Psalm 1:
(1) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
(2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
(3) 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.
(4) The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
(5) Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
(1) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
(2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
(3) 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.
(4) The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
(5) Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
(6) For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
This psalm contrasts the way of the righteous (vs.1-3) with the way of the ungodly (vs.4-6). Although people may think that there are many ways in which to live, God says that there are basically just two. This truth is presented throughout the scriptures (Prov. 4:14-19; Jer. 17:5-8). Jesus Christ taught that there are just two ways to choose from: the broad way which leads to destruction or the narrow way that leads to life (Matt. 7:13-14). The apostle Paul said that we must either walk after the flesh or the Spirit (Rom. 8:5-6). Which way will you take this year?
Notice in the middle verses of this Psalm (vs.3-4) that the righteous are likened to a fruitful tree planted by the rivers of water but the ungodly are likened to chaff that is driven away by the wind. What a contrast (alive vs. dead; productive vs. worthless; strong vs. weak; defies wind vs. driven by wind)!
I don't know the details of what 2015 will bring, but I do know that there will be winds of adversity that we ALL must face (saved or lost) as long as we live in this wicked world. Those that walk in the way of righteousness will be able to withstand those winds and remain fruitful no matter the circumstances because they are rooted down deep and tapped into an unchanging life source (Joseph was a great example of Ps. 1:1-3; see Gen. 39:1-3, 21-23). However, those that walk in the way of the ungodly will be tossed to and fro by the winds and will produce nothing of any real and lasting value. Which would you rather be like in 2015, a fruitful tree planted by the rivers of water or chaff driven away by the wind?
This Psalm may be considered in various ways:
• Doctrinally - It was written by a Jew living under the dispensation of the law. Prosperity (includes physical and material prosperity) was promised to those that delighted in the law but those that did not would perish (Deut. 30:15-20).
• Prophetically - It points to Christ who is the only man that ever lived on this earth in perfect obedience to vs.1-2 and is therefore the fruitful tree (v.3; Jn. 15:1). In this age we receive all spiritual blessings the moment of salvation because we are in Christ who is THE Blessed Man (Eph. 1:3)! It also points to the coming Day of the Lord in which all of the ungodly will be judged and will perish (compare vs.4-6 with Matt. 3:11-12).
• Devotionally - It contains spiritual applications for the body of Christ and that is the way in which we will consider it in the remainder of this post.
The chaff in this psalm represents the unsaved but by way of spiritual application we may say that while the tree represents spiritual believers (the saved that walk in the Spirit) the chaff represents carnal believers (the saved that walk after the flesh).
The tree represents spiritual believers because it is fruitful as a result of being planted by the rivers of water (Jn. 7:37-39; Gal. 5:22-23). The chaff represents carnal believers because like the flesh it profits nothing (Jn. 6:63; Rom. 7:18).
The flesh is ungodly and therefore those that walk after the flesh are walking in the way of the ungodly. To be ungodly is to live without dependence on God. An ungodly person may be an openly wicked person but there are also religious people that are considered to be good by society that are nonetheless ungodly because they are not trusting in the Lord.
I think we can apply vs.5-6 to the judgment seat of Christ. At the judgment seat of Christ the spiritual believers will be rewarded but the carnal believers will watch their works perish and they will suffer loss.
I want to be like the fruitful tree planted by the rivers of water, don't you? We must understand that v.3 will not be our experience in life unless we live according to vs.1-2. The blessed man is described both negatively (v.1) and positively (v.2).
Deny the World (v.1)
The Bible says that the world system is evil (Gal. 1:4) and Satan is the god of it (2 Cor. 4:4). Christ said that the world hates Him (Jn. 15:18). Therefore, it is the will of God for His people to be separate from the world (2 Cor. 6:17). We are exhorted to not allow ourselves to be conformed to this world (Rom. 12:2).
Notice in the middle verses of this Psalm (vs.3-4) that the righteous are likened to a fruitful tree planted by the rivers of water but the ungodly are likened to chaff that is driven away by the wind. What a contrast (alive vs. dead; productive vs. worthless; strong vs. weak; defies wind vs. driven by wind)!
