“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree …” – Psalm 92:12.
Palm Trees Can Endure Storms
- Strong winds will break ordinary trees.
- The palm tree will bow to the ground and spring back when the winds have passed.
- This is because ordinary leaves collect wind, but wind cannot “grab hold” of palm leaves because of the way they are shaped.
- A palm tree is a picture of humility. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6)
Palm Trees Can Survive Drought
- Each palm root is thick and strong, the same size at its stem and at its base; therefore it cannot be pulled up easily. Ordinary roots taper and branch.
- Because palm trees send their roots deep into the ground, they are able to tap resources of nourishment that are not available on the surface.
- A palm tree is a picture of being deeply rooted in God’s Word. “… Take root downward, and bear fruit upward.” (Isaiah 37:31)
The Older a Palm Tree Grows,
the Sweeter Its Fruit Becomes
- Ordinary fruit trees diminish their yield as they grow older.
- Palm trees do not bear fruit until they mature, a process sometimes requiring up to fifty years.
- As palm trees age, their fruit grows sweeter. The sleek trunk gives ordinary fruit. The scarred trunk gives sweeter fruitl.
- A palm tree is a picture of how a Christian should age. “They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat (healthy) and flourishing.” (Psalm 92:14.)
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The Oil obtained from a Palm Tree has many health benefits
Though some of the ingredients of Palm Oil (like palmitate) are saturated fatty acids, they do not result in increased levels of cholesterol like animal fats do.
Though the Palm Tree of Psalm 92 is the date palm (wilderness palm), there are also tremendous health benefits from the oil of the coconut palm (a richly informative site worth studying in detail, also watch this informative video posted by Christian Broadcasting Network and see how coconut oil staves off and even reverses Alzheimers, damaged nerves and blood vessels in stroke patients.)
Thus God has provided in palm trees ingredients that are both nourishing, healing and preventive of disease.
The Midrash comments on Psalm 92:12 as follows:
No part of the date palm is wasted:
The fruit is eaten,
the embryonic branches (lulav) are used for the Four Species of Sukkot,
the mature fronds can cover a sukka,
the fibers between the branches can make strong ropes,
the leaves can be woven into mats and baskets,
the trunks can be used for rafters.
Similarly, no one is worthless in Israel:
some are scholars,
some do good deeds,
and some work for social justice.
(Midrash Numbers Rabba 3.1)
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