WHO ARE YOU IN GOD’S HOUSE?

“But I am like a GREEN OLIVE TREE in the HOUSE of GOD: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever” – Psalm 52:8

Experiencing the Fullness of God’s House demands that you know WHO YOU ARE IN GOD’S HOUSE. David said: “But I am like a GREEN OLIVE TREE in the HOUSE of GOD: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever” (Psa.52:8). In Psalm 52, David confronted the wicked (vv.1-7), and then stated his confidences in the Lord (vv.8-9). In verse 5, he warned the evildoer: “God shall likewise destroy you forever; He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place, and uproot you from the land of the living.” Yet David was like a green olive tree: stable, supplied, and secure. In using this simile of the “olive tree,” the point was not only about what the olive tree is, but about where it is: “In the HOUSE of GOD.” David was safe and secure in midst of the wicked, because he lived in God’s Presence.

Olive trees grow slowly, but continue to bear fruit even into old age. An olive tree could attain an age of several centuries if left undisturbed. If cut down, new shoots spring up from the root, so that multiple new trunks could come into being. Whatever the trials, troubles or tribulations you may be facing; no matter what is going on in your life or in the world around, you can be like a green olive tree that’s planted in the house of God and flourishing in His courts. Have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; focus on God and not your circumstances; and live with assurance that God is ever-present, actively in-charge, and dynamically at-work.

Trust in Him. David declared, “I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever” (v.8b). To trust is to live in dependence, reliance, and confidence in Him. This is the way to face evil, injustice, and wickedness. The Lord is worthy of your trust, because of His Mercy – His steadfast love. His love is volitional, not emotional. He loves us because He has promised to love us and He always keeps His promises. His love is loyal. When others turn against you, God’s love remains unfaltering. Even so, when you turn from God to go your own way, His love remains firm. It is proper and wise to trust in the mercy of God forever.

Thank Him. David testified, “I will praise You forever, because You have done it” (v.9a). Thanksgiving to God is a clear evidence of trust. A life of worry, doubt, and fear betrays a lack of confidence in God. Trust in God’s future faithfulness is rooted in gratitude for His past faithfulness. What God has already done is a resume for what He will do. Thanksgiving fuels trust. In the midst of trouble, you are tempted to ask, “What do I have to thank God for?” But that’s the wrong question. Your focus should be on the Source, not the channel. David’s focus was on who did it, not what was done. This focus on the Lord enabled him to give thanks in the trials he faced.

Wait on the Lord. David proclaimed, “in the presence of Your saints I will wait for Your name, for it is good” (Psalm 52:9b). A trusting and thankful heart is marked by patience; but not simply sitting down and waiting. To wait on the Lord is to walk by faith, not by sight; to walk behind the Lord, expecting Him to lead you. You do not walk or run ahead of the Lord, taking matters into your own hand. David’s expectations had not been fulfilled; yet he hoped in the Lord, waiting on God to keep His promises. He was able to wait patiently for the Lord’s name, for it is good. God is a good, and He always keeps His promises. Wait for him – but not alone. Wait with other godly people, like a green olive tree in the House of God!