A Palm Tree
Hi Hope family, this is Erin Jones, your sister in Christ in Hawaii. I volunteered to do a Friday devotion to give Pastor Dan a week off.
So, here we go!
Psalm 92:12 “The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.”
I live on the Big Island of Hawaii, and as I’m sure you’re aware, there’s a lot of palm trees in Hawaii. I see them every single day at home, driving to the store or post office, at the beach (no, I don’t get to go to the beach every day. Yes, I wish I did.), etc. They’re all around me. They are my daily reminder of palms in the Bible and that’s given me a unique opportunity to contemplate what this verse means.
What does scripture mean when it says, “the righteous flourish like the palm tree?” Well, for starters, it’s most likely referring to date palms in particular. Why those?
Date palms flourish in what most would consider to be an inhospitable environment, preferring arid deserts for their home. Not only do they grow straight and tall, reaching a height of around 100 feet, they bear a sweet fruit in yields of 100-300lbs per tree. The food they provide along with building material, fuel, etc make them one of the most important plants in arid deserts. They are even used as ornamental decoration and were featured in Solomon’s Temple (see 1 Kings 6).
Palm trees in general have been known to withstand hurricane force winds. They may be bent with their tops nearly touching the ground, but their trunks do not snap under the pressure, nor are they uprooted. Why is that? A palm tree is designed to be flexible by nature. It’s cellular structure allows it to bend under conditions that would break other plants.
In addition, most palm trees don’t have a particularly deep root system. Instead, their roots grow out horizontally from the base of the tree, allowing them to maximize their nutrient and water absorption, thus nourishing the tree and allowing it to grow strong. It’s not about how deep the roots are, but where they are located in relation to the necessary nutrients. With proper nutrients, the tree grows strong and flexible, able to withstand the storms of life.
In Psalm 92, the psalmist contrasts the wicked, whom he compares to sprouting grass, with the righteous, whom he compares to palm trees. Grass is not particularly sturdy. It can be pretty easily destroyed. It’s easy to cut, crush, shred, burn, etc. Grass can grow just about anywhere, but it won’t necessarily flourish. Palm trees, on the other hand, are sturdy and flexible. As noted previously, they can withstand tremendous pressure when they receive the nutrients they need.
The palm trees in Psalm 92 are “planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God.” (V. 13) The palm trees whose roots are planted in the house of Lord receive all the nutrients they need in order to flourish and triumph over adversity in otherwise inhospitable conditions. Where are your roots planted?
John 15:4-5 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Have great day,
Erin Jones