How to Flourish like a Palm Tree
Psalm 92:1-15
April 13-14, 2024
Hey, did you see on the news this week that the winner of the $1.3 billion lottery is from Oregon? Well, I have some good news for you. I didn't win. You know why I didn't win? Because I didn't buy a ticket. Would you like to know why I didn't buy a ticket? Because in Christ Jesus, He has already purchased for me everything my soul desires. Amen. Can we give the Lord praise? Amen.
That's what this Psalm 92 is about. It's about the soul that flourishes like a palm tree in the courts of the Lord. The soul is searching and longing. There are so many people that are empty and longing. They look and they look to find what is that thing that's missing in their lives. The answer is found by planting your soul in the courts of the Lord. For there, your soul will find everything that your soul desires. It's like being a beautiful analogy.
Now, if you've ever had an opportunity to travel to Israel, I hope that you do, or maybe you've been there on one of the trips that we did, one of the first things that you will notice is how many palm trees are there. They just flourish in Israel. In fact, did you know that half of the world's supply of Medjool dates come from Israel? Half of the entire world's supply come from Israel because they have the ideal climate and the soil conditions for vibrant, flourishing date palms.
That's why when the psalmist would write this analogy, they would get it. They would understand, ah, the soul is meant to flourish like a palm tree planted in the courts of the Lord. It's a great analogy because God wants the soul to be alive. God wants the soul to flourish. God wants you to have life and life to the full, it says. The question is how? The answer is found in this psalm.
Let's read it. We're in Psalm 92. We begin reading in verse one. Actually, this is an introduction, which says, "A Psalm. A song to be sung on the Sabbath day." This is a song to be sung. Imagine the glorious choirs and the orchestras of Israel singing this glorious song on the Sabbath day. It says, "It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High," Elohim Elyon.
"To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night. With the ten-stringed lute, with the harp, with the resounding music upon the lyre," which is like a guitar. "For You, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done, and I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands. For great are your works, O Lord, and your thoughts. The intents and purposes of Your thoughts are deep, very deep.
Now, a senseless man has no knowledge, nor does this stupid man understand this, what he's about to say. Now, when the wicked sprouted up like grass, and all who did iniquity seemed to flourish, it was only that they might be destroyed forevermore, but You, O Lord, You are on high forever. For behold Your enemies, O Lord, behold Your enemies, they will perish. All who do iniquity will be scattered but You, O Lord, you have exalted my horn."
Now, see, the horn is an image, is a picture of the strength, the might, the authority. He says, "You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox, a wild beast. And I have been anointed with fresh oil." Picture the Holy Spirit poured out because there in the courts of the Lord, the anointing of fresh oil is poured forth. Then he says, "And my eye looked exultantly upon my foes, my ears hear of the evildoers who rise up against me."
In other words, you will settle it, I will only hear of it. "For the righteous man will flourish like a palm tree," here it is. "He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon." Now, the cedars in Lebanon were absolutely renowned, just massive cedars. You could not even put your arms around half of the girth of a Lebanon. Massive, massive cedars. In fact, they were exported throughout the world.
Solomon's house was built from the cedars of Lebanon. Famous. He says you will be like that, flourishing like a cedar in Lebanon, planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish there in the courts of our God. "They will still yield fruit, even in their old age. They will be full of sap and very green, to declare that the Lord is upright, for He is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him."
I. Rest in the Wonderful Works of the Lord
Now that is an amazing psalm, filled with glorious insights for us today. How the soul might flourish, but notice how we see from the beginning, it's found in these principles. Rest in the wonderful works of the Lord. Notice in the introduction, it says, "A psalm to be sung on the Sabbath day." God had granted the Sabbath day as a gift to the people of Israel. A day of rest, but more than just rest for a weary body, rest for the soul. Rest to abide in the courts of the living God, to find the vibrancy of life there.
See, notice the contrast, the extreme. Remember in Exodus, where it describes the people of Israel, when they dwelt there in Egypt, that the Pharaoh had set these taskmasters over them, to afflict them with heavy burdens, and ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves. Did they have a day off? No, no. Relentlessly, every day. There's no day off, there's no rest. Relentlessly overseeing them with heavy burdens, the Pharaoh made their lives bitter, and they cried out to God in their suffering.
It says that God heard their cry, and promised to redeem them from their suffering. He sent Moses to be their deliverer, to demonstrate His great power, to deliver, to rescue, and save, but not only to deliver and rescue and save but to bring them to a land that he would call his rest. That you might enter my rest. That place flowing with milk and honey. What a great contrast is this.
