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Articles
Firmly Planted
“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!” - Psalm 1:1
The beginning Psalms, the most beautiful book in all the Bible, is the downward spiral and progression of sin in a man’s life. When a man lives without self-control and guidance from the holy scriptures, his spiritual status will deteriorate until there is no sign of life. This journey does not begin and end with one step, but rather is the building of a habit that eventually becomes his way of life. While this man was not born in total depravity, his freewill choice to rebel against God and His will has led to his spiritually depraved status. This wicked lifestyle is described like the chaff driven by the wind (1:4). This man will never exhibit a deep understanding of life, but rather will be directed by his impulses and desires to further sin against God. The conclusion of this lifestyle is certain death, eternal separation from a holy God.
The book of Psalms contain some of the most beautiful pictures of God’s grace and mercy. The Lord is described as the refuge and shelter of the righteous (Psalm 5:11; 31:20). This same imagery is used in the description of God as a bird who hides her young underneath her wings (Psalm 61:4; 91:1) The Psalmist David wrote of God as being the good Shepherd who leads the righteous to green pastures and still waters (Psalm 23:1-2). David also wrote, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2). Our God is praised for His strength in creation (Psalms 8, 19, 104). Our God is praised for His strength in delivering Israel from all of their trials (Psalm 105). The Psalms are indeed a wonderful book to read, study, and apply into our daily lives. Why then does the first Psalm begin with such an odd examination?
It seems that we have fallen short of capturing the full intent of this first Psalm. This Psalm gives the reader the insight of realizing both the blessing of the Psalms and the severity of their abandonment. The unrighteous man does not consider the Psalms as vital to his spiritual livelihood and thereby does not fully understand Paul’s statement, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The book of Psalms is essential for a deeper appreciation of God and all He has done. When a person buys a copy of the New Testament today, what two Old Testament books are also contained? In a Gideon’s New Testament, what two Old Testament books are in the back? The Psalms were often memorized and read daily by the Israelites; may this give us encouragement to do the same!
The contrast of the wicked and unrighteous of Psalm 1 is the man whose delight is the law of the Lord (1:2a). The law of the Lord would be in reference to the entire Torah of God’s commands for Israel. The righteous man understands the importance of daily meditating upon the Word of God. While there are differences between the Law of Moses and the Law of Christ, the same principle must be applied, “And in His law he meditates day and night” (1:2b). The righteous man will not allow his life to be directed by impulses and sinful desires, but he looks to the Word for direction on the pathway of life.
The righteous man is further contrasted from the wicked by the imagery of a tree firmly planted by streams of water (1:3a). The wicked man is described as dry chaff driven by the wind, but the righteous man is prosperous and does not wither (1:3b). The righteous man has listened to the promises of God, believed them, and now faithfully obeys all that He commands. Jesus described this man’s heart as fertile soul where he bears fruit and “brings forth some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty” (Matthew 13:23). Indeed, this man’s faith has grown deep roots and he will stand in the presence of God for all eternity.
The book of Psalms were not written only for the Israelites, but rather were written so that every faithful person can pursue God with a grand knowledge of His power, grace, and mercy. The Psalms have been preserved for our instruction and understanding. A life without the Psalms will never fully understand the pain Jesus endured on our behalf (Psalm 22). A life without the Psalms will never fully realize the vastness of God’s creation and His care for every little thing (Psalm 145). A life without the Psalms is simply missing a key ingredient to what God expects from His faithful servants. May God bless our efforts to being firmly planted by a study in the Psalms!
