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mountain irrigation

Psalm 104:10-13 (JDV)

Psalm 104:10 He causes the springs to gush into the valleys; they flow between the mountains.
Psalm 104:11 They supply water for every wild animal; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
Psalm 104:12 The birds of the sky settle down beside the springs; they make their voices heard among the foliage.
Psalm 104:13 He waters the mountains from his palace; the land is satisfied by the fruit that you have made.

When doing my long-distance hike in 2018, I was surprised to find so many water sources in the mountains. It seemed to me so odd that no matter how far I went, I would regularly encounter a spring, stream, pond, or lake. I was grateful because those were my sources of resupply for water. Without them, my hike would be impossible.

But I knew that the water sources were not there just for hikers. There was an entire system of animal life that those water sources were supplying. Like the poet here, I imagine the birds and other creatures sounding out in praise for their provider.