Psalms 1

For the next 8 weeks, we are going to be challenging and refreshing our minds from the Psalms. We’ll have some guest preachers coming through in August and September, which will be awesome. We are going to be in Psalm 1 this morning, but I want to start by talking just a bit about the book itself. I’m sure there is a lot that you already know, but it’s the most unique book in the Bible, for many reasons.

“Psalms” comes from a Greek word that carries the idea of singing a song by the plucking of strings. It’s a sacred piece of music accompanied by a harp or other instrument. This book served as one of the earliest hymnals for the people of God. Here are a few facts about the Psalms:

·      Largest book of the Bible, 150 chapters

·      Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible at 176 verses

·      Psalm 117 is the middle chapter of the Bible

·      Psalm 118:8 is the center verse of the whole Bible

·      The whole compilation took between 900-1000 years to complete

·      Most quoted Old Testament book in the New Testament

One of the more unique aspects is the wide variety of authors that wrote this book:

·      David - King of Israel, wrote about 75 Psalms

·      Asaph - A priest

·      Sons of Korah

·      Solomon - David's son and 3rd King of Israel

·      Moses - Prophet of Israel

·      Heman - wise man, musician

·      Ethan - wise man, Levitical singer

·      Anonymous writers - 48 Psalms

We are going to start in chapter 1 this morning. Psalm chapter 1, which many pastors and commentators believe is placed here at the beginning as an introduction to the whole book.

Big Idea: Those who delight in God's Word are firmly planted in an eternal, life-giving source.

We have in this Psalm a contrast between the righteous man, who is considered bless, and the wicked man, who will ultimately and eternally perish. The author, who we don’t know for sure who it is, begins by talking about the blessed man. There are 3 things that this blessed man does NOT do, and 2 things that he does do.

In the original writing, a better word for “blessed” is “happy,” or the “happiness of.” So it isn’t necessarily an outcome of obedience in being blessed, but a present state of contentment and desire found within. Happy is the man, pleased is the man who:

1. Does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

2. Does not stand in the way of sinners

3. Does not sit in the seat of scoffers

There are a few different ways that we can look at this. We can think about it in terms of different areas of life.

1. Counsel – the way that we think

2. Way – Our behaviors, the way in which we act

3. Seat – Belonging. Where we find our place, our identity, our purpose.

When we think about it this way, here’s what we have before us.

1. Blessed is the man whose way of thinking is not found in the counsel of the wicked. The wicked would be considered anyone who is in opposition to God. So one who finds his counsel, his way of thinking, in the ideologies of the world would not be considered blessed.

2. Blessed is the man whose lifestyle and behaviors are not found in the way of sinners. Again, anyone who is in opposition to God would be considered a sinner. So the one who lives contrary to the ways of God, who lives outside of the teachings of Jesus, would not be considered blessed.

3. Blessed is the man who doesn’t find belonging, his identity, his purpose in the seat of scoffers, of those who mock God. It isn’t just being in opposition now, but openly mocking God, His Church, and His people.

There’s this progression of wickedness that we see here. There’s this worldly influence that begins with our thoughts, and then those thoughts cause us to behave a certain way, and once our lifestyle is marked by the world, we find ourselves spending time with those who would even mock God.

Another way to look at it would be a progression of comfort. I’m not sure if this is what the author intended, but think about this, right? When we are walking it’s easier to pass something by, but when we become interested or intrigued with something it causes us to stop and take pause, to really take it in, and then when the walls come down and we get really comfortable, we sit down and accept our current position. And isn’t this what sin does? It’s a slow progression that leads to a level of comfort that is really dangerous. It can begin by just seeing something from afar, seeing something in a movie, and then we justify it in our minds, and we begin to dabble, and then it begins habitual, and then it begins to define us.

Then we get to verse 2, and we have the 2 things that the blessed man DOES do. Read vs. 2.

1. Delights in the law of the Lord

Delight. Find joy in. Find satisfaction in. The blessed man delights in the law of the Lord. The word for “law” here means “direction” or “instruction.” This can be a one-time command, or in this case speaks to the whole of Scripture.

This verse is why many believe this is an introductory chapter to the whole book. The blessed man delights, therefore, delight in the praises and songs found in this book. But let’s take it out of the Psalms and extend this to all of Scripture.

This idea of where one finds delight goes in complete opposition to the previous verse. Really what the author is laying out is that it’s an either/or, not a both/and. Either you find delight in the counsel of the wicked, or you find delight in the counsel of the Lord. Which one is true of you? It’s becoming more important every day to turn first to Scripture.

And this really is the big application point of the day. We’ll expound on this when we wrap, but are you spending time reading the Scriptures each day? Each week? Are you at least striving for this?!

And then the author takes it a step further.