Along the way, He brought them out of Egypt, promising to give them this land that he calls his rest. Along the way, He established the Sabbath, a sign to Israel of the covenant relationship that He had with them. That if they would set apart one day each week, a day for the body to rest, yes, oh what a glorious gift that would have been, but more than that, a day for the soul. A day for the soul to flourish there in the courts of the Lord.
A. Jesus is our rest, our shabbat shalom
Now, there's a deep, deep understanding. Much deeper than many people understand. The thoughts of the Lord are deep. We see in the New Testament, for example, an expression of this, that Jesus is our rest, our Shabbat Shalom. See, the significance of rest now has been around since the earliest days of creation. It says God rested on the seventh day and so Israel was given the command to rest also on the seventh day.
Now, what many people do not realize is the concept of rest is much deeper. Has great significant meaning. Much deeper than many people see. Which is true. Sabbath rest is a picture of something far greater just like much of the Old Testament law is a picture of something far greater. It's just a shadow of something far greater. Notice what Paul wrote in Colossians 2:16-17. He says, "Now, no one is to act as your judge in regard to a Sabbath day, which is a mere shadow of that which is to come."
You see, there is something far deeper, far greater. It's only a shadow of something to come, but the substance of it belongs to Christ. Now, would you rather live in the shadow of the house or live in the house? There's a great difference between living in a tent in the shadow of the house or living in the reality is greater than the shadow, which is my point. In Israel, even today, on the Sabbath, they have a special greeting for that day and day only.
On the Sabbath today in Israel, you go about the city on the bus, or the streets, whatever, and you greet someone in the shops, they will all say, "Shabbat Shalom." Shabbat is Sabbath, Shabbat Shalom. On the rest of the week, they say, good morning, or good day, or happy Tuesday, or whatever, but on that day it's Shabbat Shalom. Peace, Sabbath peace, but God meant it to be far more than just peace that comes from a lack of conflict, or even the expression that was very famous in the '60s, peace, man, this was the thing. Everybody, it was the expression of the day because there's so much conflict in the world, and it was like, peace, peace, man.
B. Resting in God is an act of faith
I know about this. I read all about it in the history books, so I knew it was a thing. Peace was a thing everybody did, you know, peace, man. No, no, there's something far, far deeper. No, it's a deep residing peace because your soul has found its deepest desire. A deep residing peace because your soul has found what it has searched alone and far, it has found its answer there in the courts of the living God. I submit to you that resting in God itself is an act of faith. Notice, for example, what he writes in verses 4-5, he says, "For you, O Lord, have made me glad by what you have done.
I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands. How great are Your works, O Lord, and Your thoughts toward are deep." See, you have peace when you rest on the wonderful works of the Lord that He has done in your behalf. In fact, your relationship to God is not based on any of the works that you do, for there is no self-effort that can make you right with God. There is no such thing. There is no self-effort that can make you right with God. No, your relationship to God is not based on whether you work, it's based on whether you rest. Rest on the wonderful works that God has done in your behalf.
Here, for example, in the New Testament, in John 6:28-30, a great crowd had gathered, "Therefore they said to Him, to Jesus, 'What shall we do that we may work the works of God?'" Now this is why many people think, "Sammy, how do I get right with God? I want to work the works, what are the works that I can work the works?" "Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God that you believe, that you believe in Him whom God has sent.'" Believe, faith. Jesus sacrificed Himself and suffered that day by taking your sins and mine upon Himself. The great suffering that He endured, was on our behalf.
Then, just before Jesus breathed His last, He lifted His eyes to heaven and said, "Tetelestai." It is finished. It's done. It is accomplished. His work was completed, your sins were paid, and they were paid in full. He endured the suffering on the cross in your behalf. He did it all, and He did it all for you that your sins would be paid and they would be paid in full. Yes, sure. Let's give a little praise, exactly right.
Notice what the writer in Hebrew says in Hebrews 1:3, "Jesus is the radiance of His glory." Now, I'll tell you what, you could write a whole book on that one phrase right there. That is a beautiful, glorious understanding that Jesus is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature. He upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, He sat down for the work was completed. It was tetelestai, finished, paid in full.
Now, I have a question. If you had to rely on your own self-effort, your own good works in order to qualify you for the right to enter into the presence of the Great Almighty, how much confidence would you have? If you had to rely on your own self-efforts to qualify you to enter into the presence of the Great Almighty, how much confidence would you have? I say very little, if any at all.
