Psalm 92:13
Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
Planted
The word "planted" in Psalm 92:13 evokes the imagery of a tree firmly rooted in the soil, suggesting stability, growth, and nourishment. In Hebrew, the word used is "שָׁתוּל" (shatul), which implies being intentionally placed and cared for. This reflects the divine intention and care God has for His people, ensuring they are positioned in environments conducive to spiritual growth. The act of planting is deliberate, symbolizing God's purposeful design for believers to flourish in His presence.

in the house of the LORD
This phrase signifies a sacred and secure environment where believers are nurtured. The "house of the LORD" refers to the temple in Jerusalem, a central place of worship and God's dwelling among His people. Historically, the temple was the heart of Israel's religious life, symbolizing God's covenant and presence. For Christians, this can be seen as a metaphor for the church or the body of Christ, where believers gather to worship, learn, and grow in faith. It emphasizes the importance of community and fellowship in spiritual development.

they will flourish
The term "flourish" suggests thriving, prosperity, and vitality. In Hebrew, the word is "פָּרַח" (parach), which means to blossom or sprout. This conveys the idea of believers experiencing abundant life and spiritual growth when rooted in God's presence. Flourishing is not merely surviving but thriving in the fullness of God's blessings and purposes. It reflects the transformative power of God's presence, enabling believers to bear fruit and live out their faith dynamically and vibrantly.

in the courts of our God
The "courts" refer to the outer areas of the temple where worshippers gathered. In ancient Israel, these courts were places of praise, prayer, and community. The phrase "our God" personalizes the relationship, emphasizing a communal and individual connection with the divine. It highlights the privilege and blessing of being in close proximity to God, where His presence is accessible and His glory is manifest. For believers, it underscores the joy and fulfillment found in living a life centered around worship and communion with God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Righteous
The individuals referred to in this verse are those who live in accordance with God's will and are in a covenant relationship with Him.

2. The House of the LORD
This refers to the temple or the dwelling place of God, symbolizing His presence and the place of worship.

3. The Courts of our God
These are the outer areas of the temple where worshippers gather, representing a place of community and spiritual growth.
Teaching Points
Rooted in God's Presence
Being "planted in the house of the LORD" signifies a life deeply rooted in God's presence. Just as a plant needs good soil to thrive, believers need to be grounded in their relationship with God.

Community and Growth
The "courts of our God" suggest a communal aspect of faith. Spiritual growth often occurs in the context of community, where believers encourage and support one another.

Flourishing through Faithfulness
Flourishing is a result of faithfulness and obedience to God. It is not merely about personal success but about spiritual vitality and fruitfulness.

The Importance of Worship
Regular worship and engagement with God's Word are crucial for spiritual growth. Being in the "house of the LORD" implies a commitment to worship and learning.

Eternal Perspective
Flourishing in God's courts points to an eternal perspective, where true prosperity is found in God's presence, both now and in eternity.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does it mean to be "planted in the house of the LORD," and how can we ensure that our lives are deeply rooted in God's presence?

2. How does the imagery of flourishing in the courts of God challenge our understanding of success and prosperity in today's world?

3. In what ways can being part of a faith community help us to grow spiritually and flourish in our walk with God?

4. How can we apply the principles of being rooted and flourishing in our daily lives, especially in times of difficulty or spiritual dryness?

5. How do the additional scriptures (Psalm 1:3, Jeremiah 17:7-8, John 15:5) enhance our understanding of Psalm 92:13, and what practical steps can we take to live out these truths?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 1:3
This verse describes the righteous as a tree planted by streams of water, drawing a parallel to being "planted" and flourishing.

Jeremiah 17:7-8
Similar imagery is used to describe those who trust in the Lord, emphasizing stability and fruitfulness.

John 15:5
Jesus speaks of abiding in Him to bear much fruit, connecting the idea of flourishing through a relationship with God.

1 Corinthians 3:9
Paul refers to believers as God's field, indicating that growth and flourishing come from being rooted in God.

Ephesians 2:19-22
This passage speaks of believers as part of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone.
The Testimony of Old Age to God's FaithfulnessR. Tuck Psalm 92:13
The Eye Salve of PraiseS. Conway Psalm 92:1-15
Palm-Tree ChristiansR. J. Campbell, M.A.Psalm 92:12-15
The Good Man Like a CedarHomilistPsalm 92:12-15
The Plants of GraceExpository OutlinesPsalm 92:12-15
The Prosperity of the RighteousW. Jay.Psalm 92:12-15
The Provision Made in the Gospel for the Progressive Advancement in HolinessJ. Muirhead, D.D.Psalm 92:12-15
The Righteous FlourishingJohn Grigg.Psalm 92:12-15
The Righteous Flourishing Like the Palm-TreeJ. N. Norton.Psalm 92:12-15
The Righteous Like a CedarT. Adam.Psalm 92:12-15
The Righteous Like the Palm-TreeJoseph Angus.Psalm 92:12-15
Tongues in TreesF. W. Brown.Psalm 92:12-15
Fruitfulness of PietyG. B. Johnson.Psalm 92:13-15
Planted in the House of the LordS. Conway Psalm 92:13-15
Plants that Grow in the ChurchD. T. Wyman.Psalm 92:13-15
Soul PlantingHomilistPsalm 92:13-15
The Trees in God's CourtsPsalm 92:13-15
People
Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Courts, Flourish, Gardens, God's, Planted, Strong, Tall
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 92:12-13

