“But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.” (Psalms 52:8)
In a previous lesson we learned how people are symbolized as trees in the Bible. David writes how he is like a green olive tree in contrast to Doeg the Edomite who went to Saul to disclose where David was. He calls him a mighty man and writes of his evil works in this Scripture. David’s reference to Doeg as a mighty man, indicates that Doeg, although not a giant himself was associated or related to giants. These descendants were not Hebrews but gentiles who were fierce killers, Nimrod being one. (Genesis 10:8) Doeg certainly was evil. He killed all the priests that assisted David and everyone in the priest city of Nob. (1Samuel 22:9-23) David even had some mighty men in his company. They had probably been in King Saul’s service as captives or traitors to their people who now were loyal to David. “These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.” (2Samuel 23:8-12)
Then David sets himself as different from Doeg with the first word of this verse, “But...” He makes a distinction. He is like a green olive tree, rooted in God, righteous, stable and producing fruit. He is trusting in the mercy of God and not in his own devises as does the evil mighty man. David mentions him by name only in the first verse of Psalms 52. Throughout the psalm, he never says his name nor refers to him by name when listing Doeg’s downfall.
David was familiar with the Scriptures and likely more so with the psalms. He penned some psalms himself. It’s no doubt he knew of Moses’ psalm and touches on the same symbolism for a righteous man. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 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.” (Psalm 1:1-3)
It is curious as to why David referred to himself as an olive tree which was symbolic for Israel in Jeremiah 11:16 or for the Messiah. He might have purposely mentioned it in reference to the promise of a divine kingdom. He received a promise that the Messiah would come from his lineage three years before he became king. Hosea prophesied about the Messiah. “His branches shall spread, and His beauty shall be as the olive tree, and His smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under His shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.” (Hosea 14:6-7) Paul also uses the same symbolism when writing to the Romans how the gentiles are grafted into the family of God or to the good olive tree and how the Jews will be grafted into their own good olive tree. “For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?” (Romans 11:24)
“The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy.” (Psalms 147:11) There was hope of mercy for those who had the fear of God. And there is hope today for those who have the fear of God, who reverence Him for His majesty and greatness and who trust in Him, in His Word and in His promises. We are like the trees mentioned by Moses in Psalm 1. But to us the olive tree is our Lord to Whom we’re grafted in and are a part of God, receiving His strength, His power and anointing. (Romans 11:11-24)
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