Introduction and Review of Psalm 92

Weaver reviews the previous two messages, noting the psalm's use in temple worship and the contrast between the wicked as grass and the righteous as trees.

So look in Psalm 92, only 15 verses there, so let's read the entire Psalm. Psalm 92, beginning there with verse 1. Psalm 92, verse 1.

"They shall bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; to show that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him." I hope that you will take the time if you have not done so to listen to the two previous messages, because in the first message, when I began dealing with Psalm 92, I only dealt with the first five verses. And I shared with you by way of introduction my time with Rush Dooney out in California when he took us to the giant sequoia trees and shared for over an hour of how those sequoias and Christians had a lot of attributes in common. And then I went ahead and demonstrated from Psalm 92 verses 1 through 5 how that obviously this is indeed a psalm of creation. And I pointed out also how that this psalm was sung in the tabernacle and in the temple on the Sabbath day. In the second message, I actually began with verse 6, and I went down through verse 11. In verse 6, David said it like this, "A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this." I pointed out that a brutish man is someone that does not think. He does not understand, he does not meditate, he does not comprehend. A brutish man is someone who just simply lives by his feelings, by his instincts. Quite a brute beast. And then he talks about in verse 6, "A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this."

And I've pointed out that a fool in the Bible is not a mentally deficient person, but he's someone who will not listen. Someone who will not take heed and someone who will not learn. And the interesting thing is when you look at verse six and you understand what David is saying,

What is it that a brutish man does not know and a fool does not understand? That's when you look at verse seven, because here it is what David is explaining.

So in this psalm, then, the wicked are compared to grass and the righteous are compared to trees. Now, there are obvious differences between grass and trees. First and foremost is that grass grows quickly. If you've ever had a garden, you understand that. Grass grows quickly and trees grow very slowly. If you're ever waiting for pecans, they grow very slowly, or pears, or peaches, or whatever. Trees grow slowly and grass grows very quickly. Secondly, we must also consider the fact that grass will grow and prosper in an area where trees will not. You can always find grass. You can even find grass in the desert. Thirdly, we must comprehend that grass has a very short lifespan, while trees have a very long lifespan.

The Wicked Compared to Grass

The wicked are like grass that grows quickly, flourishes temporarily, and is ultimately destroyed, as seen in verses 7 and 9.

"When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish, it is that they shall be destroyed forever." So in this psalm, then, the wicked are compared to grass and the righteous are compared to trees. Now, there are obvious differences between grass and trees. First and foremost is that grass grows quickly. If you've ever had a garden, you understand that. Grass grows quickly and trees grow very slowly. If you're ever waiting for pecans, they grow very slowly, or pears, or peaches, or whatever. Trees grow slowly and grass grows very quickly. Secondly, we must also consider the fact that grass will grow and prosper in an area where trees will not. You can always find grass. You can even find grass in the desert. Thirdly, we must comprehend that grass has a very short lifespan, while trees have a very long lifespan.

And fourthly, grass is grown just simply to be cut down, either for fodder or for food for animals, or just simply for aesthetic purposes. And when you understand in verse 7, he says,

Then look at verse 9. This confirms it. He says,

So it's not grass that I want to focus upon today, but rather trees, because we're at the end of this psalm. And trees are used in the Bible frequently to convey various truths. For instance, wisdom in the Bible is referred to as a tree of life. In Proverbs 3 and verse 18, the Bible says concerning wisdom, "She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her."

Trees as a Biblical Metaphor for the Righteous

Scripture frequently uses trees to convey truths about wisdom, wholesome speech, and the righteous, including references in Proverbs and Luke.

And fourthly, grass is grown just simply to be cut down, either for fodder or for food for animals, or just simply for aesthetic purposes. And when you understand in verse 7, he says,

Then look at verse 9. This confirms it. He says,

So it's not grass that I want to focus upon today, but rather trees, because we're at the end of this psalm. And trees are used in the Bible frequently to convey various truths. For instance, wisdom in the Bible is referred to as a tree of life. In Proverbs 3 and verse 18, the Bible says concerning wisdom, "She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her."