     5270   court

Psalm 92:12-15

     4424   cedar
     7150   righteous, the

Library
December 3. Thy Thoughts are Very Deep (Ps. Xcii. 5).
Thy thoughts are very deep (Ps. xcii. 5). When a Roman soldier was told by his guide that if he insisted on taking a certain journey it would probably be fatal he answered, "It is necessary for me to go, it is not necessary for me to live." That was depth. When we are convicted like that we shall come to something. The shallow nature lives in its impulses, its impressions, its intuitions, its instincts, and very largely in its surroundings. The profound character looks beyond all these and moves
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

God Alone the Salvation of his People
Look on yon rocks and wonder at their antiquity, for from their summits a thousand ages look down upon us. When this gigantic city was as yet unfounded they were grey with age; when our humanity had not yet breathed the air, tis said that these were ancient things; they are the children of departed ages. With awe we look upon these aged rocks, for they are among nature's first-born. You discover, embedded in their bowels, the remnants of unknown worlds, of which, the wise may guess, but which, nevertheless,
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 2: 1856

The Majesty of God. --Ps. Xcii.
The Majesty of God.--Ps. xcii. The Lord is King:--upon His throne, He sits in garments glorious: Or girds for war His armour on, In every field victorious: The world came forth at his command; Built on His word its pillars stand; They never can be shaken. The Lord was King ere time began, His reign is everlasting: When high the floods in tumult ran, Their foam to heaven up-casting, He made the raging waves His path; The sea is mighty in its wrath, But God on high is mightier. Thy testimonies,
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns

Dialogue i. --The Immutable.
Orthodoxos and Eranistes. Orth.--Better were it for us to agree and abide by the apostolic doctrine in its purity. But since, I know not how, you have broken the harmony, and are now offering us new doctrines, let us, if you please, with no kind of quarrel, investigate the truth. Eran.--We need no investigation, for we exactly hold the truth. Orth.--This is what every heretic supposes. Aye, even Jews and Pagans reckon that they are defending the doctrines of the truth; and so also do not only the
Theodoret—The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret

Sweet is the Work, My God, My King
[167]Canonbury: Robert Schumann, 1839 Arr. Psalm 92 Isaac Watts, 1719 Sweet is the work, my God, my King, To praise thy Name, give thanks and sing; To show thy love by morning light, And talk of all thy truth at night. Sweet is the day of sacred rest; No mortal cares shall seize my breast; O may my heart in tune be found, Like David's harp of solemn sound. My heart shall triumph in my Lord, And bless his works, and bless his word; Thy works of grace, how bright they shine! How deep thy counsels,
Various—The Hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA

Reprobation.
In discussing this subject I shall endeavor to show, I. What the true doctrine of reprobation is not. 1. It is not that the ultimate end of God in the creation of any was their damnation. Neither reason nor revelation confirms, but both contradict the assumption, that God has created or can create any being for the purpose of rendering him miserable as an ultimate end. God is love, or he is benevolent, and cannot therefore will the misery of any being as an ultimate end, or for its own sake. It is
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Period ii. The Church from the Permanent Division of the Empire Until the Collapse of the Western Empire and the First Schism Between the East and the West, or Until About A. D. 500
In the second period of the history of the Church under the Christian Empire, the Church, although existing in two divisions of the Empire and experiencing very different political fortunes, may still be regarded as forming a whole. The theological controversies distracting the Church, although different in the two halves of the Graeco-Roman world, were felt to some extent in both divisions of the Empire and not merely in the one in which they were principally fought out; and in the condemnation
Joseph Cullen Ayer Jr., Ph.D.—A Source Book for Ancient Church History

Man's Chief End
Q-I: WHAT IS THE CHIEF END OF MAN? A: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. Here are two ends of life specified. 1: The glorifying of God. 2: The enjoying of God. I. The glorifying of God, I Pet 4:4: That God in all things may be glorified.' The glory of God is a silver thread which must run through all our actions. I Cor 10:01. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' Everything works to some end in things natural and artificial;
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Knowledge of God Conspicuous in the Creation, and Continual Government of the World.
1. The invisible and incomprehensible essence of God, to a certain extent, made visible in his works. 2. This declared by the first class of works--viz. the admirable motions of the heavens and the earth, the symmetry of the human body, and the connection of its parts; in short, the various objects which are presented to every eye. 3. This more especially manifested in the structure of the human body. 4. The shameful ingratitude of disregarding God, who, in such a variety of ways, is manifested within
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

The Resemblance Between the Old Testament and the New.
1. Introduction, showing the necessity of proving the similarity of both dispensations in opposition to Servetus and the Anabaptists. 2. This similarity in general. Both covenants truly one, though differently administered. Three things in which they entirely agree. 3. First general similarity, or agreement--viz. that the Old Testament, equally with the New, extended its promises beyond the present life, and held out a sure hope of immortality. Reason for this resemblance. Objection answered. 4.
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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