2. Meditates on His Law Day and Night

This doesn’t mean that you are reading the Bible all day and all night. To meditate means to think on. If we delight in the instruction of God, and we live to please Him, then in everything we do we are conscious of Him. How should I respond right now? Should we watch this movie? How should I discipline my child in this particular situation? When we delight in the law of the Lord, when we find satisfaction and joy in it, we spend time in it, it gets into our minds and our hearts, and becomes the first line of defense, the first thought of wisdom and discernment, in whatever situation life throws at us. And it’s not just the major decisions, it can be the mundane as well! Maybe it isn’t a response to a situation.

Maybe it’s, while in the mundane, you are thinking about Scripture. Maybe while you are folding the clothes, rather than watching a show, you’re listening to worship music or listening to a sermon, or a podcast dealing with Scripture or theology. Maybe while you are driving you aren’t talking on the phone, but are meditating, thinking, dwelling on who God is. Maybe while you are eating breakfast you spend the time you would be scrolling on your phone thanking God for His provision in your life.

It’s this whole idea that comes out of the Shema in Deuteronomy 6. As you are going, teach these things to your kids. “When you are at home and when you are away. When you lie down and when you rise.” Look at the moments of the day as an opportunity to meditate, to reflect.

After drawing a distinction between what not to do, and what to do, the author gives us the result of both types of people. Read vs. 3.

Results:

1. Like a Tree Firmly Planted by Streams of Water

The one who finds lives in the Scriptures, that person is firmly planted in a source of life that will continue to give and strengthen. As we spend time in God’s Word, and are weaned off the counsel of the world, our roots grow and expand. The more we learn and love the Words of God the more ground our roots take. This goes in line with the whole truth of abiding that we talked about over and over again in 1st John. We have an eternal source of life that we are drawing from.

Jeremiah takes this verse a bit further in 17:8 of his book: “He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Think about those 2 additions. Does not fear when the heat comes. Not anxious in the year of drought.

So when we are firmly planted with God as our source of life, we don’t need to fear the pressures of this life, we don’t need to be anxious when things don’t seem to be going well. In years of drought and in years of plenty, in times of comfort and times of intense pressure, we find our life, our satisfaction, our delight in the life-giving streams of the Scriptures. They are beautiful!

But, there’s the other result as well.

2. Like Chaff that the Wind Drives Away

The process of winnowing grain is this. There is chaff which is the casing around the grain. It’s not edible, so it’s important that the chaff is separated from the grain during the harvesting process. The process of winnowing was a repeated tossing of everything into the air, the grain and the chaff, and the chaff was so light that the wind would blow it away. The grain would fall safely, and the chaff would be blown away.

And this is the result of not having deep roots next to an eternal, life-giving source. The winds of change come, and they are pulled back and forth. Not sure who to believe, or what to believe. The latest change in thinking convinces them for a season, but then seasons change. The issues that become the hot issues in our culture invoke a certain emotion, and they follow that emotion to whatever FEELS the most comfortable. There’s no sure-footing. But in a world that preaches that your truth is the only truth that matters, this becomes OK. But it’s not. The only truth that matters is the truth found here, in the Scriptures.

And then the author gives us the eternal implications. Read vs. 5-6.

The Hebrew word for “stand” means “to stand erect, to arise.” The idea being portrayed here is that the wicked man will not be able to stand up during God’s judgment. They will be crippled by shame and a realization of their unbelief and will have no confidence before the Lord. Neither, then, will the participate in the eternal fellowship of believers.

So there isn’t just a present consequence of being driven away by the winds of this world, but there is an eternal implication of being driven away for all of eternity. They will perish. They will face eternity apart from God.

A tragic ending to an otherwise beautiful Psalm of encouragement and strength, finding life in the perfect source of truth. So where does this leave us?

Application:

I want to end by asking a simple question, that actually has some layers: Do you love the Word of God. I’m not talking about the physical copy, the paper and leather or pleather cover, the fancy tabs or gold infused imprint of your name. I’m talking about the living, breathing, active Words that God breathed into the authors. Do you love those words. Do you love them to the point of delighting in them and meditating on them day and night? If not, what is getting in the way of that? It’s got to start by actually reading. Let me tell you how I started creating a routine for m

I started simply. There are 150 chapters in Psalms and 31 chapters in Proverbs. There are on average 30 days in a month. Each day, read 5 Psalms and 1 chapter in Proverbs. If you miss a day, just correlate the chapters with whatever the date is. This should take you about 10-15 minutes a day. Start there. Then, once you build some consistency, branch out a little bit. I’m currently reading through the whole Bible, 5 chapters a day. So I get up at 6:15, take a shower, then usually have about 30 minutes until the girls get up. I’m currently in 2ndCorinthians, so should be done in the next month or so.

And the more you read, the more you see. I can’t tell you how many times I read and see something new, and I love it! Sometimes though, I read something and it really challenges my theology, especially in the New Testament. But as I’m reading I’m locking away these truths and ideas, the nature and character of God, and when something happens in my life I know I have deep roots. Will the tree branches shake a bit? Sure, but will my foundation hold? Absolutely, because it’s found in the perfect, life-giving Word of God.

If you’re struggling to find the time, if you’re struggling to find the passion, come talk me after service. I’d love to help you as you try to pursue God more fervently through His Word.