Psalm 92:12.


THE righteous shall flourish like the palm tree:

he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon."

 The sacred Scriptures abound with 

comparisons.

In numerous instances the righteous

are compared to those things which are of the

greatest value, the most precious and durable,

 while the wicked are compared to things of far

 less value, fading and perishable.

I have thought that a few words relative to the

durability and usefulness of the cedar and the

 palm tree, would help the little readers  

to a better understanding of the comparisons in

the above text. From one who visited the cedars

of Lebanon in 1697, we give the following:

"These noble trees grow among the snow, near

the highest parts of Lebanon. Some are very old,

and of prodigious bulk. I measured one of the

largest, and found it twelve yards six inches in

girth, and yet sound; and thirty-seven yards in

 the spread of its boughs. At about five or six 

yards from the ground it was divided into five 

limbs, each of which was equal to a large tree. 

Some of these trees are supposed to have lived

 upwards of one thousand years!"

Says Dr. Clarke: "The figure of the palm tree

gives us the idea of grandeur and usefulness. 

The fruit of the palm tree makes a great part of 

the diet of the people of Arabia, part of Persia, 

and Upper Egypt. The stones are ground down 

for the camels;

the leaves are made into baskets; the hard

boughs, or rather, strong leaves, some being six

 or eight feet in length, make fences; the juice 

makes arrack; and the threads of the web-like 

integument between the leaves make ropes, and

 the rigging of small vessels; and the wood 

serves for slighter buildings and fire-wood. In

 short, the palm or date tree, and the olive, are

 two of the most excellent and useful 

productions of the forest or the field."

Now, young readers, though you are not going to

live in this world of sorrow to grow old, yet you

can devote your entire being to the Lord, and in

usefulness spend every moment of your short 

journey to that world where, the Lord says the

 "glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir

 tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to 

beautify the place of my sanctuary." 

Isaiah 60:13.





A. S. HUTCHINS