Taking the Long View
Psalm 52:8-9
But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
for ever and ever.
9 For what you have done I will always praise you
in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name,
for your name is good.
Here is the context of this psalm:
The terrible events that prompted this chapter are recorded in 1 Samuel 21 and 22. Doeg informed Saul regarding David’s presence at the tabernacle of God and regarding the help he received from the priest there. In an evil and paranoid response, Saul sent Doeg to kill the priests and others at the tabernacle, and Doeg did – 85 people in total (1 Samuel 22:18-19).
In this psalm, David is comparing himself with the evil acts of Doeg. While Doeg's acts desecrated the temple, David was like a healthy tree in the house of the Lord. The root of Doeg's evil led to destruction, but David's trust in the Lord would cause him to flourish in God's house forever. The olive tree is one of the longest living trees. David uses this metaphor to show that the person who trusts in God's unfailing love will endure, but the man who does evil will be extinuguished and cut down swiftly.
Though the person who does evil may escape justice in this life, one day he will be judged for the life he has lived. When we see evil people seemingly winning in this life, we must remember their apparent success will be short lived. David trusts in the goodness of God and waits on God to him to vindicate him.
So the question is when you are wronged, where do you turn? Will you take the long view and trust in God's unfailing love and unflinching justice? The apparent success of those who hurt you will be short lived, but your faithfulness will be remembered forever.
But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
for ever and ever.
9 For what you have done I will always praise you
in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name,
for your name is good.
Here is the context of this psalm:
The terrible events that prompted this chapter are recorded in 1 Samuel 21 and 22. Doeg informed Saul regarding David’s presence at the tabernacle of God and regarding the help he received from the priest there. In an evil and paranoid response, Saul sent Doeg to kill the priests and others at the tabernacle, and Doeg did – 85 people in total (1 Samuel 22:18-19).
In this psalm, David is comparing himself with the evil acts of Doeg. While Doeg's acts desecrated the temple, David was like a healthy tree in the house of the Lord. The root of Doeg's evil led to destruction, but David's trust in the Lord would cause him to flourish in God's house forever. The olive tree is one of the longest living trees. David uses this metaphor to show that the person who trusts in God's unfailing love will endure, but the man who does evil will be extinuguished and cut down swiftly.
Though the person who does evil may escape justice in this life, one day he will be judged for the life he has lived. When we see evil people seemingly winning in this life, we must remember their apparent success will be short lived. David trusts in the goodness of God and waits on God to him to vindicate him.
So the question is when you are wronged, where do you turn? Will you take the long view and trust in God's unfailing love and unflinching justice? The apparent success of those who hurt you will be short lived, but your faithfulness will be remembered forever.
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