Psalm 92: The righteous flourish, evildoers perish - God's eternal care

The psalm writer tells us a great truth. It is good to praise the Lord. To celebrate His being, to sing of His love, and his faithfulness. In doing this we declare our trust in Him; we witness to our commitment to Him. A trust and a commitment that flows from praise reinforces our praise.

Our praise celebrates God’s great actions. His creating everything from nothing; His freeing Israel from slavery in Egypt through the Exodus. His sending Jesus to delivers us from the greater slavery of sin and death; and His giving you life. How great are Your works, O Lord!

But sadly the joy of celebrating God is not for everyone. There are people who praise their own power of their own lives. They do not understand the call to love God.

Others positively oppose God. They reject His reality. They reject living His way. They do whatever pleases themselves, calling bad good. And they flourish. And the fact that they flourish reinforces their lifestyle. And challenges the righteous.

But they will only flourish for a few years. The Lord is exalted for ever but they are like grass, it grows up, even though it is full of weeds, which also flourish. But the day of the lawn mower arrives and the grass and the weeds are cut off. God’s enemies will perish. It’s not an act of vengeance. It’s simply the way things are. If you love God He will bless you; if You reject Him, you will suffer.

This truth is not about our present life, for don’t forget fools and evildoers flourish in the present life. It is about eternal life. The righteous who live in God’s ways will flourish, not like grass but like trees. For they are planted in the house of the Lord.

The house of the Lord does refer to an earthly temple or church. It refers to the eternal dwelling place of God and His people. As Jesus said at His last supper, “Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions...I am going there to prepare a place for you … so that you may be where I am.” [John 14:1f]

In our lives we may suffer many things; they are not all the same for everyone, except death. Through death all who reject God finally have the life they seek, in all its emptiness – for a life without God is a life without love, without joy, without peace, a life that is perishing not flourishing. But you, & all who love to praise God, will be forever glad, forever fresh and green, forever bearing fruit, planted in the courts of God, fulfilling and expressing your self.

Being aware of all that God has done for you and looking ahead to what He will do for you, may you always sing praises to God, for He has planted you for eternal life in His new creation. Amen.