"and happy is everyone that retaineth her." So wisdom is referred to as a tree of life. A wholesome tongue, or someone who knows how to speak accurately and truthfully, is also compared to a tree of life. For instance, in Proverbs 15 and verse 4, the Bible says

When you read the New Testament, you will also find out that our Lord used trees in illustrating his preaching. For instance, in Luke chapter 21 and verse 29, the Bible says, "Then he spake a parable unto them, Behold the fig tree, and all the trees." So our Lord used trees in speaking and teaching as well.

So today I want to just come down and show you several things concerning trees. First of all, if you will notice verses 12 and 13, the trees of the Lord are planted trees. Look at verse 12. "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." So I told you last week that the righteous are likened not only to palm trees and cedar trees here in Psalm 92, but they're also likened to willow trees in Isaiah and to myrtle trees in the book of Zechariah. But here the Bible tells us that the trees of the Lord are planted trees. "Those that be planted"—our Father, of course, is the great forester and the great planter of trees.

The Trees of the Lord Are Planted Trees

God purposefully plants His people in Christ, as seen in Ephesians 1 and 2 Timothy 1, according to His eternal purpose and grace.

So today I want to just come down and show you several things concerning trees. First of all, if you will notice verses 12 and 13, the trees of the Lord are planted trees. Look at verse 12. "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." So I told you last week that the righteous are likened not only to palm trees and cedar trees here in Psalm 92, but they're also likened to willow trees in Isaiah and to myrtle trees in the book of Zechariah. But here the Bible tells us that the trees of the Lord are planted trees. "Those that be planted"—our Father, of course, is the great forester and the great planter of trees.

He did so in the very beginning. The Bible tells us in the book of Genesis chapter 2 and verse 9, "And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree to grow that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." So God planted all of the trees. So He is indeed the true and the great forester. People are likened to trees in the Bible, and we are likened unto His planting. I want you to hold Psalm 92, but I want you to look back in your Bibles to the book of Numbers chapter 24. Numbers chapter 24. You remember that Balaam was a false prophet, but God used Balaam and forced him to speak the truth. And so when you get to Numbers chapter 24 verses 1 through 6, Balak had hired Balaam to curse Israel, but God turns the curses into a blessing and all Balaam is able to do is to bless Israel. But I want you to note what he says in Numbers chapter 24 beginning there with verse 1.

"And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: he hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob! and thy tabernacles, O Israel!" Now look, "as the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the riverside, as the trees of lign aloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the water." So here in this passage, he talks about the trees of lign aloes, and he talks about the cedar trees as well. In fact, Balaam's prophecy harkens back to the Garden of Eden, because there we're told in Genesis 2 and verse 8, "the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed." And of course, all of these trees were there in the garden.

The aloe trees furnish the ancients with one of the most fragrant and one of the most precious spices. In fact the Bible in Psalm 45 verse 8 talking about Solomon and of course the Lord Jesus who is the greater Solomon says this,

I want you to look back to Psalm 92. Notice, if you would, he says "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." But back in Numbers chapter 24 and verse six, he says again, they're like the lign aloes that are planted by the Lord. Do you understand that God plants trees? Let me ask you a question. Have you ever planted a tree? Have you ever planted several trees? Have you ever planted a garden, a garden of vegetables or garden of flowers? I'm going to ask—I'm asking these questions for a reason. The reason that I'm asking these questions is so that I may ask you another question. Here it is. If you ever planted a tree or a lot of trees, or if you've ever planted a garden, either of herbs or flowers or vegetables, did you plant those trees on purpose or did you do it accidentally? Well, obviously, you're going to say, "I planted those trees on purpose."

I intended to do that. Now let me ask you, if you are wise enough as a fallen, depraved individual, if you are wise enough to plant your trees and plant your gardens purposefully, do you not think that the sovereign, omniscient God of heaven and earth is wise enough to do the same? God has never done anything accidentally. Everything that God does is intentional and it is on purpose. May I remind you of Ephesians 3 and verse 11 where scripture says "according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." So God chose us and God placed us purposely and deliberately. It was no accident that God saved you. It was not luck, chance, or fortune. It was not happenstance. What God did, He did purposefully. Let me show you. I want you to hold Psalm 92, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians 1, and let's begin reading there with verse 3. Ephesians 1, verse 3. Watch carefully. And I want you to understand the word "purpose" here. Notice Ephesians 1, verse 3. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" Now watch. "According as he hath chosen us in him"—that is, in Jesus Christ—"before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise

of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.

which he hath purposed in himself." So God planted us purposefully. If you would turn right over to the book of 2 Timothy, just a few pages over, 2 Timothy chapter 1, and look if you would please at verses 8 through 10. Look what the Bible tells us. 2 Timothy chapter 1, beginning there with verse 8. Paul writes to Timothy and he says this, "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;" Look what God has done, "who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." Now let me just stop and ask you this question.

