Daily Devotions

Psalm 72:16

“May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field!”

With harvest season well and truly here, many churches across the land turn their thoughts to abundance, thanksgiving, and God’s provision. This year, my attention has been drawn to Psalm 72:16—a verse rich with imagery of grain, fruit, and blossom. It is a natural fit for the harvest season, yet it also carries a deeper, prophetic dimension.

Many scholars see this psalm as pointing beyond the literal harvest to the reign of the Messiah, when God’s blessings will be fully revealed. It speaks not only of fruitful land but also of prosperity, justice, and flourishing lives—signs of God’s kingdom breaking in.

One detail particularly stands out: grain waving on the mountain tops. These are not the valleys and fertile plains we usually associate with cultivation, but the rocky, less promising high places. Could it be that the psalmist is reminding us that God’s abundance is not limited to easy, fertile ground? Even the most unlikely places—whether physical landscapes or the difficult seasons of our lives—are not beyond the reach of His blessing. God’s provision extends everywhere, even to the “mountain tops.”

The psychologist Ben Sweetland once observed:
“The world is full of abundance and opportunity, but far too many people come to the fountain of life with a sieve instead of a tank car... a teaspoon instead of a steam shovel. They expect little and as a result they get little.”

Perhaps part of the psalm’s challenge is to enlarge our expectation of God. His desire is not for scarcity but for flourishing. The harvest reminds us that He is a God of generosity, who delights to give abundantly, even in the most unpromising places.

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Prayer

Dear Lord, I thank You for the promise of abundance that flows from Your hand. May the grain wave across the fields and even on the mountain tops; may the fruit flourish like the forests of Lebanon; may Your people blossom and thrive like grass in the meadow. Teach us not to come before You with small expectations but with open hearts, ready to receive the fullness of Your blessing. Thank You for being the God of provision, justice, and overflowing grace.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.