"RAIN UPON THE MOWN GRASS" (Pastor Tom Henry) ~ 9/30/25

“He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.” (Psalm 72:6)

This Psalm, according to the title line, was written for Solomon. It was written by his aged father David. Some dispute this, asserting that the Psalm was written by Solomon himself. Whether the human penman was David or Solomon, it is nevertheless a prayer for Solomon as he was about to succeed his father as King of Israel. It is concerning the King and his Kingdom. However, regardless of which side the various expositors come down with respect to authorship, almost all agree that the Psalm is more about the “Greater than Solomon” and His Kingdom, than it is about Solomon. Our text offers one of many internal proofs, for this verse is clearly spoken of the promised Messiah. “He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.”

Let us hear from David himself as he is recording his last prophetic words concerning his Greater Son who shall sit upon His throne, and of whose Kingdom there shall be no end. David said, “He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be…as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.” He then gave this disclaimer: “Although my house be not so with God.”

Our text assures us that Christ coming to His Church and people, by the gracious influence of the Holy Spirit, is most refreshing to their souls, like showers of rain, both upon the dry ground, and upon the green meadow newly cut to make it spring again. Christless souls are like the dry ground. They are without the moisture of the spirit of grace. Unless the Holy Spirit comes upon the unbelieving heart like softening rain it will remain hard. We see souls that neither the rod, nor common mercies, nor sermons make any impression on them. They are without Christ, the fountain of grace, and the spring of spiritual influence.

Before the fall, man’s soul was like a well-watered garden - beautiful, green, fruitful, and fragrant. It was like the fruitful Garden of Eden wherein he was placed to tend with great delight. But sin destroyed all of that and left the creature withered and barren. We now with the hymn writer must confess, “My vessel is empty, though once I had plenty, my soul is barren and dry.” We must also come with him to the one source of refreshment and renewal: “Somewhere there’s a fountain, beyond distant mountain, let me drink of the water of life.” The Lord Jesus Christ is that regenerating Fountain. He cried: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink…and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

Isaiah prophesied, “The LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” (Isa. 58:11) This is what Jesus promised to those who will come to Him and drink. They shall have the Holy Spirit, who is as an unfailing spring of water within. Thus, Christians are not merely reservoirs, or holding tanks, but rather, they are flowing springs and conduits taking the water to the dry ground all around them. Isaiah says that the Lord will pour water on the thirsty and floods upon the dry grounds. It is the duty of Christians to flood the parched, barren world with the soul renewing Water of Life.

Therefore, as we are united by faith to Christ, the dry barren soul is turned into a water spring. (John 7:37, 38) Christ is the first immediate receptacle of the Holy Spirit. (John 3:34) We receive from Him so that out of us shall flow rivers of living water.

Let us remember that all regenerating and sanctifying graces are interrupted in the soul by sin or unbelief, just as when the ground turns dry, the plants wither, and the things that remain are ready to die, the soul has need to look to Jesus, “He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth.”