TRV
Translation
King James Version
For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
Complete Jewish Bible
He will be like a tamarisk in the 'Aravah - when relief comes, it is unaffected; for it lives in the sun-baked desert, in salty, uninhabited land.
Berean Standard Bible
He will be like a shrub in the desert; he will not see when prosperity comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.
American Standard Version
For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited.
World English Bible Messianic
For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited.
Geneva Bible (1599)
For he shall be like the heath in the wildernesse, and shall not see when any good commeth, but shall inhabite the parched places in the wildernesse, in a salt land, and not inhabited.
Young's Literal Translation
And he hath been as a naked thing in a desert, And doth not see when good cometh, And hath inhabited parched places in a wilderness, A salt land, and not inhabited.
In the KJVVerse 19,364 of 31,102
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Commentary on Jeremiah 17 verses 5–11
5 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
It is excellent doctrine that is preached in these verses, and of general concern and use to us all, and it does not appear to have any particular reference to the present state of Judah and Jerusalem. The prophet's sermons were not all prophetical, but some of them practical; yet this discourse, which probably we have here only the heads of, would be of singular use to them by way of caution not to misplace their confidence in the day of their distress. Let us all learn what we are taught here,
I. Concerning the disappointment and vexation those will certainly meet with who depend upon creatures for success and relief when they are in trouble (Jer 17:5, Jer 17:6): Cursed be the man that trusts in man. God pronounces him cursed for the affront he thereby puts upon him. Or, Cursed (that is, miserable) is the man that does so, for he leans upon a broken reed, which will not only fail him, but will run into his hand and pierce it. Observe, 1. The sin here condemned; it is trusting in man, putting that confidence in the wisdom and power, the kindness and faithfulness, of men, which should be placed in those attributes of God only, making our applications to men and raising our expectations from them as principal agents, whereas they are but instruments in the hand of Providence. It is making flesh the arm we stay upon, the arm we work with and with which we hope to work our point, the arm under which we shelter ourselves and on which we depend for protection. God is his people's arm, Isa 32:2. We must not think to make any creature to be that to us which God has undertaken to be. Man is called flesh, to show the folly of those that make him their confidence; he is flesh, weak and feeble as flesh without bones or sinews, that has no strength at all in it; he is inactive as flesh without spirit, which is a dead thing; he is mortal and dying as flesh, which soon putrefies and corrupts, and is continually wasting. Nay, he is false and sinful, and has lost his integrity; so his being flesh signifies, Gen 6:3. The great malignity there is in this sin; it is the departure of the evil heart of unbelief from the living God. Those that trust in man perhaps draw nigh to God with their mouth and honour him with their lips, they call him their hope and say that they trust in him, but really their heart departs from him; they distrust him, despise him, and decline a correspondence with him. Cleaving to the cistern is leaving the fountain, and is resented accordingly. 3. The fatal consequences of this sin. He that puts a confidence in man puts a cheat upon himself; for (Jer 17:6) he shall be like the heath in the desert, a sorry shrub, the product of barren ground, sapless, useless, and worthless; his comforts shall all fail him and his hopes be blasted; he shall wither, be dejected in himself and trampled on by all about him. When good comes he shall not see it, he shall not share in it; when the times mend they shall not mend with him, but he shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness; his expectation shall be continually frustrated; when others have a harvest he shall have none. Those that trust to their own righteousness and strength, and think they can do well enough without the merit and grace of Christ, thus make flesh their arm, and their souls cannot prosper in graces or comforts; they can neither produce the fruits of acceptable services to God nor reap the fruits of saving blessings from him; they dwell in a dry land.
