Blessed



Psalm 1
1Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
4The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

The Book of Psalms is one of the greatest assets possessed by God’s people for in these Words we find a pathway to the very heart of God. In the Psalms we find that emotional response to a loving and all-powerful God. In the Psalms we find God who loves His people and whose people love Him back. The reading of the Psalms on a daily basis has been the foundation for a vibrant devotional life for the last 2,000 years. We join a rich tradition when we incorporate the Psalms into our lives.

Psalm 1 starts us in a strong place with the word “blessed”. This word is used well over 100 times just in the Psalms alone. God desires to bless us and Psalm 1 starts us out with a confirmation of that fact. Who are the blessed ones? Those who follow the path God lays before them. According to this Psalm, the path looks like this. Notice that it comes in a negative voice – walks not, nor stands, nor sits. These are what the blessed don’t do.

Action
Place
Evil
Response
Walks not
Counsel
Wicked
Agreement
Nor stands
The Way
Sinners
Commitment
Nor sits
The Seat
Scoffers
Kinship

In verse 1 we see a progression to avoid. We are told in several Bible passages to flee evil. Psalm 1 gives even more detail to that idea. The way of the sinner is laid out in a progressive fashion. First the tempted person walks with the wicked, seeking their counsel. This is followed by stopping to stand with sinners and commit to their ways. Finally, we settle in (are seated with) the scoffers; those with a complete disregard for the ways of God. This kinship is the pathway to destruction.

And that’s just verse 1! The psalmist then goes on to describe the life opposite to that of the one committed to sin. This person delights in the Lord and meditates on His Word with regularity and passion. This person’s life yields a fruitful harvest and is lived without fear for their roots go deep and are well watered.

“Psalm 1 ends on a note of serene assurance:
(1) God determines the fate of all men; pray with confidence in His unlimited power;
(2) God is deeply concerned with “the way of the righteous”; pray trusting His inexhaustible goodness;
(3) God knows what makes a man “blessed”; pray relying on His perfect wisdom to choose what is good for you.”
Roehrs, W. H., & Franzmann, M. H. ©1998. Concordia self-study commentary. St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.

For me personally, meditation on the Psalms almost always means that I zero in on one verse or passage from the psalm. That is the verse I roll around in my head for a time, letting God make adjustments to my thinking and informing my character with His Word. Today’s stand-outs are verses 1 and 3. I cannot read them to many times because they pour over my spirit like healing oil. Which of these verses heals your heart today?

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