Psalms 1
Notes
Transcript
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;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
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.
The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
This is the opening benediction of the book of psalms.
This is the opening benediction of the book of psalms.
Here we are introduced with the two types on mankind. The blessed and the sinful. The sinner and the saint.
The word blessed is a plural form and denotes the multitude of blessings for those who follow righteousness.
H.A. Ironside presents the idea that the blessed man is the Lord Jesus. And although that may not be true.
He makes this point by stating that the phrase Walks not in the counsel of the ungodly should be translated as, “Has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly.”
There is much application that can be given to this idea. However, this may be due to thee fact that a righteous person will immolate the life of Jesus.
Spurgeon points out that the righteous man does not follow the world.
The Treasury of David, Volume 1: Psalms 1–26 Exposition
He is a man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. He takes wiser counsel, and walks in the commandments of the Lord his God. To him the ways of piety are paths of peace and pleasantness. His footsteps are ordered by the Word of God, and not by the cunning and wicked devices of carnal men. It is a rich sign of inward grace when the outward walk is changed, and when ungodliness is put far from our actions.
If verse one was a negative view, verse two is a positive outlook.
The blessed man loves the law of the Lord.
Furthermore, he meditates on them day and night. This is a continual reflection upon the law of God. He loves the law of God.
This is quite the contrast to the average Jew who was burdened by the law. The Jews where commanded to keep 615 laws. This became such a burden to them that many lived in despair. Yet, the blessed man delighted in the law. That is, they recognized the value of the law and saw it as a means to God and not a hinderance.
Verse three shows us that the key to a prosperous life is following the Word of God. The person who obeys God’s Word, out of love and willingly, will find their way to be prosperous.
Next we see the contrasting character of the wicked.
Although they seem to prosper, their bounty is without value. They may have much in volume, but their is no worth. The wind blows and their great coffers are left empty.
They are like straw before the wind, And like chaff that a storm carries away.
We must be careful that we do not envy others. Just because the barns are large does not mean they are not empty.
Thus, Pals 84. 11 says,
psalm 84.10
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Finally, we are left with an eternal assessment of our lives.
In the end, God knows all things and He sees beyond the vanity of others. Thus, each of us should search our own hearts to ensure that we are living righteously and behaving according to God’s Word so that when He measures our lives we will be found rich with blessings and not empty from the pursuit of vanity.
This does not mean that we must work for salvation, but rather, work for the blessing of a life lived for Christ.