Like a Tree

“POEMS are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree.” Extolling the many virtues of trees, poet Joyce Kilmer thus gave God the credit for their creation.

Jehovah God has made trees of great variety, splendor, and usefulness. Dwarfs and giants alike, they can be so beautiful that they defy description. Moreover, trees provide food, fuel, and shelter. And designers keep on finding new uses for wood.

In the Bible, trees are sometimes used figuratively to represent kingdoms, rulers, and individuals. (Ezekiel 31:1-18; Daniel 4:10-26) Trees are mentioned in association with the joyful, peaceful, and fruitful conditions resulting from Jehovah’s kingship and the restoration of his people. (1 Chronicles 16:33; Isaiah 55:12; Ezekiel 34:27; 36:30) The Scriptures also promise that the days of God’s people will be like those of a tree. (Isaiah 65:22) This has great meaning when we realize that some trees live for centuries.

A Biblical psalmist said that a man who delights in God’s law “will certainly become like a tree planted by streams of water, that gives its own fruit in its season and the foliage of which does not wither, and everything he does will succeed.” A luxuriant tree planted by a plentiful water source reminded the psalmist of the spiritual prosperity enjoyed by one whose “delight is in the law of Jehovah.” (Psalm 1:1-3) If you take genuine delight in God’s law and Sacred Word, your days can become like those of a tree. In fact, by acting in harmony with accurate knowledge of Jehovah God and Jesus Christ, you can entertain the hope of life everlasting.​—John 17:3.