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!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse paints a picture of miraculous fertility: even a tiny handful of seed sown on barren mountaintops will yield an abundant harvest, "shaking" like the mighty cedars of Lebanon. This isn't just about crops; it's about a divine blessing so potent it transforms the most unpromising places, reflecting a profound expansion and flourishing of God's people.
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!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm, likely composed for Solomon's coronation, describes his reign as a golden age of justice and peace, with a prayer that extends to the Messiah's eternal kingdom. Verse 16 vividly portrays the unparalleled prosperity and abundant increase of people expected under this ideal ruler.
Imagine sowing just a handful of seed on the highest, rockiest mountain peak. What kind of harvest do you expect? This psalm paints a picture of God's power to bring forth life where you'd least expect it.
An Unbelievable Harvest
This verse describes an almost miraculous agricultural bounty. It speaks of a "handful of grain" sown "on the top of the mountains" yielding an astonishing crop. Mountains were not typically the most fertile places for farming, and a mere handful of seed suggests a small beginning.
Yet, the result is prodigious: the fruit of this grain "shall shake like Lebanon." This isn't just about a good harvest; it's about an abundance so great it rivals the majestic, towering cedars of Lebanon, known for their grandeur and vastness. The sound of the wind rustling through the ripe grain is compared to the sound of the wind through those mighty trees.
This imagery highlights God's ability to bring forth immense fruitfulness and blessing, even from seemingly impossible or barren circumstances. It's a powerful metaphor for His divine provision.
Beyond just crops, this psalm extends its vision of flourishing to God's people. What does it mean for people to 'blossom like grass' in the cities?
A Multiply of Souls
The psalm doesn't stop with the land's fertility; it pivots to the prosperity of its people. "May people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field!" This is a prayer for human flourishing.
Grass is known for its rapid growth, resilience, and sheer numbers. It covers vast plains, springing up everywhere. When applied to people, it signifies a population explosion – an increase in numbers, yes, but also a thriving, vibrant community. The people of God are depicted as multiplying abundantly and flourishing, filling the cities with life and vitality.
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This image suggests not just survival, but a state of well-being and widespread prosperity, where individuals and communities are healthy, numerous, and teeming with life, much like the ubiquitous and resilient grass.
Understand the original words
pissah · Hebrew Noun
A state of plenty, fullness, or surplus. In a biblical context, it often refers to God's provision for His people or the prosperity of a king's reign under God's blessing.
This parable about the mustard seed, which starts small but grows into a large tree, beautifully parallels the 'handful of corn' imagery, illustrating the expansive growth of God's kingdom.
Isaiah 27:6This verse describes Israel blossoming and filling the earth like grass, echoing the imagery of people flourishing in the cities like the grass of the field.
Jeremiah 31:12This prophecy promises future joy and abundance, with people coming from all nations to celebrate and 'blossom like a watered garden,' connecting to the theme of God's people flourishing abundantly.
Luke 8:15Jesus' parable of the sower speaks of good seed falling on good soil and bringing forth a harvest 'a hundredfold,' which resonates with the psalm's vision of extraordinary agricultural and human fertility.
clarkePsalms 72:16: "There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth."
There shall be a handful of corn - The earth shall be exceedingly fruitful. Even a handful of corn sown on the top of a mountain shall grow up strong and vigorous; and it shall be, in reference to crops in other times as the cedars of Lebanon are to common trees or shrubs: and as the earth will brin…
poolePsalms 72:16: "There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth."
An handful of corn; which intimates the small beginnings of this kingdom; and therefore doth not agree to Solomon, whose kingdom was in a manner as large at the beginning of his reign ms at the end; but it exactly agrees to Christ and his kingdom, Matthew 13:31,32 . In the earth; sown in the earth.…
The verse paints a picture of miraculous fertility: even a tiny handful of seed sown on barren mountaintops will yield an abundant harvest, "shaking" like the mighty cedars of Lebanon. This isn't just about crops; it's about a divine blessing so potent it transforms the most unpromising places, reflecting a profound expansion and flourishing of God's people.
This psalm, likely composed for Solomon's coronation, describes his reign as a golden age of justice and peace, with a prayer that extends to the Messiah's eternal kingdom. Verse 16 vividly portrays the unparalleled prosperity and abundant increase of people expected under this ideal ruler.
This psalm, likely composed for Solomon's coronation, describes his reign as a golden age of justice and peace, with a prayer that extends to the Messiah's eternal kingdom. Verse 16 vividly portrays the unparalleled prosperity and abundant increase of people expected under this ideal ruler.
"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!" — The verse paints a picture of miraculous fertility: even a tiny handful of seed sown on barren mountaintops will yield an abundant harvest, "shaking" like the mighty cedars of Lebanon. This isn't jus…
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Last reviewed October 2026