But I am like a green olive tree
in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
forever and ever.
Psalm 52:8
The photo above is not mine—I pulled it off the internet, and it is indeed an olive tree. The smaller photo is mine, and I don’t know what kind of tree it is—definitely not an olive. Perhaps it is an old apple tree; the Shenandoah, after all, is apple country and this tree with such an exposed but exhilarating outlook on the world lives in what seems to be an old pasture on top of the ridge. Was it planted by a farming family or did it grow up on its own? Whichever and whatever it is, it is in what is now one of the most beautiful spots on the Virginia stretch of the AT.
1. Take this verse with you and ponder its meaning for you throughout the day. What do you notice? What do you wonder? What image comes to your mind as you think of something that endures?
2. Or read all of Psalm 52 to discover how this verse fits into the psalm or to discover a different verse.
3. Or comment with a photo of your own that illustrates this verse’s meaning for you.
Tomorrow’s verse is from Psalm 53:4
Starting January 1, 2016, for 150 days I am posting a daily psalm verse with a photo that is a visual meditation on the text for me. Each day a verse from the next psalm is chosen until all 150 psalms have been featured. To participate you may subscribe to my blog at https://elainedent.net or “friend” me on Facebook and watch for the daily links to blog posts. Disclaimer: I am not a photographer and most of the photos are from a cell phone or small camera while hiking the Appalachian Trail or the C&O Canal/Great Allegheny Passage Trail.
Richard Dent says
Interesting site on ancient olive trees (one of many). http://oli-olea.blogspot.com/
Elaine Dent says
Thanks. What great photos!