The Blessed Person

Introduction

This morning we are going to begin a study of the book of Psalms.

The book of Psalms is actually made up of five separate groupings, or “books.” Over the next several weeks we are going to be looking at selected Psalms from “book 1” which if made up of Psalms that are attributed to David.

Book 1 includes Psalm 1-41.

This week and next week we are going to look at Psalm 1 and 2. Psalm 1 is a call for personal devotion to God. While Psalm 2 is a call for corporate devotion to God.

So if you have your Bibles, I want to challenge you to turn with me to Psalm 1.

The Blessed One

Today, when most people think of being blessed, they equate being rich with being blessed. Or they think of being blessed as being a popular influencer. Or a blessed person is one who fights for the good things in life or the good times.

But that is not who God describes being blessed. When we come to verse 1 of Psalms 1, David begins by telling us what the blessed person does NOT do!

Psalm 1:1 NIV

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,

Things the blessed person does NOT do.

Psalm 1 begins by describing a progression that a blessed person will not become entangled in.

This person does not walk in step with the wicked (v. 1a). Walking in step would be following the advice of those who are “wicked.”

Next, the blessed person does not stand in the way that sinners take (v. 1b). The blessed person does not accept the lifestyle of the sinners as his/her own.

Finally, the blessed person does not sit in the company of mockers (v. 1c). The blessed person does not settle into the company of arrogant people who love fighting and arguing, becoming one of them!

David warns us that the progression becomes progressively worse—we might begin by listening to bad advice and considering it as a viable option.

Then, after considering and accepting bad advice, we begin to hang out with and accept the lifestyle—the way the wicked live—as our own.

And finally, we wholeheartedly accept their way—without reservation. In other words, we become one of them!

Things the blessed person does do!

Psalm 1:2 NIV

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

In contrast with the wicked, the blessed person also does some things. In fact, the blessed person does two things:

First this person delights in the law of the Lord—they delight in Word of God (v. 2a). To delight in the Law of God has the idea of finding pleasure, value, and delight in what God says!

Secondly this person meditates (thinks about it) day and night--all the time (v. 2b)! The implication here is that by meditating on it the blessed person is actually focused on God’s Word all the time so that it is applied to their lives.

Now David gives us a picture of what God’s blessing looks like.

Psalm 1:3 NIV

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.

A Picture of the Blessed Person

The blessed person is like a tree (v. 3a).

— Planted by streams of water.

— Which yields its fruit in season.

— Whose leaf does not wither.

This week, we took some time off and went to Lake Ouchicata . Growing by the lake was a small group of persimmon trees. They had green, green leaves, and were covered with fruit (not ripe fruit, but fruit). They had an endless supply of water because they were planted beside a seeming endless supply of water. To me it was a picture of this verse. But it continues:

Whatever the blessed person does prospers (v. 3b). This word in the Hebrew has some interesting translation possibilities—prosper, advance, succeed, prevail, accomplish, be victorious, be useful, are some of the meanings we are familiar with. But it can also be translated force entry, cut through cross, to be powerful, and rush.

Next, David is going to give us the opposite of the blessed person—the wicked and what happens to them.

Picture of the Wicked Person

Psalm 1:4 NIV

Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

They are like chaff that is blown away by the wind.

The picture here is that of a threshing floor— where they toss the grain up the husk (chaff) would blow away, while the grain would fall to the floor (v. 4).

Psalm 1:5 NIV

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

Because of their wickedness, these people will not stand in the judgment (v. 5a). Joel talked about the dreadful day of the Lord, when God will judge all of humanity. In that day, the wicked will not be able to stand before the holy, just, righteous God!

And sinners will not be able to stand in the assembly of the righteous (v. 5b). Likewise, when the righteous are gathered together, those who are wicked will not be present!

Compare & Contrast the Righteous & Wicked

David now gives us one last contrast between the righteous and the wicked.

Psalm 1:6 NIV

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Yahweh watches over—the Hebrew here means: knows, guards, oversees the way of the righteous (v. 6a)—the way of those who are righteous.

What a beautiful picture of God’s involvement in our lives.

But the way of the wicked leads to destruction—Hebrew has the idea of: death, perishing, losing one’s self) (v. 6b).

The idea here is that even when it looks like the wicked are winning (here on earth) they will ultimately perish—or be separated from the Lord (Yahweh). They are headed for destruction.

So What?

The question for this morning is simple! To whom are you listening?

It is easy to go with the flow. We listen to the opinions of those around us. But what kind of people are we listening to?

Some people base their lives on God’s Word. In an anonymous Psalm, an author wrote these words:

Psalm 119:11 NIV

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

But following after the ways of the Lord is often times difficult. The people around us don’t understand us, or worse yet they don’t approve of what we stand for, and oppose us. Nevertheless, we are called to delight ourselves in Word of God.

The other option is to follow the progression that is laid out in verse 1.

—Listening to their advice.

—Accepting their lifestyle.

—Actually, becoming like them, or becoming one of them!

Here’s the thing. This progression is often easy to slide into. In fact, there are times when the advice of the wicked seems to make sense.

There are times when the lifestyle of sinners is more exciting, fun, and pleasurable.

And there are times when being arrogant, proud, and aggressively argumentative pulls at us.

But Proverbs 14:12 warns us that while the way of the wicked may seem right, it isn’t!

Proverbs 14:12 NIV

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

What about you? Which of these two views will you adopt as yours?

Communion

This morning we remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for us! As we enter this time of reflection, it is important for each of us to remember that this is and should be a sacred time for every believer.

That means that it is important that we prepare our hearts to meet with our Lord Jesus.

If you are a follower of Jesus and you are seeking to make Him your Lord, we invite you to come and participate with us in the Lord’s Supper. But if you don’t know Jesus, then we ask that you do NOT participate with us—just simply let the elements pass by.

At the same time, I want to challenge each of us not to fit into any of the three categories from Psalm 1—walk, stand, or sitting in the sinners’ ways.

You see, in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 we read:

1 Corinthians 11:27–29 NIV

So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

Quite frankly, I don’t want anyone to fall into the judgment of the Lord!