What if you wholly lean on Jesus' name? What if you rested on His unchanging grace? What if you fully trusted in the wonderful work that God has done in your behalf, then how much confidence could you have? Is it possible that sinners can have confidence to enter into the presence of the Great, Holy, Righteous, Almighty God? Is that possible that a sinner can have confidence?
We have been disqualified by our sins. How is it possible that a sinner can have confidence to enter into the presence of the Great, Holy, and Righteous Almighty God? Answer. By wholly leaning on Jesus' name. By wholly resting on his unchanging grace. By fully trusting in the wonderful work that God has done in our behalf. God has done it all, you must rest in that. In resting and wholly leaning, and wholly trusting, then I submit that you have every confidence because of what God has done for you. You trust, you believe, you wholly lean, you have every confidence for sinners to enter into the presence of the Great Almighty. Give the Lord praise, amen.
Notice what he wrote in Hebrews 4:16, "Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in time, to help in time of need." Then there's Hebrews 10:19 and 23, when she then draws us to the conclusion of, "Therefore, brethren, since we have this confidence, because of this confidence that we have to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he has inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, therefore, let us draw near."
God has made a way for sinners to draw near with confidence, therefore, let us draw near. "Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean, from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water," sinners washed. "Therefore, let us hold fast the confession of our hope, and without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." You take hold of that, and then you are planted in the courts of the Lord. Because of what God has done, you are resting on His unchanging grace. You are wholly leaning on Jesus' name. You're fully trusting in what God has done, you respond by giving Him glory.
C. It’s good for the soul to sing
See, it's good for the soul to sing. Notice verses 1-4, he says, "It's good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High, to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning." Yes, sing it, and in the morning. Declare His faithfulness at night. For You O Lord, You have made me glad. See, You have delighted my soul. You have made me to flourish in the courts of the living God. "O You have made my soul glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands. For O how great are your works, O Most High."
See, that is a beautiful rejoicing that comes from a beautiful soul. It's good for the soul to sing. Now, you can see with your lips, but you worship with your soul because you have delighted. God wants you to delight in the Almighty. You have found what your soul seeks. You have found what the soul's deepest desire is. You have delighted in the Almighty, and an expression of that delight is for the soul to sing.
You sing with your lips, but you worship with your soul. Sing it. Sing of his lovingkindness in the morning. He's worthy of it. Declare his faithfulness by night because he has made you glad by what he has done. See, now then we need by faith to see that not only has God done by his great and wondrous works all of this, by which he's worthy of our praise, but that he continues, God continues to move on your behalf.
For those whose souls rest, whose souls are planted there in the courts of the living God, who have trusted in His work on your behalf, God will continue to move. In fact, it tells us quite boldly in 2 Chronicles 16:9 that God is looking for people with hearts like that. 2 Chronicles 16:9 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. You could say, pastor, are you going to quote that verse again? Oh, yes I am. It's one of my favorite verses because of what it declares. It says, the eyes of the Lord are searching. God is looking for those.
It says, "The eyes of the Lord range to and fro, search to fro throughout the whole Earth in order to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose heart is completely His." Looking for people with a heart to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose heart is completely His. Now, that word completely is one of the great keys to the verse. It's a word in Hebrew that you know, Shalem. It means peaceably made whole. Your heart is full. There is joy, there is peace, you are pleased with God. God is pleased with you.
There is something beautiful between you and God in the soul, a deep residing peace because God has done a wonderful work of transforming your soul. Now, one of the very important aspects that we must understand is that people are not born that way. People are not born with a beautiful soul. No, people are born like this, tells us in Jeremiah 17:9-10, the condition of which man is born. It says, in Jeremiah, that the heart is more deceitful than all else and desperately sick. Oh, that is the condition right there. Desperately sick, more deceitful.
The heart is filled with deceit. That's the condition in which man is born, desperately sick, and who can understand this? "I, the Lord, search the heart, test the mind, and give to each man according to his ways." That is the condition of man in which he's born into that. If something doesn't change, the person who is born in that condition, a heart that is deceitful above all else, that is desperately sick, if something does not change, the person who is born with a soul that's sick will continue in that the rest of their lives, which is the greatest of tragedies.
Something must change but the good news is that hearts can be changed, eyes can be opened, hearts can be softened. Hearts can be broken. Stones can be moved. Thorns and thistles can be uprooted. How? Because something new happens. Something happens in that soul that is desperately sick. Something new happens. God opens eyes so that they who were blind can see what they did not see before. I see now. God has done that which is new. I see, I didn't see it before but now I see it.
