Here we see patterns forming and becoming entrenched. Many fail at this point. It is conditional and this is strongly stressed. It is also true in the present, because sinners sense they do not belong in the congregation of the righteous if they insist on remaining sinners. With all the advice that comes to us, from so many different sources, the righteous man knows how to stay away from the counsel of the ungodly. The written Word is Gods love letter to us and we are to have a love affair with God through His Word. Salvation finds its culmination in the future ( 1:9) Salvation is made possible through Jesus' death and resurrection ( 1:3; 3:21) Salvation will be made complete upon Christ's return ( 1:7, 13; 4:7; 5:4, 10) ***. Isa. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. 24; Isa. The Psalms have a wonderful capacity to capture the reality of our human experience. While genuine believers cannot lose their salvation, there is the danger of living like the unrighteous (the wicked) in carnal indifference, perhaps very religious, but out of fellowship with God. And sometimes God allows severe suffering for other reasons as He did with Job. ii. The word r`sh`u (wicked or unrighteous) is contrasted regularly with x#D#q (righteous or righteousness). Man must have some delight, some supreme pleasure. He does not just hear it and forget it; he thinks about it. For the New Testament saint, salvation is by faith alone in the accomplishment of Christs finished work as proclaimed in the New Covenant, which is a fulfillment of the promises of the Old (cf. (2) Antitheticalthe thought of the first line is emphasized by a contrasting thought in the second line (1:6; 34:10). (1) - The Lord is my shepherd - I shall not want (lack anything) 4) How does David illustrate the physical necessities provided by the Lord? Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. 3:18). The main idea of a paragraph is the primary point or concept that the author wants to communicate to the readers about the topic. 22:11-13). The key characteristics of the wicked are two-fold and stand to each other as root to fruit: (1) Root: Forsakes God, negative to God and His Word with the result he is uncontrolled (Prov. As it is presented, it demonstrates the process of retrogression, which always occurs when men are not advancing in Gods words and way of life. The Hebrew verb form of this noun is used several times of a man taking pleasure or finding delight in the woman he loves. The church is not a social club, a welfare organization, a religious or a ritualistic institution. Literally, not so, the wicked. This is an emphatic denial; the way of the wicked is nothing like the way of the righteous. 37:3-5). Of sinners. Sinners is the Hebrew j^ff`a. If being with your family or friends delights you, that can be better, but it still falls short. What is it that pastors and elders ought to be doing? It is accurate, reliable and actively powerful (Ps. But we must, in the practical application of this, personally respond to His plan. The judgment of the Bema follows the rapture. The first book is like Genesis, detailing blessing, fall, and redemption. The Cross And Christs Suffering For Sins (1 Peter 3:18-22), 6. Which yields is n`T^n, to give. The verb is the imperfect tense, which stresses continual action, or even that which, given the inherent power of Scripture, is always true as a general rule of life. It draws our attention to the difference between the righteous and wicked. An equal number had a difficult time accepting the concept of absolute truth. King David is attributed with this powerful writing which contains the three pronouns . If a person delights in something, you dont have to beg him to do it or to like it. Certainly, it is the way of the righteous, not the way of the ungodly. The righteous man finds his delightin the law of the LORD. 2:7-9; Ps. i. a. When the main idea of a paragraph is stated, it is most often found in the first 1, Moody Press, Chicago, 1980, p. 311. How much fruit each tree yields depends on several factors: (1) The filling of the Holy Spirit or the abiding life (John 15:1-7; Gal. Whose leaf also shall not wither; i. (c) 2020 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik ewm@enduringword.com. It is a short Psalm with only a few main points, but these points are immensely significant. The Hebrew word is r`sh`u. Its subject matter is very general and basic, but it touches on two subjects that continually occur throughout the Psalms. His heart was never meant to be a vacuum. King David is attributed with this powerful writing which contains the . 1 A Miktam of David. What gets you excited? Again compare Lot in Genesis 13:12-13; 19:1. I would emphasize how remarkable this is. George Whitefield, the great eighteenth-century evangelist, was hounded by a group of detractors who called themselves the Hell-fire Club. They derided his work and mocked him. He is easily influenced by the way of the world in its attitudes and actions, for actions follow attitudes. The three things that cause a man to be blessed, happy, or fortunate are if he is a man: If this is translated as a conditional clause, but if, then verse three gives the conclusion and promise. So is the Hebrew [emailprotected], an adverb of quality. This psalm begins with an an assertion, saying How blessed is the man, then lists three different things that will cause the man to be blessed. By turning to God and His infinite Word (Isaiah 55:7-11). Then we can quite naturally begin to behave like sinners, acting more and more like the world. (5) The Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. First, he told him, Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching (1 Tim. These verses pose a warning to us. Chaff was light enough that it could be separated from the grain by throwing a scoopful into the wind and letting the wind drive away the chaff. A Bible that is worn and falling apart from use usually belongs to someone who isnt. Compare Lot in Genesis 13:11. In the seat. Seat is the Hebrew word mosh`B. But loose morals occur only because one was first negative to God; loose from Him, cut loose and excluded from a life with God and the control and stability that God brings into the lives of men when they have fellowship with Him. The psalms express the emotion of the individual poet to God or about God. The Cross And Our Response to Trials (1 Peter 4:12-19), 8. 