God commanded ancient Israel to commemorate the harvest with a 7-day celebration called the Feast of Tabernacles (also called Sukkot). On the first day, He instructed them to take “the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days” (Leviticus 23:40).
It is still a Jewish practice to wave a palm branch (called the lulav) with other branches and fruit on each day of the feast of Sukkot. (See “What Are the Lulav and Etrog?” on myjewishlearning.com.)
Palm trees represent success and prosperity. They are associated with joyous celebrations. One of the psalms says, “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree” (Psalm 92:12). The winners of the ancient Olympic Games held branches of date-palm trees to symbolize their victory. (See “The Getty Villa Guide to the Ancient Olympics” on getty.edu.
All four of the gospel writers tell us that large crowds welcomed Jesus the last time he entered Jerusalem, just a few days before His death. (See Matthew 12:8-11, Mark 11:8-10, Luke 19:35-40, John 12:12-13.) They met Him with shouts of “Hosanna,” and they spread clothing and branches on the road in front of him as a sign of respect. John (who was probably there) adds that they “took branches of palm trees” as they “went forth to meet him” (John 12:13). I imagine them not only spreading palm branches in front of Him, but also waving them in a joyful but reverent celebration, as it is portrayed in this video:
The experience certainly would have made a lasting impression on those who experienced it firsthand, so it’s not surprising that palm branches played a role in John’s vision of our future celestial glory:
I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Revelation 7:9-10
Elder Ronald A. Rasband testified that John’s vision represents a future event in which we may take part:
Though we do not stand at the gates of Jerusalem today with palms in our hands, the time will come when, as prophesied in Revelation, “a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, [will stand] before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.”
I leave with you my blessing as an Apostle of Jesus Christ that you will diligently strive to live righteously and be among those who, with palms in their hands, will herald the Son of God, the great Redeemer of us all.
“Hosanna to the Most High God,” General Conference, April 2023
Joseph Smith included a similar plea in the dedicatory prayer for the temple in Kirtland, Ohio:
That our garments may be pure, that we may be clothed upon with robes of righteousness, with palms in our hands, and crowns of glory upon our heads, and reap eternal joy for all our sufferings.
Doctrine and Covenants 109:76
Palm trees and palm branches do not appear in the Book of Mormon, even in the account of King Benjamin’s speech, which has many parallels with the Feast of Tabernacles. But Benjamin does conjure a similar image of reverent joy when he tells his people that he will soon “join the choirs above in singing the praises of a just God” (Mosiah 2:28). Lehi and Alma both have visions in which they see “numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God” (1 Nephi 1:8, Alma 36:22). And the people who saw Jesus Christ after His death and resurrection had a Palm Sunday-like experience as they shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God!” (3 Nephi 11:17). With or without palm branches, the sense of gratitude and praise is the same.
Today, I will remember the peaceful joy that will accompany our reunion with God. I will strive to be ready to join that multitude in white robes with palms in their hands, to rejoice in the victory of God and the salvation of His children.