God opens ears so that they hear what they did not hear before or God opens hearts so that they can understand what they did not understand before. Now I see, now I understand. See, and then God will take that soul and do a new work, even new desires, that he would desire something far greater than they ever desired before. God is taking that soul and transforming it, God is doing something new. 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ," Paul wrote, "he is a new creation." God is doing that which is new.
II. Be Planted in the House of the Lord
He's taking the old, all things pass away. Behold, new things have come. Now, these things are from God. This is from God, it says, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ Jesus. Then it tells us in this glorious home that He takes that soul, that new work of God, and He plants him in the house of the Lord. Being planted in the house of the Lord. See, the first half of the psalm speaks to what comes forth from the Almighty. The works of the Lord are so beautiful and so wonderful that you want to delight in the Almighty.
There is Shabbat Shalom, there is peace with God, but the second half of the psalm speaks to the result of it. It speaks to what God does on behalf of the one who is planted in the courts of the Lord, who delights in the great Almighty. Notice, for example, verse 10, it says, "You have exalted my horn with oil." The horn, again, is the image, a picture of strength in the inner man, the soul is strong. You have exalted my horn. Strength, power, might, authority like that of a wild ox, a wild beast and you have anointed me with fresh oil.
A. You flourish in the courts of our God
It's the image, the picture of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit because it's fresh. You've anointed me with fresh oil, that which is new. Not old, stagnant faith. Fresh, vibrant, living, new, alive because there, planted in the courts of the Lord, there is where your soul will flourish. You flourish in the courts of the Lord. Notice verses 12-13, "The righteous man will flourish like a palm tree, he will grow like a cedar in Lebanon, planted in the house of the Lord, he will flourish in the courts of our God." Now, I read a story that I thought just so fit this psalm.
Approximately, 30 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Herod the Great built a fortress on top of an isolated rock plateau surrounded by sheer rock faces of cliffs overlooking the Dead Sea, Masada. Now, Herod built Masada to be a military fortress, a refuge for himself in the event of a revolt. He filled that with an endless supply of food. Now, 2,000 years later, 2 millennia, 2,000 years later, did I mention 2,000 years?
2,000 years later, archaeologists there, working in Masada, discovered seeds of dates, date palm seeds, 2,000-year-old seeds. Someone thought, well, I wonder what would happen if we planted these. They took some, planted them, watered them, nurtured them. One seed germinated. 2,000-year-old date palm seed germinated, started to set out roots, started to set out sprouts, started to send forth the palm plants that began to grow, 2000-year-old palm tree that you can even visit today now in Israel.
Of course, it's surrounded now by a great fence, but it is a flourishing palm tree there just waiting, some of the oldest seeds in the world just waiting to be planted in the soil of Israel. Now, they discovered that it was a male, and so it could not produce dates. They took more of the seeds and they started to plant more and now others have sprouted up and they believe, of course, because there are several, at least one will be a female and then one day they're going to have dates from a 2,000-year-old palm tree, dates, the fruit of which came from a seed more than 2,000 years old, that it just sat waiting to be planted in the soil of Israel.
Oh, what a great picture is that. Oh, there are so many people whose souls are dead. They are dead. Their souls are sick. They're desperately sick, waiting, longing, what is this thing that is missing in their lives? They're just waiting to be planted in the courts of the Lord, waiting for the living water. There in the courts of the Lord, they will receive that which brings forth life.
It tells us in Psalm 1:1-3, "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked anymore." Oh, he used to. When his soul was desperately sick, that's what he did. He walked in the counsel of the wicked. He said, oh, how blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked anymore. "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, in the word of God." "He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season. Its leaf does not wither, and in whatever he does, he prospers."
A tree planted by streams of water is strong. Its roots run deep. They have found the source of life. They have found what their soul has so longed and desired for. They reach deep with their roots, and they bring forth that living water that nourishes every branch. They draw that water into their soul. That's why their souls delight in the Almighty. That's why their souls have shalom peace. They are blessed there. Notice it's planted. It's permanent. It abides there. It's planted there in the house of the Lord.
B. You shall be full of sap and very green
Then it says, and you will be full of sap and very green. Oh, what a great promise is that. Notice verse 14, it says, "They will still yield fruit in their old age." Oh, that verse right there is a great encouragement to many. I'm sure someday it will be an encouragement to me as well. "They will," it says, "still yield fruit in their old age. They will be full of sap and very green, to declare that the LORD is upright" and "He is my rock."
Now, they might be getting older, their bodies might be getting older, but these bodies are just temporary tents to dwell in. We're not taking these things with us. We're leaving these things behind. The soul, however, is eternal. The question is, what then is the condition of that soul? There he gives us this great word. Those who are planted in the courts of the Lord, they have found their source of life. They will be full of sap. That is a picture of the life of God, the very presence of the living God, full of sap, very green, and will bring forth fruit.