II. Concerning the abundant satisfaction which those have, and will have, who make God their confidence, who live by faith in his providence and promise, who refer themselves to him and his guidance at all times and repose themselves in him and his love in the most unquiet times, Jer 17:7, Jer 17:8. Observe, 1. The duty required of us - to trust in the Lord, to do our duty to him and then depend upon him to bear us out in doing it - when creatures and second causes either deceive or threaten us, either are false to us or fierce against us, to commit ourselves to God as all-sufficient both to fill up the place of those who fail us and to protect us from those who set upon us. It is to make the Lord our hope, his favour the good we hope for and his power the strength we hope in. 2. The comfort that attends the doing of this duty. He that does so shall be as a tree planted by the waters, a choice tree, about which great care has been taken to set it in the best soil, so far from being like the heath in the wilderness; he shall be like a tree that spreads out its roots, and thereby is firmly fixed, spreads them out by the rivers, whence it draws abundance of sap, which denotes both the establishment and the comfort which those have who make God their hope; they are easy, they are pleasant, and enjoy a continual security and serenity of mind. A tree thus planted, thus watered, shall not see when heat comes, shall not sustain any damage from the most scorching heats of summer; it is so well moistened from its roots that it shall be sufficiently guarded against drought. Those that make God their hope, (1.) They shall flourish in credit and comfort, like a tree that is always green, whose leaf does not wither; they shall be cheerful to themselves and beautiful in the eyes of others. Those who thus give honour to God by giving him credit God will put honour upon, and make them the ornament and delight of the places where they live, as green trees are. (2.) They shall be fixed in an inward peace and satisfaction: They shall not be careful in a year of drought, when there is want of rain; for, as the tree has seed in itself, so it has its moisture. Those who make God their hope have enough in him to make up the want of all creature-comforts. We need not be solicitous about the breaking of a cistern as long as we have the fountain. (3.) They shall be fruitful in holiness, and in all good works. Those who trust in God, and by faith derive strength and grace from him, shall not cease from yielding fruit; they shall still be enabled to do that which will redound to the glory of God, the benefit of others, and their own account.
III. Concerning the sinfulness of man's heart, and the divine inspection it is always under, Jer 17:9, Jer 17:10. It is folly to trust in man, for he is not only frail, but false and deceitful. We are apt to think that we trust in God, and are entitled to the blessings here promised to those who do so. But this is a thing about which our own hearts deceive us as much as any thing. We think that we trust in God when really we do not, as appears by this, that our hopes and fears rise or fall according as second causes smile or frown.
1.It is true in general. (1.) There is that wickedness in our hearts which we ourselves are not aware of and do not suspect to be there; nay, it is a common mistake among the children of men to think themselves, their own hearts at least, a great deal better than they really are. The heart, the conscience of man, in his corrupt and fallen state, is deceitful above all things. It is subtle and false; it is apt to supplant (so the word properly signifies); it is that from which Jacob had his name, a supplanter. It calls evil good and good evil, puts false colours upon things, and cries peace to those to whom peace does not belong. When men say in their hearts (that is, suffer their hearts to whisper to them) that there is no God, or he does not see, or he will not require, or they shall have peace though they go on; in these, and a thousand similar suggestions the heart is deceitful. It cheats men into their own ruin; and this will be the aggravation of it, that they are self-deceivers, self-destroyers. Herein the heart is desperately wicked; it is deadly, it is desperate. The case is bad indeed, and in a manner deplorable and past relief, if the conscience which should rectify the errors of the other faculties is itself a mother of falsehood and a ring-leader in the delusion. What will become of a man if that in him which should be the candle of the Lord give a false light, if God's deputy in the soul, that is entrusted to support his interests, betrays them? Such is the deceitfulness of the heart that we may truly say, Who can know it? Who can describe how bad the heart is? We cannot know our own hearts, not what they will do in an hour of temptation (Hezekiah did not, Peter did not), not what corrupt dispositions there are in them, nor in how many things they have turned aside; who can understand his errors? Much less can we know the hearts of others, or have any dependence upon them. But, (2.) Whatever wickedness there is in the heart God sees it, and knows it, is perfectly acquainted with it and apprised of it: I the Lord search the heart. This is true of all that is in the heart, all the thoughts of it, the quickest, and those that are most carelessly overlooked by ourselves - all the intents of it, the closest, and those that are most artfully disguised, and industriously concealed from others. Men may be imposed upon, but God cannot. He not only searches the heart with a piercing eye, but he tries the reins, to pass a judgment upon what he discovers, to give every thing its true character and due weight. He tries it, as the gold is tried whether it be standard or no, as the prisoner is tried whether he be guilty or no. And this judgment which he makes of the heart is in order to his passing judgment upon the man; it is to give to every man according to his ways (according to the desert and the tendency of them, life to those that walked in the ways of life, and death to those that persisted in the paths of the destroyer) and according to the fruit of his doings, the effect and influence his doings have had upon others, or according to what is settled by the word of God to be the fruit of men's doings, blessings to the obedient and curses to the disobedient. Note, Therefore God is Judge himself, and he alone, because he, and none besides, knows the hearts of the children of men.
