- Fruitfulness
Psalm 1. 3
And he shall be like a tree planted (transplanted) by the rivers of water;
That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither.
Another promise based on the condition of verse 2 is that the Lord will transplant this man like a tree near streams of water, probably like an irrigation canal or a living stream that never dries up. These are the streams of Eden; He plucked him up and transplanted him into Paradise. God places this man where he can be nourished and fed on the Word to grow and enhance the good life He gives him. This is called being “rooted and grounded in love.” This kind of lifestyle naturally flourishes; effort, as such, is not involved. The Christian is free, spontaneous, and willing, and good works show up almost automatically. Jesus gives this living water that becomes a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
This saved and transplanted man who delights in the Law of Yahweh is fruitful, producing abundant fruit at all the right times. In addition, his leaves never wither, a symbol of immortality; the Torah Lover glimpses immortality regularly. This is unusual, that a tree should both produce fruit and keep its leaves all year, but this is the amazing promise of God for the verse 2 kind of person. Grace makes one a “planting of the Lord,” and taking root in a good place his life is well maintained.
The one who abides in Christ will bear much fruit, and it is for fruit bearing that man was created and redeemed. And this wonderful life comes to those who delight and meditate in the Law of the Lord. This is the promise based on delighting in the Word and abiding in Christ: a beautiful tree with fruit and leaves that simply grows and produces without trying or using effort. Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control appears in a beautiful life providing comfort and blessing to other people. “Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” (I Timothy 4:8).
According to Luther, leaves are words. The words of Christ are most wonderfully written in the Gospels and in the heart of the believer. The words that He speaks are life and spirit. The words (leaves) He speaks through him can be used to bless others and make people feel good. And this goes on all year long, day and night, wherever one goes and to whomever he speaks; and those words abide forever.