Psalm 1 Series (Part 7)
So far in this series on Psalm 1, we’ve learned what a blessed man does and does not do. But every man/woman is known by something–we are all “like” something or someone. We remind people of something.
When I was a little girl, our neighbors had a dog, Sootie. She was a little black bundle of fur. But, as sure as I draw the next breath, little Sootie and her owner bear a strong resemblance! The owner had thick, kind of puffy black hair, just like her dog. When I saw Sootie, I immediately thought of her owner. Years after the dog had been gone, every time I thought about our neighbors, I was reminded of Sootie and her owner. The dog was like her owner.
Consider for a moment what a blessed man has in common with trees. Psalm one describes this blessed man for us:
“He is like a tree planted by streams of water…”
Immediately, we ask, what does a “tree planted by streams of water” look like? Why would the Psalmist make such a comparison? Do our lives resemble a “tree planted by streams of water”?
While we’re considering this verse, also think about the tree and the water, since both are important.
A tree is a description of our prosperity ... not temporal or monetary prosperity, but spiritual prosperity. It is also a picture of contentment and satisfaction. A healthy tree looks just like that– satisfied, well-nourished, bending with the breezes and winds. The healthy tree's leaves and fruit are firmly attached, and drawing strength from the roots, which are drawing nourishment from the abundance of water and nutrients in the ground.
Where does the water come from? This is interesting. First of all, this tree is PLANTED (a planting of the Lord); one that is purposefully planted in a place where it will get the most water and the best sunlight ... the best nourishment necessary to grow it up healthy.
What a picture to compare our lives to!
The Lord plants us in His orchard, then He creates a river from the main Source to nourish us and feed us. He carefully prunes us and fertilizes us as our roots grow deeper and deeper, and the fruit we bear is more than simply ordinary; it's glorious fruit, fit for the table of the King.
I believe the River is Jesus Himself ... of course, He is the Living Water and the Living Word, so both explanations work well. But if we are rooted in Jesus, watered by His Word, and pruned by His Word, fertilized by His Word, we will indeed bear fruit fit for the King's table!
Oh, I love the symbolism in this Psalm!
Let's work hard to draw our nourishment from the waters He has purposed for us to grow in. Let's pursue extraordinary growth of our fruit as it comes from the Living Water, so it will grow extraordinarily beautiful and be fit for our King's table!
The Lord PLANTED you by the rivers of water. He prepared the ground specifically for you. He created an irrigation stream specifically for you, to keep you watered and nourished so you can grow and flourish.
What we need to realize is that none of us is deprived. If we are the "planting of the Lord" (which we are), then He has made growth and proper nourishment available to us. It's up to us to stay nourished by the Word while our roots grow deep and drink in all that He's provided for us.
What's preventing us from doing that? The storms in life, the winds, and the seasons. There are seasons when we will appear dormant on the outside while our root system grows deep. Just like in the cold winters ... the leaves fall of the trees and they appear dead to the onlooker. But down deep, their roots are taking in nourishment ... the nourishment doesn't stop, even though they are in winter.
You may be in a winter season. It's a time to simply be still and grow. A tree can't be forced to bear fruit during a winter season, but winter is the time when the root system matures and advances, and reaches further to sustain the growth of the coming spring.
The point is that the root system never stops, whether in spring, summer, fall, or winter. You may think you aren't growing or you are struggling to survive the winds and storms of life. But even the winds strengthen the roots, helping the tree withstand whatever comes its way.
The dormant season is not the time to give up, it's the time to press in. A tree that loses hold during the winter will emerge in the spring as a dead tree ... I've seen it happen in the natural and in the spiritual realm.
Just keep pressing on, deeper and deeper. Spring will come, and you'll find new leaves, tender branches, and abundant fruit because you continued to draw nourishment from the Streams of Life during the dormant seasons.
Prayer:
Father, help me remain strong and planted during the winter seasons so You may be glorified as my life bears Your resemblance.
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© 2026 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved
“Sit often under the influence of God’s Word.”🌻
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