Psalm 1
(1.) How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
The one who does not pay atention to all the World's enticing attractions.
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Who doesn't pause to consider anything that detracts from following the Lord.
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
The result of walking and standing; getting stuck in the rut of criticism and negative thinking.
(2.) But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law he meditates day and night.
Instead, this man continually thinks constantly every day about Who God is and how He loves us, and how this World is designed to work on the Earth.
(3.) And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
He is continually nourished and protected.
Which yields its fruit in its season,
He gets results, and reaps a bountiful crop.
And its leaf does not wither,
He doesn't grow "old" in his elder years, but maintains his vibrant good health.
and in whatever he does, he prospers.
Because he follows God's ways in all the facets of life, he realizes clear profit in every realm; emotional, relational, physical, spiritual, and even financial.
(4.) The wicked are not so,
Those who ignore God and His ways will not experience these good results.
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
This refers to the hulls of the grain that, when threshed, separates from the curnel and blows away.
(5.) Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Those who ignore God will be ignored by God, they will have no standing before Him.
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
Those who rebel against God and His ways, convincing themselves that they know better; have nothing in common with those who recognize God's sovereignty over them, who have accepted His love and Redemption.
(6.) For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
God sees, and recognizes, and approves of the path of those who are following in His ways.
But the way of the wicked will perish.
Not only will they not make it to Paradise, but the very path they have taken will be abolished and destroyed.
This is the very first song God saw fit to put into His songbook, so I think that gives it a prominent place; God is saying, "Pay attention to this message."
God loves music, but He didn't put any melodies into this hymnal--only the lyrics. It's the words that makes any music "Christian" or Worldly. And God loves a new song. So every generation will put His songs to different kinds of music, all pleasing to Him.
I don't enjoy some kinds of music, but God enjoys it all. He loves a variety, and He has made us creative, like He is, and He enjoys watching all our creativity.
And the message of this song is that: to be blessed by God and not discarded by Him, we need to learn Who He is, and how He has designed this World to operate on this Earth He made for us. He gave us all the rules and regulations and the directions on how to apply them in our lives, in His Word, the Manufacturer's instructions, so that we can cooperate with what works and be successful in everything we do.
So if we really understand the whole Bible, and we can connect the dots of how everything in the Word and in the World all work together, then we can live successfully in the World without being of the World, doing life God's way.
That's why I continue to try to add to this blog every day, so that I can learn more how it all fits together, as I share with you, so that you can also learn more, and prosper in everything you do, too.
As our loving Father, God wants His children to enjoy all He gives us, just as any father who loves his children wants them to do well. And when life throws curve balls and balls of fire at us, He will stay with us, carrying us across the mire and quicksand that threaten us, teaching us to trust Him more fully and deeply every day.
So may you be found by Him, taught by Him, and carried by Him, until He brings all Creation to its culmination and completion.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
