(Psa 1:1) Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
(Psa 1:2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.
(Psa 1:3) He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
(Psa 1:4a) The ungodly are not so… (Psa 1:6b) … the way of the ungodly shall perish.
This introductory psalm to the Psalms begins with “blessed” and ends with “perish.” It provides a snapshot of the contrasts between the blessed man or righteous man and the ungodly, sinners, or mockers. We are immediately confronted by this preface-like psalm of two spiritual classes of humankind with two different lifestyles that have two different outcomes when all is said and done in their life. Psalm 1 makes the tenets of universalism a farcical notion.
“Blessed” (Heb, esher, meaning happy or contentment, is plural, denoting a “multiplicity of blessings or an intensification of them,” Boice). “Supremely happy or fulfilled is the man” (Ibid). The meaning of “man” is not qualified other than being righteous (Psa 1:6a) – Supremely blessed is the righteous man… regardless of gender, economic status, race, color, and so forth.
In Psalm 1 we have one who is genuinely happy and the other who thinks he is happy but deceived by the sin of unbelief (cf. 2 Cor 4:4). Why is the godly man blessed or happy? Obedience brings blessings. He is saved and avoids the ways of the world. An effective witness for God does not isolate himself from the world but from the ways of the world (cf. v1). We lose joy and energy in the Lord by not doing what it takes to be supremely blessed (Psa 1:1-2).
I am of the opinion that v2 gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the outworking of v1 in the world where the rubber hits the road by the Psalm 1:2 man, making spiritual application in the world from truth learned from v2. V3 illustrates the inner working of v2 and v1, a condition of spiritual healthiness which is the byproduct of intellectual pursuit in v2 and the experiential application of God’s Word in the world as seen in v1. We sacrifice the benefits of v3 when we neglect the knowledge of the truth (v2) or fail to apply it in the world (v1, Christlikeness) from what we have learned in v2.
V3 is virtually a spiritual paradise in and of itself that we forfeit by sinning in knowledge. Why in the world would we give up such superb spiritual splendor in v3? Welcome to the deceitfulness of sin, my friends. Fortunately, unlike the Garden of Eden, the cherubim are not guarding against re-entrance into the wonder of v3; we can return to it with repentance, spiritual healthiness and fellowship with Yahweh regained (cf. 1 Jn 1:9).
In v1, we see the deliberate action of a believer who is “in the world” (Jn 17:11; Php 2:15) but not “of the world” (Jn 15:19; 17:16). What do we see? He is not doing “of the world” things that are contrary to the teaching of Scripture. He is in sync with God’s precepts for his life in all that he does, 24/7.
(1) He is not acting (“walks”) upon worldly counsel that challenges God, His people, or the things of God (cf. Psa 119:24).
(2) He is not taking a position (“stands”) with the world that opposes God, His people, or the things of God (Psa 16:11; 26:12; Eph 6:13, 14).
(3) He is not sitting (sits) in hypocritical judgment with the world that mocks God, His people, or the things of God (Prov 3:34; 9:12; 2 Pet 3:3).
The way of the world as seen in v1 is a downward progression (walks-stands-sits) that leads ultimately to destruction – “the way of the ungodly shall perish.” It does not say the reason for avoiding the ways of the world, but in v2 the conjunction gives the reason for his refusal to be worldly. He has a different worldview.
We are led to believe this man is blessed or happy or content by what he is doing in v1. He is essentially allowing v2 to define his actions in the world. In other words, his actions are predicated on “the law of the LORD” or the Word of God. He knows that the way of the ungodly is not a choice but a pathway to self-destruction (Psa 1:6b; cf. Mt 7:13).
So why are some believers unhappy? Because they are doing just the opposite of the Psalm 1:2 man – ignoring the Scriptures, and not applying the Word of God to daily living. V2 is the result of a relationship that is not neutral in nature like “I know of Him” or “I know about Him,” but an “I know Him personally, which is replete with interactions with Yahweh in every day of living (cf. Psa 23). This real, intimate, vibrant, and loving relationship creates a culture of delight or desire (Prov 8:11) or pleasure (Psa 111:2) to know more of Yahweh and to learn of His ways, hence, the rise and stature of godliness in the Psalm 1:2 man (cf. Rom 12:1-2).
The phrase, “the law of the LORD,” as employed in the Psalms, has reference to the entire word of God from Genesis to Malachi and is not limited to the Pentateuch or the writings of Moses (cf. Psa 119). The object of the Psalm 1:2 man is a strong delight or desire for the law of Yahweh. Given the inspirational character of Scripture, the quality of the Psalm 1:2 man’s delight in the law of Yahweh was along the same vein as the author of Psalm 119: invaluable and pleasant,
(Psa 119:72) The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver.
