THE TRULY HAPPY MAN

INTRODUCTION

The Psalms are among the most popular and most read books of the Bible.

The Psalms emphasize:

God Himself - God's word - God's world - Man - God's creation - The beauty of holiness - Divine justice - Punishment of sin and sinners

Psalm 1 stands as the introduction to the Psalms

Psalm 1 calls attention to the fact that there are two classes of men:

The good (righteous)

The bad (wicked)

Psalm 1 shows:

That God's favor is on the righteous

The MEANS of righteousness

God's condemnation of the wicked

The objective of Psalm 1 is to produce "righteousness"

Psalm 1 consists of two major parts:

The blessedness of the righteous man (vs. 1-3)

The condition of the unrighteousness man (vs. 4-6)

DISCUSSION

THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS MAN

Psalm 1:1–3 ASV 1901

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers: 2 But his delight is in the law of Jehovah; And on his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

"Blessed is the man" (v. 1)

a. This Psalm opens as our Lord opened the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5:3-12).

b. "Blessed" means to be happy or fortunate

c. In the original Hebrew, "blessed" is plural, and might read, "Oh, the blessedness of the man ..."

d. "Blessed is the man" implies that God’s blessings are: Possible … Important … Desirable

e. The Psalmist will now show that to be blessed there must be a separation and a saturation ©

SEPARATION

a. "Walketh not in the counsel of the wicked" (v. 1)

1) This is one who chooses wise counsel as opposed to worldly counsel.

2) Psalm 119:105

3) Psalm 73:24

4) Proverbs 14:12 ©

b. "Nor standeth in the way of sinners" (v. 1)

1) He does not associate with evil doers, nor in their evil deeds.

2) Exodus 23:2

3) 1 Corinthians 15:33

4) Proverbs 13:20 ©

c. "Nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers" (v. 1)

1) Has no fellowship with those who would scorn or who despise God and religion.

2) He realizes that "fools make a mock at sin" (Pro. 14:9)

3) Psalm 26:4

4) Jeremiah 15:17

5) A blessed man does not sit by and allow God's word to be scorned. ©

d. The Psalmist calls attention to the progression of sin

1) Notice that the blessed man ... walks not ... Stands not ...nor sits ... with unrighteousness

2) Here three degrees of habit are implied:

a) Walking - showing an interest in

b) Standing - showing a desire to be with

c) Sitting - deliberate association ©

3) In regard to sin, one first becomes interested, he then engages in that which violates his conscience, but through practice and persistence he overcomes his conscience, and becomes a hardened sinner.

4) The blessed man is not willing to take the first step in the wrong direction. ©

SATURATION

a. "But his delight is in the law of Jehovah" (v. 2)

1) He loves to read and study the word of God - it is not a chore to him

2) Psalm 19:7-11

3) James 1:25 ©

b. "And on his law doth he meditate day and night" (v. 2)

1) Mark 7:21-23… evil cannot stay within us if we will meditate on God's word day and night.

2) Acts 17:11

3) 1 Peter 2:2

4) 2 Timothy 2:15

5) No one ever did wrong following the teachings of the Bible. ©

THE RESULT OF SEPARATION AND SATURATION

a. "He shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water" (v. 3)

1) Planted by choice - not a wild growth

2) Planted in a choice place where needed nourishment is readily available

3) Jeremiah 17:8

4) Being planted here, he becomes well rooted and able to withstand the storms of life. ©

b. "That bringeth forth its fruit in its season" (v. 3)

1) Is prosperous to the planter

2) John 15:1-2

3) Bears good fruit (Mt. 3:10) ©

c. "Whose leaf also doth not whither" (v. 3)

1) When man relies on God for nourishment he need not worry about the difficult times in life, for God will sustain him.

2) 1 Peter 5:7

3) Leaves whither for a lack of water (Isa. 1:30), but this is not true of those who partake of the living water (Jn. 4:13-14). ©

d. "And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (v. 3)

1) Isaiah 3:10

2) 1 Peter 3:10-12… to see good days …

3) Blessings come to those who obey (Mt. 6:33)

5. In contrast to the righteous man notice… ©

THE CONDITION OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS MAN

(PSA. 1:4-6) ©

1. "The wicked are not so" (v. 4)

a. The blessings received by the godly man will not be received by the ungodly man.

b. The wicked will be "like the chaff which the wind driveth away" (v. 4)

1) They are a thing of no value

2) Matthew 3:11-12

3) The "chaff" is no way like the "tree" ©

2. As a result of their worthlessness, which came because of disobedience, they "shall not stand in the judgment" (v. 5)

a. They will be condemned, they will not stand righteous

b. Matthew 25:31-34 ©

3. Nor will "sinner in the congregation of the righteous" (v. 5)

a. They will not be in the place of the righteous

b. The reason… Revelation 21:27

c. Sinners who have not been forgiven will have no place in heaven.

d. Sinners will go to their "own place" (Acts 1:25) ©

4. Sinners shall not be approved of God, but instead, will perish (v. 6)

a. "For Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous"

1) God is the Judge of ALL, and fully knows those who are His - no mistakes

2) 2 Timothy 2:19

3) Nahum 1:7 ©

b. "But the way of the wicked shall perish"

1) Cast into everlasting punishment

2) Revelation 20:15

3) In the end they will have no one to blame but themselves ©

CONCLUSION