2.It is true especially of all the deceitfulness and wickedness of the heart, all its corrupt devices, desires, and designs. God observes and discerns them; and (which is more than any man can do) he judges of the overt act by the heart. Note, God knows more evil of us than we do of ourselves, which is a good reason why we should not flatter ourselves, but always stand in awe of the judgment of God.
IV. Concerning the curse that attends wealth unjustly gotten. Fraud and violence had been reigning crying sins in Judah and Jerusalem; now the prophet would have those who had been guilty of these sins, and were now stripped of all they had, to read their sin in their punishment (Jer 17:11): He that gets riches and not by right, though he may make them his hope, shall never have joy of them. Observe, It is possible that those who use unlawful means to get wealth may succeed therein and prosper for a time; and it is a temptation to many to defraud and oppress their neighbours when there is money to be got by it. He who has got treasures by vanity and a lying tongue may hug himself in his success, and say, I am rich; nay, and I am innocent too (Hos 12:8), but he shall leave them in the midst of his days; they shall be taken from him, or he from them; God shall cut him off with some surprising stroke then when he says, Soul, take thy ease, thou hast goods laid up for many years, Luk 12:19, Luk 12:20. He shall leave them to he knows not whom, and shall not be able to take any of his riches away with him. It intimates what a great vexation it is to a worldly man at death that he must leave his riches behind him; and justly may it be a terror to those who got them unjustly, for, though the wealth will not follow them to another world, the guilt will, and the torment of an everlasting, Son, remember, Luk 16:25. Thus, at his end, he shall be a fool, a Nabal, whose wealth did him no good, which he had so sordidly hoarded, when his heart became dead as a stone. He was a fool all along; sometimes perhaps his own conscience told him so, but at his end he will appear to be so. Those are fools indeed who are fools in their latter end; and such multitudes will prove who were applauded as wise men, that did well for themselves, Psa 49:13, Psa 49:18. Those that get grace will be wise in the latter end, will have the comfort of it in death and the benefit of it to eternity (Pro 19:20); but those that place their happiness in the wealth of the world, and, right or wrong, will be rich, will rue the folly of it when it is too late to rectify the fatal mistake. This is like the partridge that sits on eggs and hatches them not, but they are broken (as Job 39:15), or stolen (as Isa 10:14), or they become addle: some sort of fowl there was, well known among the Jews, whose case this commonly was. The rich man takes a great deal of pains to get an estate together, and sits brooding upon it, but never has any comfort nor satisfaction in it; his projects to enrich himself by sinful courses miscarry and come to nothing. Let us therefore be wise in time - what we get to get it honestly, and what we have to use it charitably, that we may lay up in store a good foundation and be wise for eternity.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 5–11. Public domain.
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Basil of CaesareaAD 379
HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 11:2 (PS 7)
One who puts his trust in humankind or is buoyed up by some other concerns of life, such as power or possessions or any of the things considered by the many to be glorious, is not able to say, “O Lord my God, in you have I put my trust.” In fact, there is a command that we should not put our trust in rulers, and “cursed is the one who trusts in humankind.” As it is proper not to worship anything else besides God, so also is it proper not to trust in any other except God the Lord of all things. “The Lord,” it is said, “is my hope and my praise.”
