Today's Reading: Psalm 92 & 93

Flourishing Like the Palm and Cedar

Have you ever considered the flourishing of the palm or cedar tree? Here in Psalm 92, the Psalmist compares the palm and cedar to the righteous person. He says that this person’s life will flourish in much the same way as the palm tree flourishes and the cedar tree grows.

A palm is a kind of tree that typically grows in tropical regions and has a straight, tall trunk and many large leaves at the top of the trunk. The figure of the palm tree gives us the idea of usefulness. At the time Psalm 92 was written, palm tree dates made up a large part of the diet of the people of Israel, Arabia, Persia, and Egypt. The palm seeds (or ‘stones’) were ground down and used to feed camels; the leaves were made into baskets; the strong fronds were used to make fences; the sap was used to make a drink called arrack; the webbing from the outer layers made ropes and riggings for small boats; the wood was used for small buildings and for firewood. A flourishing palm tree was a useful and desirable blessing.

The cedars of Lebanon are a symbol of majesty, stability, durableness, and incorruptibility. Many cedars are very old and very large – measuring up to 130 feet tall and 70 feet across the limbs. Cedar trees, unlike the palm, have deep and expansive root structures. Cedars can live from 150 to 1,000 years. Cedars work well as windbreaks, helping to protect other trees from strong winds. The hard wood of the cedar was used for construction of buildings which needed strong, stable framing.

Here in Psalm 92, the Psalmist says the “righteous” flourish like the palm and grow like the cedar. This is a picture of the person who is right with God and, as a result, lives a strong, durable, and useful life. The palm illustrates the prosperity and happiness of the righteous person. His/her life will be used by God for many useful purposes in the Kingdom of God. The reference to being planted in the house of the Lord is probably drawn from the Jewish custom of planting palm trees in the courts of temples and palaces – adding beauty and usefulness. God’s people will prosper like palm trees and are planted by Him to bring beauty and usefulness to His church.

The cedar illustrates the strength and durability of God’s righteous person. Like a cedar, their lives are not moved or shaken by the winds of trial and challenge. And like the cedar, their lives provide a place of security and protection for the other “trees” (believers) around them.

To flourish like a palm, and grow like a cedar is God’s plan and purpose for your life. Seek Him first and all these things will be added to you. Follow after His righteous plan, submit to His purpose and you will continue to “bear fruit in old age and be ever full of sap and green” (Psalm 92:14).