The Righteous will Flourish

The Righteous will Flourish

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree
They will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
Planted in the house of the Lord,
They will flourish in the courts of our God,
They will flourish in the courts of our God.

They will still bear fruit,
Still bear fruit in old age;
They will stay fresh and green,
Stay fresh and green,
Proclaiming, proclaiming:
“The Lord is upright;
He is my Rock,
He is my Rock,
And there is no wickedness in Him.”

The Righteous will flourish like a palm tree
They will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
Planted in the house of the Lord,
They will flourish in the courts of our God,
They will flourish in the courts of our God.


(A song of God’s promise. Source: Psalm 92;12-15)

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Psalm 92:12-15.

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
They will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
Planted in the house of the Lord,
They will flourish in the courts of our God.

They will still bear fruit in old age,
They will stay fresh and green,
Proclaiming,
“The Lord is upright;
He is my Rock,
And there is no wickedness in Him.”


This is the promise God has given to me one morning when I was in Tasmania. I was at Arthur Circle, Hobart, Tasmania on 15-Dec-2005.
God spoke to me on that day- just 4 days before my breast cancer surgery in KL, Malaysia.

God assured me that Pa and I will flourish like a palm tree. He assured me that we will still bear fruit in old age, we will stay fresh and green. I know this will be true as we continue to abide in Jesus, walk obediently with Him, and then our lives will be fruitful for Him, for His glory alone.

The Bible says that God’s people are counted as righteous simply because we believe in God by faith.

Palm trees are trees we are both familiar, the Oil Palm trees are a source of healthy edible oil, a source of life. They are common in Malaysia, especially where we stay and work.

That morning on 15 Dec 2005, you had already gone back to Canberra after we attended Zi Lu’s graduation. I told myself that I must go and see Arthur Cirlce one more time before I leave for Malaysia the next day. I went alone with my Bible to enjoy a time of quietness in this park. I read Psalm 92:12-15. God’s word was so alive! God delighted me with His word and His promise on that quiet morning at Arthur Circle. Later I called Pa and Zi Lu to come and join me. I read to them Psalm 92:12-15 and shared with them what God has promised me in His word. Together we prayed sitting on the green grass at the quiet park of Arthur Circle, Tasmania. I will never forget that day, I will never forget God’s promise.


About one and a half months after my Breast cancer surgery and 10 days after my first Chemotherapy, Pa took me for a ride to KL one evening. KL with its evening lights, was surprisingly peaceful and quiet, like a deserted city, because most people had left the city for the Chinese New Year holidays elsewhere. On the way home, a thought came to me: I must compose the music for the promise in Psalm 92 so that it will be a song I will always sing for my family and friends to tell them the goodness of God. By the time, we reached PJ, I had managed to sing Psalm 92:12-15 in a song to praise God, to remember the promise that we will stay fresh and green, proclaiming His goodness.

So it all started in Arthur Circle, this beautiful little park in Tasmania that never fails to delight me. It was like a fairy tale land to me when I first discovered it in 2003 or 2004 when I visited Zi Lu. I remember one evening, I walked home all the way from Hobart city to where Zi Lu was staying in Sandy Bay. I did not know how, but I stood still suddenly, for before me was this fairly-tale looking park. It is a park in a circle like a round about and quite small. What amazed me was that the circle was surrounded by 10 or so little beautiful cottages, each was different in character, each was a lived-in home of some residents there. The park was lined with beautiful blue lavenders and some other flowers, there were some trees whose light green leaves reminded one of life. Nearby at one corner in the park was a playground with a swing for children to play. Between the cottages and the park was a round about road leading to some other roads of Sandy Bay or Hobart. The round about was quite small so that drivers who drive their cars around it to go to other roads nearby do it slowly. I found out that the name of this place was Arthur Circle, the name was inscribed on a wooden notice board at one corner. That evening being summer, the sky was still bright, I sat at the park, alone, soaked in its charming beauty, forgotten that I was still holding in my hand a bag of potato chips which I bought from Hobart harbor water front. Time just stood still. I was like a little girl lost with joy in a fairy-tale land, or “am I in the story land of Charles Dickens?” I mused. Later I lavished the chips on the little birds around. They were happy to share with me and must be thankful that God in His faithfulness had not forgotten their evening meal.

Each time I visit Tasmania, I must go and sit at the park in Arthur Circle, to enjoy a time of quietness. To see that life goes on, but one will capture that special moment when time seems to stand still.

Arthur Circle reminds me of God’s beautiful creation-little flowers, little cottages where his people live, the peace and quietness of a green park, little birds flying in and out to take a rest on the tress, the children who will come now and then to play at the playground. God in His goodness, brought me to this place one evening to enjoy nature and to be close to Him alone, to take a rest in Him. He showed me that he made the little lavenders, he shaped the lives of people, he placed them to live in little cottages built a long time ago, each now carries a unique character shaped by the history of men whom he always delight and longs to have fellowship with, whom he loves with an eternal love and purpose.


In His goodness, he brought me back again and then he showed me a beautiful promise that December day.

I dedicate this song “The Righteous will Flourish” to God, my Creator, to my family and friends.

Today I dedicate this song especially to you Zi On, my dear son, now enjoying the presence of Jesus. I can’t remember if I had ever sung this song to you, I hope I had. But if not, each time I sing, I sing for you too. You will hear it, you will praise God together with us. You will thank God for the His promise that we will flourish like a palm tree, we will stay fresh and green, we will still bear fruit in old age, we will proclaim the goodness of God-our Rock.

To Zi On
With love forever,
Ma
28-05-2009