Earlier today I was sitting in a Christian coffee shop and a worship song I had heard but wasn’t super familiar with came on. As Brooke Ligertwood and Brandon Lake sang about there being “honey in the rock” I wondered…where does that phrase come from? When we think of God bringing things out of rocks, we most often think of the water that He enabled Moses to bring from the rock to provide for the children of Israel in the wilderness. Where does honey come in?
After some quick research in my Bible app, I found that the phrase “honey in the rock” originates from the Old Testament and conveys beautifully God’s covenant faithfulness, His sustaining presence, and His ability to bring life out of barrenness.
In Deuteronomy 32:13, the Song of Moses describes God as the One who made him to draw honey out of the rock. In the context, this is a poetic way of describing Yahweh’s miraculous provision for Israel in the wilderness. The “rock” in this passage symbolizes both the harshness of Israel’s circumstances and the steadfastness of God Himself (cf. Deut. 32:4). Honey, in contrast, represents abundance and sweetness. This imagery reveals a God who brings delight out of desolation because of His covenant commitment to His people.
The language reappears in Psalm 81:16, where God promises to “satisfy you with honey from the rock” if Israel would listen and return to Him. Here, the imagery functions as a covenant reminder—repentance and obedience would restore Israel to their experience of God’s provision. Honey from a rock becomes a symbol of the blessing that flows naturally from a right ordered relationship with God. Indeed Israel getting to be in their land is a reminder of God’s faithfulness. OT Scholar Richard Nelson noted that in parts of that region, it was not unusual for bees to build hives in rocky crags, literally providing honey from rocks.
The Passion music song “Honey in the Rock” furthers this Old Testament imagery in light of cross. In the New Testament, Christ is revealed as the true Rock (1 Cor. 10:4), the divine source of living water in the wilderness of the world (John 7:37–38) and the fulfillment of God’s sustaining presence.
Early Christian theologian Tertullian interpreted “honey from the rock” as a depiction of Christ bringing the sweetness of grace out of the Law’s severity. (Adv. Marcion III.23) Through Him, God provides not merely physical sustenance but spiritual sweetness—grace, mercy, and satisfaction that cannot be found elsewhere. The song’s repeated refrain of “there’s honey in the rock,” God’s sufficiency echoes Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:25–34, where He assures believers that the Father knows and provides all that they need.
Thus, the phrase “honey in the rock” becomes an image of Christ’s surprising generosity, God’s covenant love made tangible, and the believer’s dependence on divine provision in barren places.
Discussion & Reflection Questions:
ASK:
- Are there ways that you feel like you’re in a “wilderness”—a place that feels barren, dry, or beyond your ability to fix?
- In what situations do you find it hardest to trust God’s provision—when things feel scarce or when life feels stable?
DISCUSS:
Read: Deuteronomy 32:10–14; Psalm 81:13–16; 1 Corinthians 10:1–4
- How does the biblical imagery of God bringing “honey from the rock” deepen your understanding of God’s covenant faithfulness and His ability to bring blessing from impossible places?
- In Deuteronomy 32, God is both Rock (stability) and Provider (sweetness). How does this union of strength and tenderness reveal His character?
- Psalm 81 connects obedience and trust with experiencing God’s abundant provision. How does this shape the way we interpret the song’s message today?
- Paul calls Christ the spiritual Rock in 1 Corinthians 10. How does viewing Jesus as the ultimate source of “honey in the rock” change how you interpret the song?
- Where have you personally experienced God bringing something “sweet” out of a difficult or unlikely place?
DO:
- Identify one area of dryness, burden, or self-reliance where you can intentionally ask God to bring “honey from the rock”—to provide in a way only He can.
- Share this area with a trusted and invite them to pray with you and check in on how you are learning to rely more deeply on God as your Rock and Provider this week.
Nelson, R. D. 2004. Deuteronomy: A commentary. Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press, 372.
From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 3. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1885.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/03123.htm.