I don't know the details of what 2015 will bring, but I do know that there will be winds of adversity that we ALL must face (saved or lost) as long as we live in this wicked world. Those that walk in the way of righteousness will be able to withstand those winds and remain fruitful no matter the circumstances because they are rooted down deep and tapped into an unchanging life source (Joseph was a great example of Ps. 1:1-3; see Gen. 39:1-3, 21-23). However, those that walk in the way of the ungodly will be tossed to and fro by the winds and will produce nothing of any real and lasting value. Which would you rather be like in 2015, a fruitful tree planted by the rivers of water or chaff driven away by the wind?
This Psalm may be considered in various ways:
• Doctrinally - It was written by a Jew living under the dispensation of the law. Prosperity (includes physical and material prosperity) was promised to those that delighted in the law but those that did not would perish (Deut. 30:15-20).
• Prophetically - It points to Christ who is the only man that ever lived on this earth in perfect obedience to vs.1-2 and is therefore the fruitful tree (v.3; Jn. 15:1). In this age we receive all spiritual blessings the moment of salvation because we are in Christ who is THE Blessed Man (Eph. 1:3)! It also points to the coming Day of the Lord in which all of the ungodly will be judged and will perish (compare vs.4-6 with Matt. 3:11-12).
• Devotionally - It contains spiritual applications for the body of Christ and that is the way in which we will consider it in the remainder of this post.
The chaff in this psalm represents the unsaved but by way of spiritual application we may say that while the tree represents spiritual believers (the saved that walk in the Spirit) the chaff represents carnal believers (the saved that walk after the flesh).
The tree represents spiritual believers because it is fruitful as a result of being planted by the rivers of water (Jn. 7:37-39; Gal. 5:22-23). The chaff represents carnal believers because like the flesh it profits nothing (Jn. 6:63; Rom. 7:18).
The flesh is ungodly and therefore those that walk after the flesh are walking in the way of the ungodly. To be ungodly is to live without dependence on God. An ungodly person may be an openly wicked person but there are also religious people that are considered to be good by society that are nonetheless ungodly because they are not trusting in the Lord.
I think we can apply vs.5-6 to the judgment seat of Christ. At the judgment seat of Christ the spiritual believers will be rewarded but the carnal believers will watch their works perish and they will suffer loss.
I want to be like the fruitful tree planted by the rivers of water, don't you? We must understand that v.3 will not be our experience in life unless we live according to vs.1-2. The blessed man is described both negatively (v.1) and positively (v.2).
Deny the World (v.1)
The Bible says that the world system is evil (Gal. 1:4) and Satan is the god of it (2 Cor. 4:4). Christ said that the world hates Him (Jn. 15:18). Therefore, it is the will of God for His people to be separate from the world (2 Cor. 6:17). We are exhorted to not allow ourselves to be conformed to this world (Rom. 12:2).
Notice the downward progression: those that walk in the counsel of the ungodly (listen to and follow the advice and philosophies of ungodly people) will then stand in the way of sinners (sinners become their companions in life) and will then ultimately sit in the seat of the scornful (become settled in a lifestyle that scoffs at holiness and the word of God). Sin always leads to more and worse sin. If you follow the wrong counsel you will stand with the wrong companions and finally sit with the wrong crowd.
Delight in the Word (v.2)
Separation is also positive (Rom. 1:1; Titus 2:11-12). I must be separated from the world so that I might live for God according to His word. We cannot isolate v.1 from v.2 because they go together. I will not obey v. 2 unless I obey v.1 and I will not obey v.1 unless I obey v.2.
These two verses are similar to Rom. 12:1-2. We are transformed by the renewing of our mind. How do we renew our mind? The word of God! If we obey Ps. 1:2 we will be transformed. Every day we are either being more conformed to the world or more transformed by the word.
I think the key word in v.2 is "DELIGHT". What do you delight in more, the things of the world or the things of God that are revealed in His word? If we love God as we should then we will love His word. if we love His word as we should then we will delight in reading and studying it!
If we truly delight in the word of God we will:
• Spend time in it - "day and night"
• Meditate on what we learn from it - meditation is to the soul what digestion is to the body (Jer. 15:16-17; 6:10). We will meditate on the word if we truly delight in it (119:15-16, 23-24, 47-48, 77-78).
• Obey it (Ps. 119:35)
We should also delight in the Lord (Ps. 37:4) and His will (Ps. 40:8) but we will do neither if we are not delighting in His word for how else can we know the Lord and His will?
If I delight in the word I will walk in the counsel of God (Acts 20:27), stand in the way of saints, and sit in the seat of the faithful!
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