Skip to main content

Psalm 1


Psalm 1 is a preview of the Psalms, showing us the blessing which comes from a godly life. A serious study of Psalms shows us what a godly life entails. Verses 1-3 highlight the happiness of a good person. Then verses 4-5 depict the misery of the wicked. The final verse provides an explanation.
  1. Blessed are the ones who do not walk in the way of the ungodly, who do not settle in the way of sinners, who do not sit with the scornful.
  2. But their delight is in the law of the LORD, and in this law they meditate day and night.
  3. For they will be like a tree planted by the rivers, which bears fruit in the right season; whose leaves will not wither or fade, and whatever they do succeeds.
  4. It is not like that for the ungodly: they are like the dust which the wind blows away.
  5. Because the ungodly will have no standing in the court of justice, nor will sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
  6. For the LORD intimately knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will be destroyed.
Verse 1: There is blessing in NOT following the wicked person's way of life, including how they talk, which often mocks those who are doing good things.

Verse 2: Seriously and continually we are to think about the heart of God, what his purpose is, and how we fit into his plan.

Verse 3: If we commit to this way of life, there will be a permanent and lasting happiness and sense of  fulfillment.

Verse 4: The ungodly live in a different way. They are restless and lack peace and serenity. 

Verse 5: They will not endure the judgment of the world.

Verse 6: The ungodly and their plans, schemes, and desires will come to nothing. But the righteous will be supported by the love of God and he will make amends for all the loss and harm suffered. God will restore those who trust in him. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Take 1: Genesis 2 and 3

  Do you ever have a conversation then immediately think, "I wish I would've said that?" I feel that way almost every Sunday. So this blog will be a place where I share things that I wish I would have said or things that were cut from the sermon because of timing or flow. *Note: I type out a sermon manuscript and I keep my word count to 1500 words. We call Genesis 3:1-8 the fall, but the word "sin" is not in the biblical text. Certainly this story influences what theologians call "original sin," but we cannot base that concept on this story alone. When I was a kid, I used to think Eden was a paradise and Adam and Eve were lounging about in hammocks and eating grapes. Eden is more like a farm. Adam's role is a servant, to serve and keep the garden. In Genesis 2, we see there's a community of people, animals, and the earth. That sounds like a farm to me. As God comes near to create Adam, this feels like foreshadowing of the Incarnation--when God ...

Take 2: Abraham and Sarah

Do you ever have a conversation then immediately think, "I wish I would've said that?" I feel that way almost every Sunday. So this blog will be a place where I share things that I wish I would have said or things that were cut from the sermon because of timing or flow or word count. In Genesis 12, the focus moves from God and the world to God and the family of Abraham. The promise God makes to Abraham--to give him a family and land--is foundational to the story of Israel. God is going to bless Abraham and his future family so that they will be a blessing to the world. But Sarah is barren. And that's the tension. How are they going to have a baby? They're old. It seems impossible. God likes to confront the impossible. Genesis 15:1-6  is a story with a sense of non-fulfillment. Abraham has been given a promise, but that promise has not happened yet. God goes to Abraham and says, "Don't be afraid. I'm your shield." Rather than praise, Abraham respo...
After Queen Vashti takes a stand and loses her throne. The king’s advisors tell him that he needs to find a new queen. Then the biblical version of The Bachelor  takes place. The king sends people out into the kingdom to collect all the beautiful women. Each gets a night with the king and whoever pleases him the best becomes the new queen. Esther is the Jewish woman in this contest. Her cousin Mordecai tells her not to tell anyone she’s Jewish. To make a long story short: Esther pleases the king the most and she becomes the new queen–the new Persian queen who no one knows is Jewish. You know how when you’re reading a novel, the story is mostly about one main character, but there are other characters who have their own story? That’s called a subplot. The subplot here involves Esther’s cousin, Mordecai. He overhears some people plotting against the king. He takes a stand, speaks up, and saves the king.   Esther 3:1-11   is a picture of unstable leadership. Things go ...