57:20-21; Ps. 3 Francis Brown, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs, A Hebrew And English Lexicon of the Old Testament, Clarendon Press, Oxford, p. 343. Just as one would read the love letters of his or her sweetheart, so are we to read and study Gods Word with the same delight. Day and night is an idiom which means constantly, consistently, and regularly. This means the man of blessedness is occupied with Gods Word. 24). So Psalm 1 focuses on obedience no matter what is happening all around one (a wisdom approach to life), and Psalm 2 focuses on trusting God to fulfill his promises of justice on the earth some day by installing his king (a prophetic approach to life). Luke 11:27-28; 16:17). However, the believer, who is kept by the power of God, will be in eternity with the Lord. If this continues, it will mean severe discipline in this life followed by forfeiture of rewards in heaven, like chaff which the wind drives away (1 Cor. The basic meaning is obvious, but lets dig a little deeper to see exactly what this means. The Tribulation begins after the rapture, thus it begins only with unbelievers. Blessing is pronounced, but only on those who comply with certain divine demands or spiritual qualities. Way refers to lifes course or path. The meaning of Psalm 1 can be found in the opening verse which paints a clear image of the power of choices and the results of those choices. Its the picture of mental, emotional, and spiritual stability in every kind of situation (see Phil. It has turned aside from the Word as its authority and sufficient source for life and godliness. and more. A. It celebrates individuality and the expression of emotion. A Psalm Of David 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. The word "searched" on this verse came from the Hebrew word, "chaqar," which means to examine intimately. 5:1-11; 2 Thess. Note that in Ephesians 4:14 the apostle is writing to believers regarding the need to grow in Christ lest they become unstable, tossed about by the waves of mans ideas about life. Passivity toward God and His Word leads to activity in sin and finally to overt activity against God. Blessedness is a choice, but to be blessed, one must by faith obey the conditions; he must pursue the way of blessedness as described in this Psalm. The righteous man only has Gods word on his mind two times a day: day and night. But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. The verb is h`G> or H`G`H which literally means to moan, growl, utter, speak, muse, think, and plan (cf. 2:1-12; Matt. iv. On the surface, this verse looks like a simple statement of David. This is the emphasis and declaration of David in Psalm 19:7-11. We have covered the first four Psalms of Book V, Psalms 107 to 110. What is the main idea of Psalm 23? Mans spiritual life is set forth negatively and positively, inwardly and externally, figuratively and literally. This is how unstable, how lacking in substance, the ungodly are. (2) - The Lord makes him to lie down in green pastures - The Lord leads him besides the still waters 5) How does David describe the spiritual necessities provided by the Lord? What did Paul tell his young coworker in the faith? 8:28-29, 38-39). Its organization, its fellowship, its works, testimony, witness, and giving. The blessed person does not follow the counsel of ungodly people but delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night. Summary The Book of Psalms, which is generally believed to be the most widely read and the most highly treasured of all the books in the Old Testament, is a collection of poems, hymns, and prayers that express the religious feelings of Jews throughout the various periods of their national history. Verse 4 uses loa, the negative particle of absolute negation. They are not advancing in their life with Christ, but are materialistic, earthly-oriented, living as earthdwellers and not sojourners. a. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. He meditates is an imperfect tense of habitual action. Included in this word is the idea of restless activity. How can the Bible have such a stabilizing affect on a persons life? But it is not so! From this retrogressive process, it is easy to see that people simply do not remain passive about God. . Thus, a life lived for treasures on earth will perish, that is, it will result in the loss of rewards as well as bring dishonor to the Savior who purchased us from our sin. In the previous post, we started having a look at Psalm 1, which carries such a beautiful picture of the relationship between our ethics and our health and wellbeing. Psalm 1 The Ways of the Righteous and the Wicked. If he had sat in an easy chair he would have been better able to understand it. (Spurgeon). 1:8). The way of the ungodly shall perish: The way of the ungodly leads to destruction. ii. 1 Lawrence O. Richards, The Teacher's Commentary, electronic media. God the Creator. It is a spiritual body, an organism of living people whose lives are nurtured and sustained through the teaching of Gods Word (Amos 8:11-12, 2 Tim. Psalm 1 is about the blessings of the righteous. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. 6 Gary W. Johnson, The Coming Evangelical Crisis, John H. Armstrong, General Editor, Moody Press, Chicago, 1996, p. 61. The passage is not speaking about complying with a system of works or self-righteous pharisaism, nor complying with a special formula so one may then experience blessedness. Since this is true, should we not pursue the way of blessedness both for now (Gods glory and spiritual stability in this life) and eternity (Gods glory and eternal rewards)? This is the kind of counsel that we must avoid. was a 1966 graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and a former pastor of 28 years. Rejection of Christ and His Word means no provision for eternity. But the thing that never ceases to amaze me is the mess people can get their lives in. Have these people been going to church? (1) There is the way of the godly and their blessedness in contrast to the way of the ungodly (1:1-6). We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. Planted is a participle of the Hebrew verb sh`t~l. 1:22 with 29-33). There are three things the man who is blessed must avoid. English verse manipulates sound, and emphasizes rhyme and meter. 