When did God give us grace in Christ Jesus? And the answer is, before the world began. Now look at verse 10. "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." Now the interesting thing is this, the truth and reality of that eternal purpose and grace that God has given us is made clear, plain, and manifest by the Father sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And what God has done is this, He has planted us in the most nourishing and the richest soil possible. That is His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why the Bible says in Ephesians 3 and verse 17 "that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love." So God planted us, God rooted us, God grounded us in the Lord Jesus Christ. Please understand the purpose. That's why Romans 8, verse 28, the Bible says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his" what?

Purpose. So God purposefully planted us. He planted us in faith. He planted us in grace and mercy. He planted us in the Lord Jesus Christ. He planted us in his eternal purpose. We are the trees of his planting. So therefore, we can say, along with the Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 10, "I am what I am only by the grace of God." So the trees of the Lord are planted trees.

The Trees of the Lord Are Placed Trees

God places His planted trees in the house of the Lord, the church, which is the pillar and ground of truth, as taught in 1 Timothy 3:15.

Purpose. So God purposefully planted us. He planted us in faith. He planted us in grace and mercy. He planted us in the Lord Jesus Christ. He planted us in his eternal purpose. We are the trees of his planting. So therefore, we can say, along with the Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 10, "I am what I am only by the grace of God." So the trees of the Lord are planted trees.

Now, go back, if you would, to Psalm 92. Look at it. Verse 12. He says "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." So we are not only his planted trees, we are his placed trees. When you plant a tree, do you purposely place it? Of course you do. When you plant a garden, you purposely place that garden. Nobody is going to plant a garden right under a group of oak trees and pine trees.

You know it won't produce. You place that garden where it's going to produce. You plant those trees in the most opportune spot. You plant those trees in the richest, most nourishing soil. And God plants His trees and places them, He says,

David said it like this in Psalm 52 and verse 8,

God places the trees that he planted in his house. As Spurgeon said it like this, listen carefully. He says, "Those professors who are rooted to the world do not flourish.

Those who send forth their roots into the marshes of frivolity and pleasure cannot be in a vigorous condition. For those who dwell in habitual fellowship with God shall become men of full growth, rich in grace, happy in experience, mighty in influence, honored and honorable. Much depends upon the soil in which a tree is planted. Everything in our case depends upon our abiding in Jesus Christ and deriving all of our supplies from Him. If we ever really grow in the courts of the Lord's house, we must be planted there. For no tree grows in God's garden self-sown. Once planted of the Lord, we shall never be rooted up, but in his courts we shall take root downward and bring forth fruit upward to his glory forever and ever." Albert Barnes goes a little bit further and he says this, "The courts of the house of God were properly the areas of open spaces around the tabernacle or the temple. But the word can also be used to denote the tabernacle or the temple itself, to designate a place where God was worshipped.

It has this meaning here. The passage affords an encouragement to parents to train up their children in attendance on the ordinances of public worship, and it shows the advantage of having been born in the church and having been trained up in it, an advantage which few can really appreciate." Wow. And I will say this, it's far better to be brought up in a church where the truth is preached and the truth is taught. I was raised in church. And so was my wife. We were there Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night. And if there were special meetings, we were there then. But I never, ever really remember hearing the gospel in the church that I was raised in.

Now, it could have been me. But I don't really remember hearing it. Now, the truth of the matter is this. God places the trees that he plants in the courts of his house. I will be absolutely honest with you. I have real, genuine problems with professing Christians who state that they are in Jesus Christ, that they are saved, but they hardly ever, ever attend the public worship in the church. They think that they can just simply worship privately and avoid public worship.

