A Tree by the River
Psalm 1:3
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither…


It is deeply interesting, in counting the circles of a section of some old tree, to note the variations, some circles being almost imperceptible for narrowness, and some so broad that you fear almost to have counted two as one. As you count the outer circles, your memory, reaching back to those years, can show a cause for this difference. The years of drought are the years of little growth. For the tree, as for our spirits, it holds true that a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. There are surely seasons when one can make little increase save under exceptional circumstances, such as those of a tree by the river side, which shows little variation. It drew supplies from an abiding source. Precisely this sweet secret it is that finds expression in the 1st Psalm, "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water." They who live near the Lord, who delight themselves in His law and meditate on it day and night, are ever growing and fruitful.

(Sarah Smiley.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

WEB: He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.




A Sermon on Trees
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