Walk Of Life – Day 15, November 2022 – Thoughts From The Book Of Psalms

“Psalms 92:12. The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon”

Looking Up – Palm Trees and Cedars

This verse compares the righteous to two trees – one is the palm and the other is the cedar in Lebanon. We all are quite familiar with the palm tree. Some unique characteristics that are seen in both the palm and the righteous person are:

• Deep roots – The roots of the palm tree go very deep into the soil. It is the roots that make the tree strong and substantial. Similarly the righteous person is rooted and grounded in the Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 2: 6,7 – So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
• Straight, firm, and erect – This is a very unique characteristic of the palm tree. Similarly the righteous person is one of very high integrity, who can stand tall in terms of his commitment to his word and his work. He has nothing to fear, his life is an open book, no hidden agendas, no false motives, and no hypocrisy. Philippians 4:1 – “Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.”
• Usefulness – A palm tree has a large number of uses. It can be used for extracting oil, the fruit is eaten, the leaves were used as writing material, the fiber is used for thatched roofs, and so on. A Christian life needs to be one that lives for others. We need to do good works to glorify our father in heaven. We need to be lights in this darkened world. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
• Not affected by drought – The tree stands strong in every situation, be it drought, be it storms, be it anything. Similarly as children of God, no matter what the storm may be, we need to look up to Him alone and stay strong and firm.
• Evergreen tree – The palm tree is perennially green throughout all seasons. Life flows within its being continually and keeps it fresh. Rains may fail. Storms may shake and sway the tree with great force. But nothing happens to the palm tree.
  True Christians are the same vibrant witnesses of God’s grace throughout their lives because Jesus Christ Himself is ‘the same yesterday, today and forever.’

Cedars of Lebanon is a very interesting allegory. These trees grow atop the snow-clad mountains of Lebanon. They are untouched by man. No one waters or manures these trees. They are not like the vine or the fig tree. God Himself tends these strong tall gigantic trees. It is interesting to note that they grow to heights of 100 feet with more than 40 feet in girth. This shows a righteous person being totally dependent on the Lord. They can stay strong in the toughest of situations because their source of strength is the Lord not man. It is truly the Christian who knows His master deeply and will not be influenced by the tantrums of man and will only do the will of his Heavenly Father.

“That is your case, O Christian. You are to live expecting nothing from man, and you shall never be disappointed; you are to live looking upon the Lord alone, and there again disappointment shall never come. You are to understand that one of God’s objects with you is to knock away every prop from you, to take away every buttress, and to make you lean upon God alone. There is the round world, what bears it up? He hangeth the world upon nothing. If you are what you should be you are just like that earth—you have no visible support—‘there is nothing upon which you can depend that the carnal eye can see; but yet as the earth moveth not and falleth not from her orbit, so you, by the power of faith, shall be maintained and kept just where you are. “The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that wait on the Lord shall not want any good thing.” It is a life’s work to learn independence of the creature, and almost another life’s work to learn dependence upon the Creator.” – Charles Spurgeon 

May we live righteous lives and flourish like the palm tree and the cedars of Lebanon.