Psalm 1: 1-3

In this first Psalm, we see a sequence of events that can be helpful to avoid negative repercussions in our lives, as well as to foster a greater degree of godliness and various good things.

Let's take a look:

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, not standeth in the way of sinners, not sitteth in the seat of the scournful."

Notice the progression.

There's walking. Then standing. And finally sitting.

You can imagine someone passing by, overhearing a conversation and is intrigued, and begins to tune in. Maybe he slows his steps, and listens in a bit more...

Then he's not just walking, he is standing around with them, taking in more of what he's hearing and soaking it up.

Finally, he is sitting right there in the midst of them.

Now, "walking" in the bible is often used to refer to one's actions. To "walk" with the Lord. To live a lifestyle pleasing to God.

The word “halak,” translated as “walk” can be literal walking as well as manner of life. It can also carry the idea of leading or leading away from.

The principle can apply in the progression we've used it here, as you see it time and again in people's lives and how events unfold.

You also see progression in the consequences.

Take a look at the verse again.

It goes from "ungodly counsel" to the "way of sinners" to the "seat of the scournful."

Don't be surprised when someone is exposed to ungodly counsel, it's not long before it "soaks in" and they take the ideas and thoughts and emotions they've immersed themselves in, and it shows up in the way of a sinful lifestyle, which in turn produces a scournful heart after a period of time in this lifestyle.

This plays out time and again.

And God comes along and warns us against this, in the form of a blessing.

Blessed is the man (or woman) who doesn't do this!

I'm reminded of the verse "A prudent man forseeth evil, and avoids it, but the simple pass on, and are punished."

Take heed to yourselves and avoid ungodly counsel, knowing what lies ahead if you don't. And be sure to apply this to every area of your lives. In your work, relationships, and in your overall Christian life.

Don't let there be an area where you "take in" counsel that is not of the LORD.

God tells us "Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" (While "heart" can be used as the seat of emotions, the intellect and will, and more, depending on context, God let's us know we are to put forth a strong effort to guard it, because the issues of life flow from it).

(That's another post, another time, for those interested).

 

A better path

 

In contrast to a man who doesn't heed God's warnings about not walking in ungodly counsel, the blessed man delights in the law of the Lord.

Rather than heed words of this world, his hope is in God and His Word.

In fact, he delights in it, "his delight is in the law of the Lord."

This isn't a man who reads the bible and finds it has good things to say and nods his head approvingly, or structures part of his life after it.

No, he delights in it.

He loves the Lord and His law.

We are reminded of King David "O how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day!"

As we read through the Psalms, it seems all David ever did was think about God and His laws, how he constantly meditated on them, kept them as precious words and stored them up in his heart.

What does this produce?

A man whom God Himself says was "a man after God's own heart."

A very imperfect man, to be sure, with gross sins in his life, but as one scholar noted "King David was a great sinner, but he was also a great repenter!" as we see in Psalm 51 and other places.

When you delight yourself in God and His law, you will find it produces fruit in every area of your life.

Psalm 37:4 tells us:

"Delight thyself also in the LORD, and he will give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way also unto him, and he shall bring it to pass."

 

Consistency is key

 

Notice also that this blessed man's delight isn't temporary or short lived.

He delights in the law of the Lord and "meditates in it day and night"

He is consistent. Every day he is the Word. Day AND night.

Are you?

You should be. We all should. We all fall off, we have a day or a week or whatever where our meditating or pondering or the orientation of our hearts perhaps aren't fully invested in the Lord's law as much as they should be.

If so, renew your efforts and be engaged with the Word.

It is essential to your livelihood.

The Lord Jesus tells us "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

That's a very strong and bold statement.

As a Christian, we are to hunger for God's Word and be spiritually fed.

Without it, we starve.

A man or woman will become spiritually malnourished and it's no wonder why lives are the way they are, when they go without the spiritual food necessary to sustain them.

 

Firmly Established and fruit bearing

 

"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."

Like a tree that is nourished by an abundant and flowing water source, the blessed man is nourished by living water, as he walks by the Spirit.

Jesus tells us in John chapter 7: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scriptures said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive”

Just as the tree is nourished and brings forth fruit, so too does the blessed man. Note he brings forth fruit "in his season." There is a time and place for everything. There are blessings and hardships. Peace and turmoil. But just like the tree is planted and receives consistent nourishment, so too does he continue to produce fruit every season.

There is consistency.

When there is no fruit, follow the source. Is a man, like the tree, planted by the rivers of water? Planted. Not there one day and uprooted another.

 

Blessings and benefits

 

"His leaf also shall not wither"

If indeed he remains planted by the rivers of water, he will receive what is needed to maintain spiritual health and vitality, which in turn affects other areas of your life. "Beloved, I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers."

You can't separate your spiritual health from other areas. If you lack in the former, it follows you to the latter.

"And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper"

The man who does all of this, who walks not in ungodly counsel, who meditates daily in the law of the LORD, who abides by the "rivers of water" will find God's hand on his endeavors in life. He prospers in his work.

This success can be a byproduct of living within God's law, which is chock full of wisdom and naturally aids in one's efforts, or God adding His blessings on top of one's own work, or a combination of both.

Either way, the result is that one prospers in the work wherein they find themselves.

Lastly, note how the same progression plays out for good.

Before, it was warning and presenting things in the "negative" as far as what not to do, walking in ungodly counsel leads to standing in the midst of sinners which leads to sitting in the seat of the scournful.

But (as one preacher said, thank God for the "buts" in the Bible, as they often give us good news compared to what came before), in verse two and three, the same progression plays out in the positive.

The man is filling his mind with the Word of God, then he is doing it multiple times daily, then it's showing up in his actions and bearing fruit and being successful in his efforts.

Follow that same path and look forward to being a blessed man.

Cross posted. For more articles