Walking Therein

Posted By Jacque on May 30, 2009

Psalm 52: 8
But I am like a leafy olive tree in the house of God; I put my trust in the grace of God forever and ever. 9 I will praise you forever for what you have done, and I will put my hope in your name; for this is what is good in the presence of your faithful.

David says he will praise the Lord for what he has done and put his hope in his name forever. He also says these things he is or will do:

Like a leafy olive tree in the house of God;
Put my trust in the grace of God forever and ever.
Put my hope in your name.

The “leafy olive tree” struck me as something I needed to know. To me, a westerner who is just learning of the rich Jewish customs and land that Israel is, I needed to know why it is a good thing that David claimed to be “like a leafy olive tree in the house of God”. I have little understanding of the importance of and characteristics of what the Rabbis and the Word means when referring to the olive tree. I know it is very important in Israel and Scripture, so I looked into it as looking for its importance and what the Jewish people of God would have already known.

Here are some things we need to know about being “like a leafy olive tree in the house of God”:

This verse shows us that the olive tree is an honour to God and humanity. The olive tree can tolerate drought well, because of its sturdy and extensive root system.

Olive trees can be exceptionally long-lived, up to several centuries, and can remain productive for as long, provided they are pruned correctly and regularly. Along with its deep roots, it also has strong branches.

The olive tree, olives and olive oil are mentioned over and over in the Bible. It is one of the most significant plants mentioned in the Bible. It was an olive branch that a dove brought back to Noah to demonstrate that the flood was over. Its oil is used to anoint kings and the anointed of God. The Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem is where Jesus often sat and taught thousands of people the true meanings of Torah.

Judges 9:8-9
“Once the trees went out to choose a king to rule them. They said to the olive tree, ‘Rule over us!’ 9 But the olive tree replied, ‘Am I supposed to leave my oil, which is used to honor both God and humanity, just to go and hold sway over the trees?’ “

Again, the Olive tree is used as a blessing from God to his people who fear him. He blesses husbands in claiming that his wife will be like a fruitful vine in the inner parts of his home and his children will be like olive shoots.

Psalms 128:1-6
1 A song of ascents: How happy is everyone who fears ADONAI, who lives by his ways. 2 You will eat what your hands have produced; you will be happy and prosperous. 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the inner parts of your house. Your children around the table will be like shoots from an olive tree. 4 This is the kind of blessing that will fall on him who fears ADONAI. 5 May ADONAI bless you from Tziyon! May you see Yerushalayim prosper all the days of your life, 6 and may you live to see your children’s children! Shalom on Isra’el.

Jeremiah speaks a lot about Israel and the woe and the captivity. He is constantly calling Israel back to God and weeping for Israel. Here God tells him NOT to pray for Israel or to cry for her. Israel has been in such grave sin that God tells the prophet these things. It says that once God called her- Israel – an olive tree, beautiful, full of leaves and good fruit. He called her his “beloved” and and olive tree. Referring to one an olive tree must be a great honour if God referred to His People in this way. God greatly loves Israel.

Jeremiah 11:14
“So you, [Yirmeyahu,] don’t pray for this people! Don’t cry or pray on their behalf, because I won’t listen to them when they cry to me because of their troubles. 15 What right does my beloved have to be in my house, when she has behaved so shamelessly with so many? Offerings of consecrated meat can no longer help, because it is when you are doing evil that you are happy.” 16 ADONAI once called you an olive tree, beautiful, full of leaves and good fruit. Now with the roar of a violent storm, he has set it on fire; and its branches will be consumed. 17 For ADONAI-Tzva’ot, who planted you, has decreed evil for you. “It is because of the evil which the house of Isra’el and the house of Y’hudah did to themselves, provoking me with their offerings of incense to Ba’al.”

Probably the most important reference to Christian Believers is this one. Israel is considered an olive tree. ‘Gentile’ Believers – what most Christians are today- are called the “wild olive” which has been grafted in to the olive tree of Israel. This is to tell us that we, as Christians, are not a separate religion or a separate vine, but we have been grafted in to the true vine, the original vine of Israel, being made a part of the full covenants God gave to Israel and are blessed and forgiven by the Messiah promised for thousands of years to God’s people, the Jews, Israel.

This also tells us that Israel, the Jews, have not been all cut down, because if there is no tree and no original branch, to what can we, the wild branch, be grafted into?

Romans 11:16
Now if the hallah offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole loaf. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you – a wild olive – were grafted in among them and have become equal sharers in the rich root of the olive tree, 18 then don’t boast as if you were better than the branches! However, if you do boast, remember that you are not supporting the root, the root is supporting you. 19 So you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 True, but so what? They were broken off because of their lack of trust. However, you keep your place only because of your trust. So don’t be arrogant; on the contrary, be terrified! 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he certainly won’t spare you! 22 So take a good look at God’s kindness and his severity: on the one hand, severity toward those who fell off; but, on the other hand, God’s kindness toward you – provided you maintain yourself in that kindness! Otherwise, you too will be cut off!

Be aware, though, that we are not to be arrogant as the wild branch who has been grafted in, but to know that we may also be broken off, just as some of the natural branches, some of Israel, were not spared.

Praise the LORD for his mercy and for grafting me into the vine of Israel! Thank you and praise you! May I be found worthy in practice as you see me as an olive tree, an olive branch, and our children as olive shoots.

Praise you LORD!

Thank you for joining me for Saturday Psalm & Praise. If you would like to read others’ thoughts, Psalms and Praises this week, please follow the links below. If you would like to join us for Saturday Psalm & Praise, we welcome your praises and blessings to the Lord!

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Categories: Heart and Home, Oh Father, Help Me Live Biblically, Saturday Psalm and Praise Meme, Wisdom from the WORD
Tags: christianity, God, Israel, King David, olive tree, Saturday Psalm and Praise Meme, True Vine, wild branch, Yeshua