The church is the house of God. The church is the pillar and ground of truth. The theme of 1 Timothy is "that thou mayest know how to behave thyself in the house of God." You can go through 1 Timothy and you can find out how you are to live and how you are to act. In other words, it is your duty, it is your obligation, it is your responsibility to live and to act in the house of God the way God demands that you do so. It is also the duty and the obligation and the responsibility of pastors to preach and teach the whole Word of God so that you will know how to live and you will know how to act. And not just in church, but in the totality of life. If the church is the pillar and ground of truth, you should be able to find truth in the church of God. If you're not able to find truth in the church, it may not be the Lord's church. It may be a church, but not necessarily the Lord's church.

Those whom He plants, He places in the church, the house of God. If you do not find yourself worshiping and being taught in church, you need to ask yourself whether or not you have been planted by the Lord. Those whom He plants, He places in His house. So the trees of the Lord are planted trees. They are placed trees. If you look back in Psalm 92, verses 13 and 14, we will also find that they are prosperous trees. Look in verse 12.

He says "the righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar of Lebanon; those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God." Look in verse 14, "they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;" having been planted and placed by the Lord. They will grow there. They'll send out their boughs, they'll send out their roots and they will prosper. Those whom God plants and those whom God places always prosper. Why?

The Trees of the Lord Are Prosperous Trees

Those planted in God's house flourish and lack nothing, being blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ, and their growth proves their planting.

Those whom He plants, He places in the church, the house of God. If you do not find yourself worshiping and being taught in church, you need to ask yourself whether or not you have been planted by the Lord. Those whom He plants, He places in His house. So the trees of the Lord are planted trees. They are placed trees. If you look back in Psalm 92, verses 13 and 14, we will also find that they are prosperous trees. Look in verse 12.

He says "the righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar of Lebanon; those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God." Look in verse 14, "they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;" having been planted and placed by the Lord. They will grow there. They'll send out their boughs, they'll send out their roots and they will prosper. Those whom God plants and those whom God places always prosper. Why? Because they do not lack anything. You remember that passage we read earlier in Ephesians chapter 1 in verse 3, the Bible said, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." We have everything we need in Jesus Christ. So if we've been planted and placed, we're bound to be prosperous in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Albert Barnes said it like this, and here's just a tad of repetition, but I'm doing it just so that you can connect the last part of this quote. He says, "This passage affords an encouragement to parents to train up their children in attendance over the ordinances of public worship, and it shows the advantage of having been born in the church and having been trained up in it, an advantage which no one can fully appreciate." Then he goes on: "The passage may also be regarded as furnishing a proof of what will be the result of being thus planted and nurtured in connection with the church inasmuch as trees carefully planted and cultivated are expected to produce more and better fruit than those that grow wild." And that is certainly true. The Prince of Preachers said it like this, "'Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God' are not distinctive of some from others as though some only of the flourishing righteous were so planted, but they are descriptive of them all with an addition of the way and means whereby they are caused to grow and to flourish. And this is their implantation in the house of the Lord, that is, the church, which is the seat of all the means of spiritual life, both as unto growth and flourishing, which God is pleased to grant unto believers. To be planted in the house of the Lord is to be fixed and rooted in grace communicated by the ordinances of divine worship. Unless we are planted in the house of the Lord, we cannot flourish in His courts." And that is certainly true.

Have you ever wondered about people who say that they are believers and they're Christians? And they just never grow, they never mature. They seem worldly, they seem carnal, they seem like "I'm not interested in studying the Bible, I'm not interested in learning truth." And how about all of those that "Well, I used to go to church." You know what the Bible said in 1 John 2 and verse 19.

So the very proof that someone has been planted and placed by God is that they are prosperous. They grow. They mature.

The Trees of the Lord Are Productive Trees

Believers bring forth fruit even in old age, as seen in Psalm 92:14 and Psalm 71, demonstrating that spiritual productivity does not retire.

"They went out from us, that it might be made manifest that they were not of us; for if they had been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us." So the very proof that someone has been planted and placed by God is that they are prosperous. They grow. They mature. Fourthly, well, let me just quote a couple of verses before I go to my fourth point. How about Psalm 104, verse 16? The Bible says,

The trees of the Lord are full of sap. That is, you've got something in you, you're being nourished. Isaiah 61 in verse 3, the Bible says, "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." So we're to be called the trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord. So, the trees of the Lord are planted trees. They're placed trees. They're prosperous trees. Verse 14, they're also productive trees. The trees of the Lord are productive trees. Verse 14, "they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing." Old age does not hinder spiritual production.

