David (traditionally)
Psalm 92
A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day.
Scripture (KJV)
1It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
2To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,
3Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.
4For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
5O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.
6A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.
7When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:
8But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.
9For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
10But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.
11Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.
12The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
15To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
Summary
Psalm 92 is the only psalm specifically designated "for the sabbath day," a song of thanksgiving that frames an entire day of worship. It opens by declaring that it is a good thing to give thanks to the LORD and sing praises to His name, showing forth His lovingkindness in the morning and His faithfulness every night, with instruments of ten strings, psaltery, and harp. The psalmist is made glad through God’s work and triumphs in the works of His hands. God’s thoughts are very deep, beyond the reach of the brutish and the fool. Though the wicked spring up like grass and flourish for a season, they shall be destroyed forever; the LORD is most high forevermore, and His enemies shall perish.
The psalm then turns personal and hopeful: God will exalt the psalmist’s horn like the unicorn’s and anoint him with fresh oil. His eyes and ears will see and hear his desire on his enemies. The beloved closing image is of the righteous flourishing like the palm tree and growing like a cedar in Lebanon, planted in the house of the LORD, flourishing in His courts. Even in old age they shall bring forth fruit, fat and flourishing, to show that the LORD is upright, the psalmist’s rock, in whom there is no unrighteousness.
The major themes are thanksgiving, the sabbath, God’s deep thoughts, the fleeting prosperity of the wicked, and the enduring flourishing of the righteous. Practically, the psalm teaches that gratitude is always fitting and that the righteous, rooted in God’s house, bear fruit even in old age. The great lesson is that it is a good thing to give thanks to the LORD.
Key Themes
A Prayer from Psalm 92
LORD, it is a good thing to give thanks to You and sing praises to Your name, O Most High. I will show forth Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness every night. You have made me glad through Your work; I triumph in the works of Your hands. How great are Your works, and how deep Your thoughts! Though the wicked spring up like grass, they shall be destroyed forever; You are most high forevermore. Exalt my horn like the unicorn’s and anoint me with fresh oil. Let my eyes see and my ears hear Your victory over those who rise against me. Plant me in the house of the LORD, that I may flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Let me still bring forth fruit in old age, fat and flourishing, to show that You are upright, my rock, in whom there is no unrighteousness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Questions
- 1How can I make thanksgiving a daily practice, morning and night?
- 2What does it mean that God’s thoughts are "very deep"?
- 3How does the image of the palm tree and cedar shape my vision of righteousness?
- 4Where do I need to trust that the wicked’s prosperity is temporary?
Related Psalms
Psalm 1
“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.”
Two paths, two destinies: the righteous rooted like a tree by streams, the wicked blown away like chaff.
Read morePsalm 37
“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.”
Trust, delight, and wait; the meek inherit the land.
Read morePsalm 73
“Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.”
A struggle with the prosperity of the wicked resolved in God’s presence.
Read morePsalm 90
“Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.”
A prayer of Moses on life’s brevity, asking God to teach us to number our days.
Read morePsalm 91
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
God our refuge and fortress; under His wings we find protection and deliverance.
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