Psalm 92-93
“They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the LORD is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” (Psalm 92:14–15, NKJV)
Not long ago I was on a morning run, and I saw an elderly man walking a dog. As I came closer I recognized him, so I stopped and talked with him. He told me that he doesn’t walk as much as he used to. (I know that he has had some health problems.) Then he said that his dog was also old. I said that they were growing old together.
After that, Cindy and I attended a potluck for our worship teams. Our son, who plays drums, said that as he gets older he enjoys watching younger drummers play on our teams. I thought to myself, “This is the joy of older people. We want to see the next generation thrive.”
Some people age more gracefully than others. They flourish by using their retirement years to serve the Lord and bless others. Their good characteristics become more refined. You know them by the smiles on their faces. But others seem to give up on life. They lose their purpose, zeal and joy. Some become cantankerous and fault-finding, and their bad characteristics are magnified.
God wants us to be fresh and flourishing as we grow older. Every day is another assignment and a fresh opportunity to serve Jesus and others. Our roles change because we cannot do the same things we used to do (or at least not with the same speed, strength or stamina). But if God has kept us alive, then He has a noble work for us to do.
Psalm 92 is a song for the Sabbath day. It begins by giving thanks and praise to the LORD, declaring His lovingkindness. It ends by telling of God’s faithfulness to the elderly. He keeps them fresh and flourishing so that they may declare His uprightness. He is our Rock, and there is no fault in Him.
If we give the LORD thanks each morning and meditate on His faithfulness throughout the day, then we will flourish with purpose, even as we grow older. Like a well-established apple tree, we will continue to bear fruit that adds sweetness and nourishment to others.