God wants to see the fruit of it. That is to say the result of it. See, people who eat the dates are blessed by that tree. It is that tree's gift to all who come near. It's the tree's gift to bless travelers who come by. God wants to see the fruit of it. It is the result of the vibrancy of that soul who delights in the Almighty. It blesses. It's the fruit from abiding. Notice what Jesus said in John 15:4-5, "He who abides in me and I in him, he is the one who will bear much fruit. Now apart from me, you'll bear nothing." You can do nothing. See, the result of abiding is fruit.
Jesus said this in Luke 6:45. I love quoting this verse also because it is so powerful to understand what the result of God filling the soul is. Notice Luke 6:45, "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart will bring forth that which is good because the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart." What fills? What fills? Well, when you're planted in the courts of the Lord, when the roots run deep and pull forth the living water and you're full of sap and very green, it's good. Fruit is a great word because it's sweet. It's tasty. It's a blessing. It's a delight.
There's the maturing that comes from the abiding that the fruit matures. You're abiding. You're steadfastly staying. God is taking that soul that was once sick and is bringing about a wonderful, beautiful work and it blesses. Have you ever been around someone who is just refreshing to be around? They are the Psalm 92 kind of people he's referring to. God is doing something beautiful in their life and people can see it. What is it? What is it about you? Well, the soul that's full of sap and very green brings forth that which is lovely.
Notice Galatians 5:22-23. The fruit of the spirit is lovely. It's full of sap, very green. The fruit is good. Lovely. The fruit of the spirit is love. People say, what is it? What is this thing about you? It's just, you're just such a blessing to be with. You bless. You edify. What is this thing? There is something lovely. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy. What is this joy you have? What is it about you? What is this joy that you have?
Ah, the soul is full of sap, very green. This peace. There is something about you. There is a deep residing peace. What is that? Oh, that's the soul. It's full of sap, green. It's lovely. It's peace. It's patience. You, such a patient soul. Such kindness, such, such gentleness, such goodness, such faithfulness. I want a soul like that. It's good. It's sweet. It's the fruit of the spirit. It's not the vegetables of the spirit. It's the fruit of the spirit. It's good. It's sweet. I want a soul like that.
You see, there comes a time to choose. There comes a time of choosing. Where will you plant your life? Where will you plant your soul? Where will you set your roots? Where will you find that which the soul longs for? Where will it be found? Scripture tells us it's there. There in the courts of the Lord, be planted there where there is living water, where the soul will find its deepest desire. It will draw from that living water a fresh anointing, full of sap and very green.
What is it about you? They will say, what is this thing, this deep residing that's in your soul? I want a soul like that. Maybe you're here today and you're like that old palm seed waiting and waiting, just waiting to be planted in the court of the Lord. Just waiting, searching, longing. If that's you, may God do something new in you. May you see what you did not see before. May your heart understand what you did not understand before. That God can take a soul and make it new.
Let's pray. Oh Lord, what can we say? Oh Lord, how good are Your works, how great are Your works? What You have done for us through your Son, Jesus Christ. You paid it all, You've done it all. Then you offered that life to us, that payment for sin, payment in full. You take the soul that's sick, longing, empty, and You do that which is new.
Church, how many would say today to the Lord, I want my soul planted right there. I want my soul planted in the courts of the Lord. I see it now. I see I see where life is found. I see where living water is. I want my soul planted there in the courts of the Lord. I want to dream deeply from the river of your delights. I want my soul filled with sap and very green. I want to bring forth the fruit that's that's of Your spirit. A fresh anointing that comes from being planted in the courts of the Lord. I want that.
Church, is that you? Would that be your desire? If that is your heart, your desire, your request of God, I'm going to ask you just lift up your hand or lift both if you want, and just give that expression to the Lord. God, I am just saying to You today, plant my soul there in the courts of the Lord. I see now what I never saw. I understand what I never understood. Do that which is new. Pour out a fresh anointing, and God, let my soul be full of sap and very green. I want the fruit of that to be seen in my life. Plant me there. Plant me in the courts of the Lord.
Is that you? Would you just raise your hand to the Lord? God, thank you for everyone who's raised their hand as a cry of their heart to say, "God, do that great work. Wonderful are your works. Do it in me, Lord." That's our prayer. That's our heart's desire. In Jesus' powerful name, and everyone said, "Can we give the Lord praise, glory, and honor?" Amen.