3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers. (NIV)
The Hebrew word for "stream" is not the usual word for a river or even an arroyo or rain-fed gulch. It is peleg, a common word for "irrigation canal" or "channel." Sometimes it is used metaphorically for the channel cut by tears (Lam. 3:48) or even rain (Job 38:25). Here it is a reference to a hand-made channel of water: Hand-made, but here not man-made. The righteous man is planted by God himself next to a stream of water, which in turn was intentionally placed there by the hand of God.
Where we find ourselves in life is not an accident. We may be subject to the consequences of our own sins, or of the sins of others (like Joseph sold into slavery in Egypt), but God is still there, using our circumstances for our good. This verse is not meant to confuse us, or make us wonder how we got where we are. It's here for our comfort, reminding us that wherever we are, God is there, too. And God is able to bless us and work through us no matter how rough our lives become. Like Joseph in Pharaoh's prison, he may have work for us to do; work to which only hardship can lead us. But through it all, God is there, bringing forth fruit in our lives, and making us prosper.
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