In fact, usually the best fruit is from the older trees. The older trees have weathered all the storms, survived the droughts, the onslaught of insects and disease, and are still producing fruit. Let me put it like this. There is no retirement in the things of God. There is no retirement in the things of God. Unhappily, many older Christians tend to think that they are helpless and they are useless. And the answer is no, a thousand times no. Older Christians are to be fathers and mothers to the younger Christians. And we're to communicate and pass on to them the things which we have learned and we have been taught to enable them, a lot of times, to avoid what we fell into and to encourage them in holiness.

Now, I want you to hold Psalm 92, but I want you to look back in your Bibles to Psalm 71. I want you to turn there. I want to show you something. Look in Psalm 71. I love this passage. The older you get, the more I think you love certain verses and certain chapters. Well, this one is one of my favorites. Look in Psalm 71 and verse 18. Look what he said. Psalm 71, verse 18.

"Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come." Now note what he said, "now when I'm old and grayheaded," that would include some of you. Kind of wish Brother Tom, he'd have said, "now when I'm old and bald headed," but he didn't. I don't know that I can grow gray hair. I can't grow anything, I don't believe, except on my chin. But anyhow, but he said, "when I'm old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come." Now. Look here in Psalm 71 at verses 5 and 6. Watch it. Psalm 71, verse 5. David says, "For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth. By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee." Now he says, "You've been my trust from my youth." Now look in verse 17. "O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works." Now, look in verse 18, "Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come." Do you understand what David is saying? David has said, "I have trusted you from a youth. Not only from a youth, but now middle age, and not only during middle age, but old age." A life lived from youth to manhood to old age in the faith is worth more than anyone could possibly imagine.

If we live in the faith and walk in the faith, an older Christian has so much more to offer. We tend to look at older people and think, well, they're useless. I may not be able to deadlift 300 pounds, but I do know a few things. And you know, it's interesting, not only as a pastor, but as a father, and you fathers will understand this. Isn't it amazing how you try to keep your children from falling into the same sins and same traps that you fell into?

But seemingly, they just won't listen. Isn't that amazing? And then when they fall into the same sin or the same trap, they say, "I wish I'd listened to my father. I wish I'd listened to my pastor. He tried to tell me, but I wouldn't listen." And a lot of times that is because young people think they know everything when they don't, and a lot of times it's because they think that old people do not know anything. And a lot of times it's because they think, "Well, older folks are just trying to keep them from having fun and from doing their thing." No. A lot of times they're just trying to save them from heartache and danger and death.

You know, Solomon, the wise man, gave an admonition to the youth in Ecclesiastes 12 and verse one. He said, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." Wow. Somebody thinks, "Well, I'm going to sow my wild oats while I'm young, and when I get old, I'll turn to the Lord." It will not work like that. It does not work like that. If we remember Him in our youth, in our middle age, I can assure you He is not going to forget us in our old age. Henry Klingler and I used to tease each other all the time. And I remember when I turned 65. Henry came up to me with a smile on his face, he said, "Well, Pastor.

You can retire now you're 65." Just chuckled. Because he knew I wasn't going to retire and I can't retire. Not for the Lord can retire me, but I can't quit preaching and—and I will preach until he does retire me. But I'm just simply saying just because you get old does not mean that you can't do some things. If you look back in Psalm 92, note if you would, verse 14 again, look what he says. "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age." "They shall be fat and flourishing." And the word "flourishing" there literally means to be green. The image is taken from a tree that is still green in old age. In other words, it gives no indication of decay. It gives no indication of being useless or worthless. Age may make many things decay, but it makes a Christian flourish. Joseph Caryl said it like this. Listen. "What a divine climax doth the Spirit of God make in this scripture to show that the godly man as to his state is so far from declining that he's still climbing higher and higher in his old age."

