Psalm 1
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When we think about the Psalms, our minds often turn to...
The 23rd - The Lord is my shepherd.
The 119th - With its 176 verses, broken into groups identified by the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
You may have your favorite, by mine is the very first one.
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
Let’s start with answering a question.
What does it mean to be blessed?
Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon 835 אֶשֶׁר, אַשְׁרֵי
ʾesher /eh·sher/
Means happiness.
I’m sure we all want to live a happy and blessed life.
But how do we do that?
By not walking (behaving) in the counsel of the ungodly.
There is plenty of ungodly advice in the world today,
Even in those who call themselves a church
And from those who call themselves Christians.
We are blessed when we do not walk with such people.
NOT that we do not associate with them,
But we do not behave as they do.
We do not take their ungodly advice.
We are also blessed when we don’t stand in the path of sinners.
Does that mean we shouldn’t get in their way while they are sinning?
Looking at the Hebrew, and taking into account the sense of the sentence,
It means we shouldn’t remain in the conduct or the way of sinners.
It’s one thing to be an acquaintance, or even a friend of someone.
But when they start sinning, if we wish to be blessed, we cannot follow them.
Even if it hurts, and a friendship is destroyed.
Similarly, when the psalmist says we shouldn’t sit in the seat of the scornful,
The sense is we should not remain with those who are mockers.
How often have you been in some group setting when someone starts mocking someone or some group?
Do you sit there, acting like scornfulness is OK?
Or do you get up from that seat and leave?
Notice the three things we are told not to do...
Behave based on ungodly counsel.
Remain with those who are sinners.
Or remain with those who are mockers.
So how are we to know if the counsel we are getting is ungodly?
Or if those we are hanging out with are sinners or mockers?
The answer comes from verse 2:
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
Have you ever shopped for a diamond or other gem?
Did the salesperson place it on a black background?
Do you know why?
It’s called the foil effect.
The bright and shiny gem shows up better when placed against a contrasting color.
Similarly, the easiest way to spot the ways of the wicked are to compare them to something bright,
Like God’s law.
How can you have God’s law readily available so you can spot the ungodly?
By having it readily at hand.
How?
By not just reading it, but studying it, meditating upon it.
By thinking about it.
I have mentioned several times that I read through the Scriptures every year.
At first, I did this out of duty, but today I enjoy the time I spend every morning with God’s Word.
You might even say I delight in it.
What I don’t mention as often is taking time to think about God’s Word.
Sure, I may read something that gives me an idea for a sermon,
And I read and study those verses as I prepare for it.
But sometimes, I may see or hear something that will remind me of a Scripture, and I’ve learned to take some time to think about it.
How does this Scripture impact my life.
What I can learn from it, how can I use it today?
God’s law is not just a foil of good against evil...
He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
When I was a child, there was a willow tree near by grandparent’s house.
It grew next to a stream.
That meant it was constantly fed with fresh, clean water.
And the tree grew large and strong.
It stood out so much, we would use it when giving directions.
Similarly, when a person meditates on God’s law, he is constantly fed with the fresh clean water of God’s Word.
It not only feeds you, but helps you produce fruit.
Providing seeds to help other trees grow.
The constant watering prevents your own leaves from withering.
In this situation, you thrive.
And whatever you do, since you are delighting in and following God’s law, prospers.
The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
When you harvest grain, you have to separate it from the chaff.
Is ancient Israel, this was done by tossing the grain up into the air,
The heavier grain would fall while the chaff with blow away in the wind.
Similarly, the ungodly are not anchored by the truth,
They are blown around by any wind that comes by.
Does that help explain the rise of our sexually obsessed culture?
They get blown away by any new perversion that comes along.
Does it explain why we have so many denominations?
If someone is not anchored by God’s Word, they are blown around by people’s fancy.
Do you see why the person who meditates on God’s Word is blessed?
Because he is anchored in it.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Without the stability of God’s Word, the ungodly cannot stand,
Not in the face of judgement,
When a righteous judgement is given, the ungodly have no platform to stand on.
And sinners cannot stand in the congregation of the righteous.
For the righteous are standing on the Word of God.
So what does that say about our world today?
Where ungodliness is not only standing, but praised?
What about the congregations where ungodliness stands, and even thrives?
We should not be surprised that the world has turned its back on God’s Word,
But shouldn’t we be shocked at how many “churches” have?
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
God knows.
He knows the conduct of the righteous.
He is not fooled by the name on the door, the bible on the shelf, or the trappings of righteousness.
He sees those who are avoiding the counsel of the ungodly and the path of the sinner.
And He blesses them.
But He also sees the conduct of the ungodly.
Those who walking the counsel of the ungodly,
The paths of sinners,
And sitting in scornfulness.
His face is against them, and they will perish.
Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow,
But one day, they will perish,
And without the acceptance of God’s gift of salvation, they will perish permanently.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Every year, when my reading comes around to the Psalms, it starts with these words:
Blessed is the man...
I’ve even included the first two verses into my prayer list.
So I’m frequently reminded of how I can seek blessing.
By avoiding evil and focusing on God and His Word.
Close your eyes.
Think about God’s Law?
Are you intimately familiar with it?
Do you delight in it?
Do you think about it day and night?
Are you that tree, planted by the water.
Do you have reserves to bring for fruit, even when times are tough?
Do you draw strength from the creator of the universe?
Or do you wither when times are difficult?
Are you blown around by every fad that someone preaches?
If you want to be that tree planted by the water,
Then spend time in God’s Word.
Meditate on it, day and night.
Allow it to permeate every aspect of your life,
Just as that tree sucks up water for each and every leaf.
One day you’ll find that although the winds of life blow, you may be shaken, but you still stand tall.
Although others may be withering, your leaves are green and full.
And while others are starving for God’s Word,
You will have fruit to share.
