Psalm 1

Good morning to you all!

We have had several beautiful sunny days in a row. Evening temperatures have dipped into the 50s which means great sleeping weather. We have some deep purple butterfly bushes next to some golden yellow green fennel plants. They have amazing color intensity and the butterflies are all over them. Our petunias finally bit the dust but they bloomed for 2 1/2 months which is really good. 

I am thankful to be able to enjoy these things at our home. The wonder of creation never ceases to turn my heart toward our Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I would like to study more of the book of Psalms with you. This book is often referred to as the Hebrew hymnal because it is full of worship and praise. We find some wonderful names of God introduced in the Psalms including some that are only found once in the Bible.

It is also a book that reflects the full range of our emotional experiences. Every person can identify when the Psalmist has a spirit that is soaring toward the heavens. We also have empathy for the Psalmist when his enemies are attacking him, or when his character is being impugned or when he is feeling utterly overwhelmed by his circumstances. 

We learn the most valuable lessons from studying the response of the Psalmist as he is confronted by a wide variety of internal and external problems. This a book that ministers at the soul level where we need God's truth to shine in and show us the path to take. 

Psalm 1:1-6 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.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
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.
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalm 1 is only 6 verses long. We are introduced to two very different men. We first find the man who is blessed. The Psalmist tells us the reasons that he is blessed and he tells us what he is like. The second man is the ungodly man. The Psalmist tells us what he is like and what his ultimate fate will be. 

The Blessed Man avoids things which displease God. 

What does it mean to be blessed? The Hebrew word means to be in a state of happiness because of having a growing  relationship with God Almighty. 

• He is blessed because he avoids listening to the ungodly.

First, he does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. He is not going to seek out their advice. He is not going to listen to their schemes. Let me see if I can put this in practical terms. The Blessed Man does not listen to or seek out the advice or input from those who are ungodly. The word "ungodly" is a word that means people who are the enemies of God. They oppose the righteousness of God and they stand condemned and guilty before God. 

• He is blessed because he avoids standing in the way of sinners.

The word "way" refers to a path marked out by how we conduct our lives. It refers to the footsteps we leave behind as we make choices about how we live. The Blessed Man does not stand idly by and watch all the ways of sinners. He wants nothing to do with them because he knows that what they do defiles their bodies. Sinners are under the wrath and condemnation of God and he does all that he can to avoid them.

• He is blessed because he avoids sitting in the seat of the scornful. 

The seat of the scornful is a phrase that refers to the places frequented by the scornful people. The word "scornful" means those who critique the things of God, those who mock or ridicule what God says in His word. Thus, the seat of the scornful is a place where arrogant and pride filled people gather to mock or push against the things of God. 

The Blessed Man finds satisfaction in the Word of God. 

The Blessed Man is blessed because he "delights" in the law of God. He longs for God's Law. He finds great pleasure in the Law. Remember that I have said idolatry is anything or anyone that we find more satisfaction in than the satisfaction we find with Jehovah. The Psalmist shows us the path to take. We delight in and long for His Word. 

Because what we noted above is true, the Psalmist spends much time meditating in the scriptures. He likes to think about the Law of God day and night. He longs for it. He delights in it. He thinks about the Law all the time. This is why he is a Blessed Man. His thoughts, words and activities have been shaped by the truth of God's Word.

The Blessed Man is like a strong, fruitful tree with deep roots. 

We are going to see the Blessed Man and the Ungodly Man are compared with two kinds of plants. One is desirable and the other is worthless. 

The Blessed Man is compared to a tree that was transplanted by rivers of water, indicating that the tree always has an abundant supply of water. The good water and nutrients from the soil make this a strong, disease resistant tree. It also means that the tree is a very productive one that bears fruit copiously in season. The leaves on this tree will not dry up and drop off. Its roots will continue to grow deeper and stronger. 

The Ungodly Man is not like this at all.

The Ungodly Man is compared to the husks that surround the grains of oats, wheat, barley and other plants. The chaff is worthless, It must be thrown away and discarded. You see a photo of chaff below. Separating the chaff from the good grain used to be done by scooping it up with a pitchfork and tossing up into the wind. Chaff is lighter and would be blown away while the heavier grain fell to the earth to be gathered and stored for food.

The Psalmist then looks toward the future judgment of God. The sinners are like the chaff. They will not enter into to the place where the righteous dwell with Jehovah. They will be separated out from the wheat and the chaff will be burned in eternal fire. 

In the parable about the wheat and the tares, Jesus taught that the enemy sowed the tares in His fields. Like the chaff, the tares are going to be gathered at the time of harvest and will be burned. This is the final destiny for the unrepentant, Ungodly Man. 

Matthew 13:27-30 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 

He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

The Psalm ends by reminding us there are two kinds of people represented by the two kinds of plants in this Psalm. The Blessed Man represents all people who have accepted God's provision of salvation and who have chosen read, meditate on and obey the word of God.

The Ungodly Man represents all unrepentant sinners who live in rebellion against God and who refuse to honor His Word. They pursue the lust of their flesh in an effort to satisfy it whenever they have the opportunity. 

Points to Ponder......

• The Blessed Man will not do anything that dishonors God.

• The Blessed Man makes much of God's  Word and seeks to live it out.

• The Blessed Man has deep roots and will not be shaken when trials or troubles come.

• The Blessed Man is productive in serving His God. 

• The Ungodly Man lives in rebellion against Holy God.

• The Ungodly Man will always seek that which is evil. 

• The Ungodly Man lives a worthless life that will result in eternal condemnation.

God is so good to give us these powerful truths right at the beginning of the book of Psalms. My friends, if you have not yet done so, may I encourage you to give your heart to Jesus Christ? Jehovah offers us the opportunity to live life as a Blessed Man who loves God's word and who seeks to apply it and obey it. It is truly the best life that we could live until He calls us home. 

Bob