"But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: i trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. I will praise thee forever, because Thou hast done it: and I will wait on Thy name; for it is good before Thy saints." — Psalm 52:8-9
This psalm, like so many others, draws a contrast between the wicked and the righteous. If we reduce the concept to a minimum, the declaration is that the wicked man trusts in his material resources (v.7) and the righteous man trusts in God. My inclination today is to focus attention on what is here suggested about the latter, David himself serving as the illustration.
Consider first the prosperity of the righteous, suggested by the phrase, "I am like a green olive tree in the house of God." The green tree may be contrasted to a dry tree. The implication is that the green tree is flourishing and fruitful, in contrast to the dry, dead tree. Reference to the tree as "in the house of God" suggests that it will enjoy tender and faithful care under His supervision, in contrast to the destiny of the wicked described in v. 5— "God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of Thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living." In this light, contemplate the question, "What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul [Mk. 8:36]?" It is the true child of God whose position is truly prosperous, in the spiritual sense if not materially, and who will "bring forth his fruit in his season," and enjoy the security of dwelling "in the house of the Lord forever." (Cf. Ps. 1:3; 23:6)
Out of that glorious relationship three things emerge. First, consider the perspective of the righteous: "I will trust in the mercy of God forever and forever." Throughout scripture men are exhorted to trust in the Lord. Here one man affirms his trust over against his adversary, and he affirms it as an act of the will. Trust is a choice. Earlier in this psalm it is said of the wicked man, he "trusted in the abundance of his riches," and in the end he comes to naught. Here the righteous man trusts in the mercy of God and it is an enduring trust; God's resources never fail.
The second emphasis is on the practice of the righteous: "I will praise thee forever and ever." Scripture says, "praise is comely for the upright" (Ps. 33:1). This man says that as long as he will trust, he will praise. In the New Testament we are exhorted, "By Him (Christ) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name [Heb. 13:15]." Praise and thanksgiving are one of the distinguishing characteristics of the man of God.
Thirdly, there is suggested the patience of the righteous: "I will wait on Thy name… before Thy saints." Come what may, the righteous wait on the Lord. To this we are exhorted in one of my wife's favorite texts, Psalm 62:5, "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him." Waiting on the Lord promises the stamina to endure the rigors of life in this present world. "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint [Isa. 40:29-31]." If the time of His appearing waxes long, and doubts begin to arise, waiting on Him will fan the flame of hope and enable us to "keep on keeping on."
"I will trust… I will praise… I will wait… " Centered in the Living God, these are characteristics that distinguish the righteous from the ungodly, and shape his character. May God give us the wisdom to appropriate righteousness by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and diligence in thus pursuing it .
"With eternity's values in view,"
"Pastor" Frasier
This psalm, like so many others, draws a contrast between the wicked and the righteous. If we reduce the concept to a minimum, the declaration is that the wicked man trusts in his material resources (v.7) and the righteous man trusts in God. My inclination today is to focus attention on what is here suggested about the latter, David himself serving as the illustration.
Consider first the prosperity of the righteous, suggested by the phrase, "I am like a green olive tree in the house of God." The green tree may be contrasted to a dry tree. The implication is that the green tree is flourishing and fruitful, in contrast to the dry, dead tree. Reference to the tree as "in the house of God" suggests that it will enjoy tender and faithful care under His supervision, in contrast to the destiny of the wicked described in v. 5— "God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of Thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living." In this light, contemplate the question, "What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul [Mk. 8:36]?" It is the true child of God whose position is truly prosperous, in the spiritual sense if not materially, and who will "bring forth his fruit in his season," and enjoy the security of dwelling "in the house of the Lord forever." (Cf. Ps. 1:3; 23:6)
Out of that glorious relationship three things emerge. First, consider the perspective of the righteous: "I will trust in the mercy of God forever and forever." Throughout scripture men are exhorted to trust in the Lord. Here one man affirms his trust over against his adversary, and he affirms it as an act of the will. Trust is a choice. Earlier in this psalm it is said of the wicked man, he "trusted in the abundance of his riches," and in the end he comes to naught. Here the righteous man trusts in the mercy of God and it is an enduring trust; God's resources never fail.
The second emphasis is on the practice of the righteous: "I will praise thee forever and ever." Scripture says, "praise is comely for the upright" (Ps. 33:1). This man says that as long as he will trust, he will praise. In the New Testament we are exhorted, "By Him (Christ) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name [Heb. 13:15]." Praise and thanksgiving are one of the distinguishing characteristics of the man of God.
Thirdly, there is suggested the patience of the righteous: "I will wait on Thy name… before Thy saints." Come what may, the righteous wait on the Lord. To this we are exhorted in one of my wife's favorite texts, Psalm 62:5, "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him." Waiting on the Lord promises the stamina to endure the rigors of life in this present world. "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint [Isa. 40:29-31]." If the time of His appearing waxes long, and doubts begin to arise, waiting on Him will fan the flame of hope and enable us to "keep on keeping on."
"I will trust… I will praise… I will wait… " Centered in the Living God, these are characteristics that distinguish the righteous from the ungodly, and shape his character. May God give us the wisdom to appropriate righteousness by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and diligence in thus pursuing it .
"With eternity's values in view,"
"Pastor" Frasier
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