Basil of CaesareaAD 379
THE LONG RULES 42
A person who relies on himself, however, or even on the person whose duty it is to provide for his needs, and thinks that his own activity or that of his associate is a sufficient resource for his livelihood runs the risk, as he places his hope in humankind, of falling under the curse that reads, “Cursed is the one that trusts in humankind and makes flesh his arm and whose soul departs from the Lord.” Now, by the words “that trusts in humankind” the Scripture forbids a person to place his hope in another, and by the words “and makes flesh his arm” it forbids him to trust in himself. Either course is termed a defection from the Lord. Further, in adding the final issue of both, “He shall be like tamarisk in the desert, and he shall not see when good shall come,” the Scripture declares that for anyone to place his trust either in himself or in anyone else is to alienate himself from the Lord.
Basil of CaesareaAD 379
HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 18:1 (PS 45)
One thing you must flee, sin. One refuge from evil must be sought, God. Do not trust in princes. Do not be exalted in the uncertainty of wealth. Do not be proud of bodily strength. Do not pursue the splendor of human glory. None of these things save you. All are transient. All are deceptive. There is one refuge: God. “Cursed is the one who trusts in humankind” or in any human thing.
JeromeAD 420
SIX BOOKS ON JEREMIAH 3:72.4-5
It is not only the one who puts his hope in humankind that is accursed, but also the one who uses the flesh of his arm, that is, his strength and all that he does, not for the Lord of mercy but so that power will be thought to have come from him. For whoever does this withdraws his heart from the Lord by claiming himself to be capable when he is not capable. He will also be like the tamarisk in the desert, which, in Hebrew, is called an aroher, or, as translated by Symmacus, a fruitless plant, nor will he see goodness when it arrives and is seen by the multitude of nations, but he will live in a wasteland. All this is said about the Jewish people, who live in a desert and do not bear fruit and are located in an uninhabited salt land that produces no fruit and is a host neither to God, nor to the army of angels, nor to the grace of the Holy Spirit nor to the knowledge of teachers.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verses 5, 6.) Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts (or has hope) in man, and relies on flesh for his strength, and turns his heart away from the Lord. He will be like a shrub in the desert, and will not see when good comes; but he will live in dryness in the desert, in a land of salt and uninhabitable. If every man is cursed who trusts in man, then Paul of Samosata and Photinus, although they proclaim the Savior as holy and surpassing all virtues, still confess him as a man; therefore, they will be cursed for having hope in man. But if it is opposed to us, that we also believe in him who says: Now you seek to kill me, a man who has spoken the truth to you, which I have heard from God, Abraham did not do this: you do the works of your father. (John 8:40) We will respond with that of the Apostles: And if we have known Christ according to the flesh at some time, but now we no longer know him. Finally, the same Apostle writes in the beginning of his letter to the Galatians: Paul, an Apostle, not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead, and who are with me all the brethren. (Galatians 1:1-2). For if death was swallowed up in victory (Hosea 13), why did not the lowliness of the flesh, which was assumed for the salvation of mankind, pass into the majesty of divinity, so that it might make both one; and we do not worship the creature, but the Creator, who is blessed forever? Therefore, he is cursed, not only who has hope in man, but who puts his trust in the flesh, that is, his own strength, and whatever he accomplishes, considers it to be not of the mercy of the Lord, but of his own power. For whoever does this, departs from the heart of the Lord, asserting that he can do what he cannot. And he will be like myrtle, which in Hebrew is called Aroer, or as Symmachus interpreted, a fruitless tree in the desert. And he will not see the good things that the multitude of nations will see when they come, but he will dwell in dryness in the desert. This is said of the people of Judah who dwell in the desert, do not bear fruit, and live in a land of salt, which produces no fruit, and is uninhabitable, having no guest of God, nor the protection of angels, nor the grace of the Holy Spirit, nor the knowledge of teachers.
