Psalm 92:12-14 – “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.”
One pattern that seems consistent through much of the Old Testament and the New Testament is that God is on the side of the righteous. When we are in right standing with God, when we obey His voice and walk in His will, He will make sure we flourish. The Psalmist says that the righteous will flourish like the palm tree and the cedars.
Some adjectives that describe these trees are: stately, upright, useful, fruitful, majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible. When we live righteous lives, those adjectives will describe us as well. But the verse goes on to explain much more. In order to be fruitful and flourish, we need to be planted in the house of the Lord. We cannot be planted in the streets or in a pretty garden. We need to be in God’s house, within His will, bearing His righteousness.
We cannot have a righteousness of our own. The Bible confirms that our righteousness is like filthy rags before God. The only righteousness we can claim is through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross. We need to remember where our righteousness comes from, and we need to be firmly rooted in God’s will. Then we will flourish, how can we not? When we allow the Word of God to go deep within our hearts, it will enrich our soul and bear fruit through our lives. Let us strive to be flourishing trees in the house of our Lord.