1:30; Col. 1:13). Copy. In our passage it occurs four times (verses 1, 4, 5, and 6). As one reflects back on this wonderful introductory Psalm, it is clear that the central issue is Gods awesome and holy Word, the Scripture. This is a preface or introduction to the whole book of the psalmist and it describes a Blessed man, also be referred to as "happy man" and the wicked. 104:27). If it is an oak, it gives shade. 3:11-15; 2 Cor. The purpose of the Tribulation judgments is to purge out the rebels and bring Israel to the Messiah. (2) It also pictures the concept of growth and time. (c) By substituting ones own ideas, experiences, emotions, feelings, or traditions for the Word and its principles. Meditation chews the cud, and gets the sweetness and nutritive virtue of the Word into the heart and life: this is the way the godly bring forth much fruit. (Ashwood, cited by Spurgeon), iii. This is dangerous, because an empty mind may present an open invitation to deception or a demonic spirit. c. Walks not in the counsel of the ungodly: The ungodly have counsel, and the righteous man will not walk in it. Eph. Psalm 1 - The Way of the Righteous and the Way of the Ungodly Verse six presents a key to understanding Psalm 1: "For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish." In this psalm, the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly are contrasted. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. You are viewed as in a confederacy with them. It is on his mind and in his heart at all times in every situation and area of life (2 Cor. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. A study of the word r`sh`u (used well over 255 times in the Old Testament) finds that one of the key characteristics of the wicked is this looseness from God. If personal pleasure is the only thing that makes you happy, then you are a selfish, self-centered person. Salvation in the day of judgment is equated with being known by the Lord (cf. The idea in this context is that of ability to withstand or endure the judgment of God. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. 11:25-27; 3:21f; 4:1f). As it takes time to produce a huge sprawling oak, so it takes time to grow and mature in the Word. Blessed is the Hebrew noun, a~shr?. However, if we look deeper , you will see a more special meaning. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. The basis for this judgment is the Lords knowledge. David shows us that the Scripture, when known and applied, can restore a sin-damaged and distraught soul, give spiritual wisdom, bring joy to the downcast, and provide spiritual discernment. It is not only reading that does us good; but the soul inwardly feeding on it, and digesting it. The word delight was also used of that in which one takes delight as in ones business, pursuits, or affairs of life. Some of these profess to be Christians, and I dont doubt that many of them are. Each tree is to have some fruit. The choice is ours. It means: (a) a seat, a place of sitting, or (b) an assembly where many are gathered together to sit and make deals or have close associations. Compare: Isaiah 53:10-11 (the good pleasure, i.e., the purpose, business, cause); Isaiah 58:13 (your own pleasure, i.e., business, affairs); and Proverbs 31:13 (and works at the business of her hands).3 The principle is that the study of Gods Word is to be one of the key purposes and affairs in our life in which we delight and to which we give careful attention. Other things build, develop, make fruitful, and give the capacity and means for happiness through trust and fellowship with God. They express the emotions, personal feelings, attitudes, gratitude, and interests of the average individual. The primary emphasis here is to the unbeliever, but there are definite applications to the believer both for this life and for eternity. Ultimately this means the lake of fire for the unbeliever. Hebrew poetry repeats and rearranges thoughts rather than sounds. While praise and prayer characterize the Psalms as a whole, they may be categorized as: Praise (33, 103, 139), Historical (68, 78, 105, 106), Relational (8, 16, 20, 23, 55), Imprecatory (35, 69, 109, 137), Penitential (6, 32, 51, 102, 130, 143), and Messianic (2, 8, 16, 22, 40, 45, 69, 72, 89, 102, 109-110). Because here is the root, everything else is the fruit, i.e., the result of one living close to God by living in His eternal, infallible, sure, true and tried Word. The righteous man is also discerning enough to know the counsel of the ungodly can come from ones own self. 4:10-12). (3) Then there is the contrast between the results of the two ways of life; the godly are stable and fruitful, but the ungodly are unstable and face sure judgment. But in Christian meditation, the goal is to fill your mind with the word of God. SUMMARY OF PSALM 110. But there is more. It means to mock, deride, ridicule, scoff. Grammatically, it is a participle of habitual action. Meaning of Psalm 1 verse by verse. And what does the church look like today? c. At least four times in the Book of Acts, Christianity is called the Way. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. Blessed is the man But in the life of the righteous man, God brings forth something good and wonderful out of everything. Psalms of lament express the author's crying out to God in difficult circumstances. A plant which is planted by streams of water has the capacity to endure (Jer. As earthdwellers and not sojourners point or concept that the author & # x27 ; s crying out to or. 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