BedeAD 735
Homilies on the Gospels 2:25
But let us see what kind of fruits a bad tree produces, and let us avoid bearing such fruits. The prophet Jeremiah says, “Cursed is the one who puts his trust in human beings and makes his flesh his support, and whose heart turns away from the Lord; such a person will be like a tamarisk in the desert.”
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 17:6 powerfully illustrates the desolate and unfruitful existence of those who place their ultimate trust in human strength and resources rather than in the Lord. Through striking desert imagery, the verse depicts a life devoid of true spiritual sustenance, unable to perceive or receive divine blessings, and ultimately leading to a barren, uninhabitable spiritual landscape, standing in stark contrast to the flourishing life of those who trust in God alone.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Jeremiah 17:6 is an integral part of a profound antithetical oracle found in Jeremiah 17:5-8. This passage presents a direct and vivid contrast between the cursed state of those who trust in "flesh" (humanity) and the blessed state of those who trust in the Lord. Verse 5 introduces the curse, stating that such a person "makes flesh his arm" and turns his heart from the Lord. Verse 6 then elaborates on the desolate consequences of this misplaced trust, using vivid imagery of barrenness and spiritual futility. This sets the stage for the flourishing, well-watered tree imagery of Jeremiah 17:7-8, which describes the blessed individual. This literary structure powerfully underscores the spiritual and practical outcomes of one's foundational trust, presenting a clear choice to the audience.
Historical & Cultural Context: Jeremiah prophesied during a turbulent period in Judah's history, marked by political instability, impending Babylonian exile, and a pervasive tendency among the people to rely on alliances with powerful nations like Egypt or Assyria rather than on God's covenant faithfulness. The prophet consistently warned against this spiritual idolatry, which manifested as a reliance on human power over divine provision. The imagery of the "desert," "parched places," and "salt land" would have resonated deeply with an ancient Near Eastern audience, who were intimately familiar with the harsh realities of arid environments and the stark difference between fertile and barren land. The contrast between well-watered land (symbolizing blessing and life) and desolate land (symbolizing curse and death) was a common motif in ancient Israelite thought and prophetic literature, reflecting their agricultural society and dependence on rain. The Jordan Valley, particularly the Arabah, was known for its sterile, salt-laden areas, making the imagery particularly poignant and immediately understandable to Jeremiah's listeners.
Key Themes: The central theme of Jeremiah 17 is the source of trust and its consequences. Verse 6 specifically highlights the theme of barrenness and futility that results from misplaced trust. The "heath in the desert" and "salt land" symbolize a life that cannot produce spiritual fruit or genuine flourishing, echoing warnings found elsewhere about the dangers of spiritual dryness and unfaithfulness (e.g., Hosea 13:15). Another key theme is spiritual blindness, implied by the phrase "shall not see when good cometh." This suggests an inability to discern or receive God's blessings and provision, even when they are present, because the heart is turned away from the true source of life. This concept of spiritual insensitivity is also explored in other prophetic warnings, such as Isaiah 6:9-10.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 17:6 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message with striking clarity. The most prominent is Simile, explicitly stating that the one who trusts in man "shall be like the heath in the desert." This comparison immediately establishes a vivid mental image of desolation and futility. The verse is rich in Imagery, consistently using terms associated with barrenness, aridity, and drought: "heath," "desert," "parched places," "wilderness," and "salt land." This cumulative imagery creates a powerful, sensory experience for the reader, emphasizing the futility and lack of life that characterize a misplaced trust. There is also a strong element of Contrast within the broader passage (Jeremiah 17:5-8), where the cursed, barren state of verse 6 is set against the blessed, flourishing state of the tree planted by water in verse 8. This antithesis highlights the stark choices and consequences presented by the prophet. Finally, the phrase "shall not see when good cometh" uses Metaphor for spiritual blindness, implying an inability to perceive divine blessings due to a hardened or misdirected