(Psa 119:103) How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
It is in Yahweh’s words that the Psalm 1:2 man “meditates day and night” (Psa 1:2b). Biblical meditation has nothing to do with the emptying of the mind for clarity, but with filling the heart and mind with God’s words (cf. Psa 119:11); it is part of the renewing of the mind process (Rom 12:2). “Meditates” literally means chewing the cud, ruminating, mulling over, cogitating, reflecting, pondering on God’s Word. It helps in extracting spiritual nutrition and digesting it. Reading alone will not suffice! It has to be assimilated in the heart and mind and integrated and reinforced in the daily walk.
“Day and night” is a heart attitude of being open for business in knowing and doing the will of God day or night. It is a 24/7 lifestyle of the Psalm 1:2 man, a godly routine or habit. It is not about being so heavenly-minded that we are of no earthly good, but being heavenly-minded enough to be of earthly good for Jesus in representing the kingdom of God as an ambassador of Christ!
Only God knows how many Psalm 1:2 men or women are in existence today. The numbers have to be decreasing due to a pandemic crisis of willful ignorance of God’s Word plaguing those claiming to be Christians! If believers are reading less of the Bible, then it stands to reason there are smaller numbers meditating on the Word of God also. This spiritual dilemma results in smaller expressions of godliness in the world and more “of the world” behavior by believers doing the opposite of v1. It also presents a decline in the spiritual health of believers in general (the absence of v3 in the life, suggesting that Gal 5:16 and Eph 5:18 are not happening either).
There are way too many distractions replacing reading and meditating on God’s Word. We simply cannot apply in the world what we do not know concerning the words of Yahweh. If there is one thing I have learned in this world, it is that a person will do his or her priority. It may be severely misplaced, but that will be the focus.
Addressing willful ignorance is a lost priority, and frankly, sinful (cf. 2 Pet 3:18). With more biblical literature available today than at any other time in history, who would have thought that willful ignorance would thrive and grow into a spiritual malady that would pose a threat to Christianity!
Below are three truths concerning Psalm 1:2 man that would be wise for us to emulate.
(1) He has spiritual discernment in the world, v1. This requires reading, meditating, applying, and experiencing God’s truth in the daily routines of life, not plowing through the world ignorant of spiritual truth. We cannot be Christ-like in the world apart from the Word.
(2) He infuses God’s Word into his heart and mind, v2 (cf. Rom 12:1-2). This demands a hunger (“delight” or desire) focused on the right object and proper consumption (“meditates day and night”). In prayer, we are doing all the talking, but practicing v2 allows Yahweh time to speak to us concerning many things. They go hand in hand: praying and studying.
(3) He is spiritually healthy, v3. The analogy is being like a tree positioned (“planted”) by a water source to satisfy its thirst. Desire and consumption in v2 are key for a lively tree (us). Its fruit is timely. It is never barren of fruit in season or foliage in any season, and whatever he does for God will prosper (cf Josh 1:7-9).
V2 is indispensable for the desired state of v3 in a believer’s life. This is not a spiritual entitlement but a work of love (cf. Jn 14:15)! It is conditionally based upon obedience. Forego the critical positioning, and the communication and fellowship with God are severed; v1 doesn’t happen, and the surreal scene of v3 dissipates; the tree roots are unable to draw water; there is no fruit; the leaves wither, and success is elusive. These are earmarks of disobedience. I see v3 as a picture of Gal 5:16 and Eph 5:18.
Why are believers comfortable with being ignorant of God’s Word, spiritually parched and powerless, fruitless, exposed, and spiritually unsuccessful in the world? There appears to be more interest in sporting the look of chaff in our lifestyle (“the ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff [worthless, useless, lifeless] which the wind drives away” (Psa 1:4).
It brings into sharp relief this question. “Do these people who are claiming to be Christians really know the LORD?” This is a legitimate question when believers look, walk, stand, and sit like chaff. Jesus did say a tree is known by its fruit (Lk 6:44)! If it looks like chaff, walks like chaff, stands like chaff, and sits like chaff, it must be chaff.
It really is not rocket science to those who are of the faith; the Word-driven life in Psalm 1:1-3 is far superior in every way than the wind-driven life of Psalm 1:4. Just consider the end results of each (Psa 1:6)! I am in no way suggesting at all this is an Elijah syndrome moment on Mt Sinai – “I alone am left” (1 Kgs 19:10, 14), for God will always have an unexpected remnant (1 Kgs 19:18).
In these days of chaff, we see a visible decline in the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom from God’s Word in the lives of believers forfeiting paradise (v3) for problems, reminiscent of Adam and Eve. We can only pray that Yahweh raises up Psalm 1:2 men and women who have not bowed to the rising tide of the chaff life. To be Christ-like, you have to get into the Word like the Psalm 1:2 man; to be chaff-like, all you have to do is simply ignore the Bible like the ungodly. <><
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