So the trees of the Lord are indeed productive. One last thought. The trees of the Lord are also pruned trees. Wow. Why do you prune a tree? You prune it so it will produce more fruit. You cut off the useless limbs and the useless sprouts. The tree that is shaped and honed so that it will bring forth much fruit. Let me say it like this. Pruning does not hurt the tree. It helps the tree.

The Trees of the Lord Are Pruned Trees

God prunes His trees to remove useless branches and increase fruitfulness, as Jesus teaches in John 15, for His glory.

So the trees of the Lord are indeed productive. One last thought. The trees of the Lord are also pruned trees. Wow. Why do you prune a tree? You prune it so it will produce more fruit. You cut off the useless limbs and the useless sprouts. The tree that is shaped and honed so that it will bring forth much fruit. Let me say it like this. Pruning does not hurt the tree. It helps the tree.

So if you'll hold Psalm 92, but look in your Bibles to John 15. Look at what our Lord says in John 15, beginning there with verse 1. John 15, verse 1. Our Lord says, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit;

so shall ye be my disciples." So God prunes us. He takes away the useless sprouts and the useless branches, that we may bring forth more fruit. Now, I want you to turn to Isaiah 60. Look in Isaiah 60 and verse 21. Isaiah 60, verse 21. Here it is. Isaiah 60, verse 21. "Thy people also shall be all righteous:" Isn't that interesting? "Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified." God says, "...thy people shall all be righteous." Wow! They're the branch of His planting, the work of His hands.

Someone has written it like this. It's very beautifully stated, I believe. "The young Christian is lovely, like a tree in blossoms in the spring. The aged Christian is valuable, like a tree in autumn bending with ripe fruit. We therefore look for something superior in old disciples, more deadness to the world, the vanity of which they have had more opportunities to see, more meekness of wisdom, more disposition to make sacrifices for the sake of peace. More maturity of judgment in divine things. More confidence in God. More riches of experience."

The trees of the Lord are full of sap. Proverbs 11 verse 30 says it like this, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise." The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. When you look at Psalm 92, and you understand Psalm 92 is a psalm of creation, and he's specifically talking about God's trees, then he's specifically referring to how the saints of God are likened unto trees. So the next time you look at your trees, or any trees, you stop and think. These trees have been planted. These trees have been placed. These trees are prosperous. These trees are productive. These trees probably have been or will be pruned. Why? To enable them to bring forth much fruit.

Conclusion and Application

Weaver challenges listeners to examine whether they have been planted by the Lord, evidenced by placement in the church, prosperity, productivity, and pruning, all to show God's uprightness.

The trees of the Lord are full of sap. Proverbs 11 verse 30 says it like this, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise." The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. When you look at Psalm 92, and you understand Psalm 92 is a psalm of creation, and he's specifically talking about God's trees, then he's specifically referring to how the saints of God are likened unto trees. So the next time you look at your trees, or any trees, you stop and think. These trees have been planted. These trees have been placed. These trees are prosperous. These trees are productive. These trees probably have been or will be pruned. Why? To enable them to bring forth much fruit.

So you have to ask yourself this question. Have you been planted by the Lord? If you've been planted by Him, you've been placed in His house. If you've been placed in His house, you should be prosperous. You should be growing in faith. You should be productive. You should be producing spiritual fruit. Read Galatians 5, the fruit of the Spirit. And you should expect to be pruned. To have some useless ideas, attitudes, dispositions, actions cut off.

And you might think those pruning shears hurt momentarily. But it will be for your benefit, that you bring forth much fruit. And it will be for his honor and his glory. So the Bible tells us, listen carefully. "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. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing." Why? Why? "To show that the Lord is upright: he is my rock.

And there is no unrighteousness in him." So our lives should demonstrate that the Lord is upright. Our lives should demonstrate that He is my rock. Our lives should demonstrate that there is no unrighteousness in Him. Because He planted us. And He placed us. And we are the trees of His planting. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. And Lord, I pray that as we look at trees, we remember that they should be a picture of what we're to be. We're to consider thy creation.

Thou didst tell us that the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork, day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Teach us not only, Lord, out of your creation, but teach us specifically out of your word. May we learn from general revelation, but, Lord, may we also learn from your special revelation even more. But may we not discount the general revelation in thy creation. Help us, Lord, to love Thee, to live for Thee, to be very prosperous and very productive in Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.