Psalm One is all about making the right choices in life. Joshua had a parting challenge for the nation of Israel before he died: ‘Choose today who you will serve. As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.’ (Joshua 24.15) Every person on this Planet faces this choice: Christ or condemnation.
The Book of Psalms is a collection of Christian hymns authored by king David, Moses, Asaph and others. King Hezikiah was responsible for collecting these songs and writing his own introduction – Psalm 1.
Certain Psalms are prophetic such as Psalm 22 that gives a detailed word picture of Christ on the Cross, a thousand years before it took place, and when Crucifixtion was an unknown form of punishment.
The Psalms are written in poetic form in the language of emotion, expressing heart felt passion. These songs teach us how to pray, a means of personal release as we get everything in our lives out in the open, before God.
Verse One: BLESSED. In the original language this word is in the plural, blessednesses. Our God is generous, He multiplies His blessings. The word BLESSED means Happy, or Fortunate. God’s intention is that we should really be a happy people although surrounded by much sadness. Psalm 144. 15. ‘Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.’ In His Sermon on the Mount, Christ mentions the state of happiness or blessedness no less than eight times. Matthew 5. 3-10.  Quote: Complete happiness is knowing God. (John Calvin)
Psalm One is a commentary on the results of the choices we take and the decision we make during our lifetime. God has given us the gift of freewill which carries a responsibility. We must face up to the fact that we must live out the consequences of the choices we make, not only in this life, but in the next. We are not expected to make blind decisions. Christ has provided us with enough information to make informed choices. Examples: The Scriptures, the Natural World around us, and the voice of our Conscience. Quote: Of all Creation, only Man can YES or NO to God. This first Psalm encourages us to make the right decision at the earliest opportunity in our lives.
Genuine Blessedness or Happiness is achieved by separating ourselves in three different areas: The COUNSEL we listen to, the COMPANY we keep and the CONVERSATION we take part in.
Verse 1.’Do not follow evil men’s advice.’ Living in a secular environment we are bombarded with advice, opinions, predjucies and preconceived ideas. We need to guard EAR GATE and filter what we listen to.
Ask yourself the question: Who or What gets my quality attention. Our priority is to get on God’s wavelength! Hymn writer: ‘O give me Samuel’s ear, the open ear O Lord, alive and alert to hear each whisper of Your Word.’
Second area of separation: ‘Do not hang around with sinners.’ V1. A Godly person is choosy about the company they keep. Set yourself apart from negative people. Mix with people who are positive Quote: Tell me the company you keep, and I’ll tell you what you are. Above all cultivate a living relationship with Jesus Christ, daily. Quote: The person who pushes you nearer to God, he or she is your friend.
Third area of separation: ‘Do not scoff at the things of God.’ v1 Our conversation ought to be different.. Disciples of Christ need to separate themselves from people who question the existence of God, the Divinity of Christ, the truth of the Bible and the reality of Heaven and Hell. Put into practice a POSITIVE separation by separating yourself to Christ. If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence for a conviction?
Verse Two: ‘But the Godly man’s delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on His Law he meditates day and night.’ Ask yourself the question: What does the Bible mean to me? It should mean everything!
Notice the word DELIGHT. Do we revel in God’s Word? Do we have a desire for God’s Word? The Scriptures ought to be a source of pleasure to us, not a chore, not a bore!
Quote: Either the Bible will keep you away from sin, or sin will keep you away from the Bible. (C.S. Lewis)
Verse Two: ‘And in God’s Law the Godly person MEDITATES day and night.’ Our relationship with the Word of God should be 24/7. The word MEDITATE means to ponder on, to chew it over. Devour God’s Word as food so that it becomes part of you. Quote: Avoid truth decay – read your Bible. Be earthed in God’s Word. Allow your lifestyle to be inspired and centred in Scripture. Remember, God is talking to us every time we open the Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3. 16-17. Every Scripture was given to us by inspiration from God. It is invaluable to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out, and helps us to do what is right.
Verse Three: ‘The Godly Man is like a tree, planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither of fade. Whatever he does, prospers.’ Isaiah 61. 3. ‘God has called us to be trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.’
Godly people are like trees, upright,standing tall in a warped and crooked World. Rooted and grounded in the Word of God to withstand whatever life may throw at us. Fruit bearing trees, Godly people show casing Christ’s nature for the benefit of our neighbour. V.3 ‘His leaf also shall not wither.’ Evergreen. Although we are surrounded by a winter wilderness world, the disciples of Christ are not affected.
Surrounded by a withered, decaying dying community, the believer remains alive, fresh, attractive, vibrant, in season and out of season.
Notice that the tree is planted by streams of water. Water is one the basic building blocks of life. The secret of a healthy fruitbearing evergreen Christian depends on where he or she is planted.
John 4. 14. Jesus speaking: ‘The water I give will be a spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.’ Allow your life to be earthed in Christ, the only fountain of living water.
Verse Four: ‘The Godless are like chaff which the wind drives away.’ Chaff has no substance. Belshazzar the last of the Babylonian kings is a typical example: God weighed him in His balances and found that he failed the test. Daniel 5. 27. A lighweight, no substance. Psalm 62. 9. Godless men are altogether lighter than vanity. ‘Chaff which the wind drives away.’ Ungodly people are at the mercy of unseen forces, easily blown off course by powers greater than themselves. No roots. They leave nothing behind. A clean sweep. Gone and forgotten.
Verse Five: ‘The Ungodly are not safe on Judgement Day.They shall not stand among the Godly.’ Here is a solemn warning. Failure to separate yourself from sin unto God in this life, will result in separation from God for eternity. Be encouraged, bad men and women do not get away with their wickedness in the end.
CLIMAX: Proverbs 4. 18. ‘The path of the Just, is as a shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day.’