THE TRULY HAPPY MAN (2)

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 this Psalm is to produce "righteousness"

This Psalm 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 KJV 1900

1 Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

"Blessed is the man" (v. 1)

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

"Blessed" means to be happy or fortunate

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

The phrase "Blessed is the man" implies that God’s blessings are:

Possible

Important

Desirable

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

@ SEPARATION

The blessed man "Walketh not in the counsel of the wicked" (v. 1)

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

The wisest counsel always comes from the Bible

Psalm 119:105 KJV 1900

105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.

Psalm 73:24 KJV 1900

24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.

Proverbs 14:12 KJV 1900

12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.

@ The blessed man does not "stand in the way of sinners" (v. 1)

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

My friends, this includes false doctrine...

Exodus 23:2 KJV 1900

2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

1 Corinthians 15:33 ASV 1901

33 Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals.

Proverbs 13:20 KJV 1900

20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: But a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

@ The blessed man does not "sit in the seat of the scornful" (v. 1)

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

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

Psalm 26:4 KJV 1900

4 I have not sat with vain persons, Neither will I go in with dissemblers.

Jeremiah 15:17 KJV 1900

17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

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

Teaching a false doctrine is scorning the word of God, and we can’t just sit by and allow it to happen

The Psalmist calls attention to the progression of sin

@ Notice that the blessed man ... walks not ... stands not ...nor sits ... with unrighteousness

Here three degrees of habit are implied:

Walking - showing an interest in

Standing - showing a desire to be with

Sitting - deliberate association

@ 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.

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

@ SATURATION

The blessed man "delight is in the law of the LORD" (v. 2)

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

Psalm 19:7–11 KJV 1900

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: And in keeping of them there is great reward.

James 1:25 KJV 1900

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

@ A blessed man will "meditate day and night" on God’s law (v. 2)

Mark 7:21–23 KJV 1900

21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

… evil cannot stay within us if we will meditate on God's word day and night.

Acts 17:11 KJV 1900

11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

1 Peter 2:2 KJV 1900

2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV 1900

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

No one ever did wrong following the teachings of the Bible.

@ NOTICE THE RESULTS OF SEPARATION AND SATURATION

One who is separated and saturated "shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water" (v. 3)

Planted by choice - not a wild growth

Planted in a choice place where needed nourishment is readily available

Jeremiah 17:8 KJV 1900

8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

Being planted in a choice place, he becomes well rooted and able to withstand the storms of life.

@ One who is separated and saturated "bringeth forth its fruit in its season" (v. 3)

Is prosperous to the planter

John 15:1–2 KJV 1900

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Bears good fruit (Mt. 3:10)

@ One who is separated and saturated "leaf also doth not whither" (v. 3)

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

1 Peter 5:7 KJV 1900

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Leaves whither for a lack of water...

Isaiah 1:30 KJV 1900

30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, And as a garden that hath no water.

But this is not true of those who partake of the living water...

John 4:13–14 KJV 1900

13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

@ One who is separated and saturated "whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (v. 3)

Isaiah 3:10 KJV 1900

10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: For they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

1 Peter 3:10–12 KJV 1900

10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

… to see good days - prosper

Blessings come to those who obey...

Matthew 6:33 KJV 1900

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

In contrast to the righteous man, to the one who is separated and saturated notice…

@ THE CONDITION OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS MAN

Psalm 1:4–6 KJV 1900

4 The ungodly are not so: But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

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

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

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

They are a thing of no value

Matthew 3:11–12 KJV 1900

11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

The "chaff" is no way like the "tree" planted by the water

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

They will be condemned, they will not stand righteous

Matthew 25:31–34 KJV 1900

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

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

They will not be in the place of the righteous

The reason…

Revelation 21:27 KJV 1900

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

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

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

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

For you see "the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous"

God is the Judge of ALL, and fully knows those who are His - and He will make no mistakes

2 Timothy 2:19 KJV 1900

19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Nahum 1:7 KJV 1900

7 The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; And he knoweth them that trust in him.

@ "But the way of the wicked shall perish"

Cast into everlasting punishment

Revelation 20:15 KJV 1900

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

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

CONCLUSION

In the Day of Judgment where will you find yourself:

Planted by the rivers of water, or

As the chaff blown away and burned?