heart, rather than a literal physical impairment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse profoundly speaks to the theological principle that the object of our trust fundamentally determines the outcome of our lives. When humanity places its ultimate confidence in anything other than God—be it human strength, political alliances, wealth, or self-sufficiency—the inevitable result is spiritual barrenness and a life devoid of true flourishing. This is not merely a physical state but a spiritual reality where one becomes unable to perceive or receive the "good" that God provides, remaining in a state of perpetual spiritual drought. The passage underscores God's sovereignty as the sole source of life, blessing, and genuine prosperity, warning against the futility and ultimate desolation of seeking these outside of Him.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 17:6 serves as a sobering mirror, inviting us to honestly examine the true foundation of our security and hope. In a world that constantly encourages self-reliance, the pursuit of material gain, or dependence on human systems for stability, this verse powerfully reminds us that such foundations are inherently unstable and ultimately lead to spiritual desolation. It challenges us to consider if our trust is truly in the Lord, or if we, like the "heath in the desert," are struggling to survive in a spiritual wilderness, unable to recognize the "good" that God continually offers. Cultivating a deep, abiding dependence on God means actively seeking His wisdom, resting in His provision, and finding our identity and purpose in Him alone. This leads to a life of genuine fruitfulness, refreshment, and the ability to discern and receive His blessings, even amidst challenging circumstances, transforming our barren places into fertile ground.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "heath in the desert" and why is it used as an analogy?
Answer: The "heath" (Hebrew: ʻarʻâr) refers to a stunted, scraggly, and often leafless shrub or juniper bush that typically grows in arid, desolate desert regions. It is a plant that struggles to survive in harsh conditions, offering little shade, fruit, or beauty. It is used as an analogy in Jeremiah 17:6 to symbolize the person who trusts in human strength or worldly resources rather than in God. Just as the heath is barren and exposed in a desolate land, so too is the life of one who relies on themselves or others, experiencing spiritual unfruitfulness, vulnerability, and and a lack of true vitality or blessing.
What does it mean to "not see when good cometh"?
Answer: This phrase describes a profound spiritual insensitivity or blindness. It does not necessarily mean that God's blessings or opportunities for flourishing ("good") are absent, but rather that the individual is unable to perceive, recognize, or benefit from them. Because their trust is misplaced – focused on human capabilities or worldly systems – their spiritual vision is obscured. They might be so consumed by their own efforts or so hardened by their self-reliance that they fail to see God's hand at work, His provision, or the divine opportunities He presents for their well-being and growth. This inability to "see" prevents them from receiving the very "good" that God desires to bring into their lives, leading to a perpetual state of spiritual deprivation, as contrasted with the one who trusts in the Lord and "shall not cease from yielding fruit" (Jeremiah 17:8).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 17:6, with its stark imagery of barrenness resulting from misplaced trust, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. While the Old Testament curse highlights the futility of trusting in "flesh," the New Testament reveals Jesus Christ as the embodiment of divine trust and the sole source of true life and fruitfulness. He declared, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). The barrenness of the "heath in the desert" stands in stark contrast to the overflowing life found in Christ, who offers "living water" that springs up to eternal life, satisfying the deepest spiritual thirst (John 4:10-14). Those who place their trust in Him are no longer like the parched shrub, but become like trees "planted by streams of water" (Psalm 1:3), yielding fruit in its season and flourishing even in drought. Jesus, as the Lamb of God, took upon Himself the curse of sin and self-reliance, offering a new covenant where trusting in Him leads not to desolation but to abundant life (John 10:10). In Christ, we "see when good cometh" because He is the "good shepherd" (John 10:11) and the source of all spiritual blessings, allowing us to inhabit not a "salt land" but the fertile ground of His grace and truth, bringing forth fruit for God's glory.