Psalms

Psalms 92: God makes His people bear fruit

Begin in prayer

Before we hear this Sabbath song of praise, let us remember the Lord whose works make His people glad. Pray for glad worship through Jesus and a fruitful life rooted in the faithful care of the upright Lord.

Men will dwell in his shade. They will revive like the grain, and blossom like the vine. Their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.

Hosea 14:7

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word, and help us to see Christ. Show us that the upright Lord sustains those planted in His presence and makes them fruitful into old age. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

This Sabbath song calls thanksgiving good, carrying God's loving kindness into the morning and His faithfulness into the night. His works make the singer glad, while His deep thoughts remain beyond the understanding of fools. The wicked spring up like grass, yet their flourishing ends in destruction forever before the Lord who stays on high. God strengthens His servant while His enemies perish and are scattered. The righteous grow like palms and cedars, planted in His house and still bearing fruit when they are old. Their continuing life declares that the Lord is upright, the rock in whom no unrighteousness can be found.

As you read Psalms 92, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The upright LORD reigns forever, destroying the wicked and making those planted in His presence fruitful into old age.

This Sabbath song places thanksgiving at the centre of God's people's worship, with morning kindness and nightly faithfulness enclosing their praise. God's works give the song its gladness, and His deep thoughts call for trust beyond the quick judgments a fool makes from appearances. Grass gives the wicked their brief picture, while destruction forever answers their passing success before the Lord who remains on high. The raised horn pictures received strength, and fresh oil refreshment given to the servant whose enemies God scatters. Palms and Lebanon's cedars give the righteous a durable growth that depends on being planted in the Lord's house. Their fruit in old age shows the faithfulness of His sustaining presence, declaring that the Lord their rock is upright.

How does Psalm 92 show us that the upright LORD reigns forever, destroying the wicked and making those planted in His presence fruitful into old age?

God's great works give His people reason for daily praise.

The Sabbath song carries loving kindness into morning and faithfulness into night. Its gladness comes from what God has done. His thoughts reach beyond a fool's shallow reading of a wicked person's brief success.

God destroys the wicked and gives His people lasting fruitfulness.

Grass quickly grows and fades, while palms and cedars picture a rooted life. Those planted in God's house continue bearing fruit into old age. Their endurance declares that the Lord who sustains them is upright and has no unrighteousness.

Memorise

The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree. He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Psalm 92:12

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what fruit am I asking Jesus to grow in my life today?

The song promises that the righteous “will still produce fruit in old age.” Their rooted life declares that the Lord is upright. The fleeting success of the wicked cannot supply such life or escape the destruction their rebellion deserves.

Our own sins also stand before God's righteous judgment. Jesus bore the punishment for His people's guilt and gave His life to obtain their pardon. The Father raised Him from the dead. The lasting life He secured is His people's gift through a complete atonement, with everything needed for their forgiveness and acceptance accomplished.

Turn from your sin and seek that life in Jesus. He forgives all who come to Him in faith. Ask Him for the grace that makes your life fruitful through every changing season. The Lord sustains His people through old age, giving believers works to praise even as their strength and opportunities change.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the upright Lord sustains those planted in His presence and makes them fruitful into old age. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for His upright and lasting care, and ask for fruit that declares His goodness. Bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

“In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples.

John 15:8

Upright Lord, please bring us to Jesus for pardon and a life rooted in Your grace. Thank You for the life His finished sacrifice has obtained. Teach us to remember Your kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness at night. Sustain the older members of Your people, and make our lives bear fruit that tells the truth about Your goodness. Amen.