, more precious than gold."
I used to live in the Arizona desert. I would often get thirsty for a drink of water, especially when I played high school football and we had to have twice-a-day practices in the summer. It was about then that I also developed a spiritual thirst for God. Jesus, the Water of Life, then drew me into the fold. And I came rejoicing!
"Ye that are thirsty and faint in the desert,
Come to the wells of salvation so free;
Drink of their waters, their life-giving waters;
Come, there’s a welcome for you and for me."
Now as I am in my golden years, I can look forward with joy to heaven:
"You who are nearing the valley and shadow,
Looking by faith to the bright golden shore,
Precious to you are the wells of salvation,
Sweeter their waters than ever before." --3 stanzas of the hymn by Fanny Crosby
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