Psalm 1 - The Law of the Lord

sin and finally to an immovable seat of destructive habit. The last word, ‘mockers’ is from Solomon’s writings and is the strongest of all, it is one who openly scorns and blasphemes all that is holy and good. Life is not static, we move in the direction of the ideas we embrace until we arrive at their final destination.

Now the Positive!

“ But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on His Law he meditates day and night. ” (2) Delight is something that we love above everything else and can’t wait to do! Meditating in the word is spending time with Jesus, listening to him, singing to him, thinking deeply about his promises, his love, his warnings and his wisdom. Moses commanded Joshua: “ Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Josh. 1:8)

The Tree of Life - (3)

Those who meditate upon His word will receive benefits for their lives:

• “ He is like a tree planted… ” The righteous is compared to trees that are strong and flourishing while the wicked are described in opposite terms: “ …autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted-twice dead.”(Jude 12) • “ …by streams of water- “ These streams are the small irrigation ‘runnels’ that run through the orchards of the middle east and represent the nourishing of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life: “ Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.” (John 7:38) • “ …which yields its fruit in season…The fruits of the Holy Spirit are perpetual in the life of the believer: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control’. (Gal. 5:22:23) • “ …whose leaf does not wither… ” God has intended that we flourish in all dimensions of our lives as we are planted in his word and watered by his Spirit. • “ Whatever he does prospers. ” Joseph was a man who remained faithful to God and prospered though the circumstances of his life were extremely difficult: “ the Lord was with Joseph and he prospered… When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. “ (Gen. 39:2-4) His blessing falls upon us in a ‘fallen world!’

THE WAY OF THE WICKED - 4-6

Psalm 1 introduces the literary technique of ‘comparison’. The wicked are now contrasted with the righteous.