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Epiphany Season · Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time · Year C

Jeremiah 17:5-8

Trust in the Lord Like a Tree by the Water

February 13, 2028

Forest Lake with Two Swans, Jacob van Ruisdael
Forest Lake with Two Swans, Jacob van Ruisdael, c. 1660Staatliches Museum Schwerin
Heavy trees standing at the edge of still water under a sky that is already clouding over, and two swans on the near side of it.They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. In the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.Jacob van RuisdaelRuisdael, who painted trees as individuals and gave as much of the canvas to the weather as to the land.Staatliches Museum SchwerinThe Staatliches Museum Schwerin.Staatliches Museum Schwerin
Roman Lectionary
GospelLuke 6:17, 20-26Lk 6:17, 20-26
Second Reading1 Cor. 15:12, 16-201 Cor 15:12, 16-20
First ReadingJer. 17:5-8Jer 17:5-8
Responsorial PsalmPs. 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6 (40:5a)Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6 (40:5a)

Overview & Insights

"Blessed are those who trust in the LORD... They shall be like a tree planted by water." (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

Jeremiah contrasts those who trust in mere mortals, becoming like a shrub in the desert, with those who trust in the Lord, becoming like a tree planted by a stream that never stops bearing fruit. The passage closes noting that the human heart is devious, but the Lord tests the heart and rewards each person according to their deeds.

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Take it further: Jeremiah 17:5-8

Commentary

BibleHub: Jeremiah 17:5 CommentariesBibleHub: Jer 17:5 Commentaries BibleHub

Aggregated classic commentaries on the cursed shrub and the blessed tree.

Enduring Word: Jeremiah 17Enduring Word: Jer 17 Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's verse-by-verse notes on trusting in the Lord versus in man.

StudyLight: Jeremiah 17 (Barnes' Notes)StudyLight: Jer 17 (Barnes' Notes) StudyLight

Albert Barnes' close reading of the two tree images.

Working Preacher: Jeremiah 17:5-10Working Preacher: Jer 17:5-10 Working Preacher

Luther Seminary exegesis situating the oracle in Hebrew wisdom literature.

CEP: Jeremiah 17:5-10CEP: Jer 17:5-10 Center for Excellence in Preaching

Reformed preaching commentary on the wager between trusting God and trusting man.

Background & Word Study

BibleHub Interlinear: Jeremiah 17:5BibleHub Interlinear: Jer 17:5 BibleHub

Hebrew text with parsing for the shrub and tree vocabulary.

Sefaria: Jeremiah 17:5-8Sefaria: Jer 17:5-8 Sefaria

Hebrew text alongside translation, with linked classical Jewish commentaries.

The Church Fathers

Catena: Jeremiah 17Catena: Jer 17 Catena

Patristic comment chain gathering the Fathers on the two ways.

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