COVENANT OF LONG LIFE

With LONG LIFE I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation – Psalm 91:16

God has a Covenant of LONG LIFE in plan for His beloved. Long life is more than “longevity” which is simply a tendency to live long in terms of biological age. Many examples of longevity are merely “long existence” and not “long LIFE,” Methuselah being a classic example (Gen.5:27). Psalm 91:16 declares: With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation”. Only God can grant long life characterized by satisfaction and salvation; not “long existence” that becomes a liability to others. Psalm 92:12-14 restates the covenant: The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing.”

To flourish like the PALM TREE means: to be useful to yourself and others all through your life-time; to fulfil divine purpose in its multi-faceted dimensions. The fruit of the palm is edible; the stones are ground as food for camels; the leaves are made into baskets; the long, hard boughs or strong leaves are used to make fences; the juice is good to drink; the threads of the leaves make ropes; and the wood is used as building material or fire-wood. Even in barren soil, the palm tree is watered deep at the roots! Oh, what a splendid destiny it is, to flourish like a palm tree!

To grow like a CEDAR means: to live long and strong. Cedars are extremely long-lived, and grow 24 to 30 metres tall and 12 metres around the trunk, symbolizing the ideas of majesty, durableness, incorruptibility and stability. David declared: I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD (Psa.118:17). The Covenant cancels premature death! Psalm 128:6 also says: Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!

God’s Covenant of Long Life is premised on the Fear of God and walking in OBEDIENCE to His Word (Ps.1:1). The promise of longevity is based on children obeying their parents in the LORD (Eph.6:1-3). Enjoying long life infers living healthy and free from disease: Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from destruction… (Ps.103:3-4). The covenant is our insurance against accidents, calamities, and spiritual attacks as we learn to dwell in “the secret place”: He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Psa.91:1). Dwelling in the Secret Place implies being born-again, prayerful, living by the Word, and loving the LORD!