English verse manipulates sound, and emphasizes rhyme and meter. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. This must not be understood in the sense of legalistic obedience to a set of rules and principles, like a prescription or a formula, but in the sense of an obedience of faith that such a life brings to the one who believes the concepts of this passage. Fruit is a proof of the root, i.e., where one is dwelling (in truth or error) (cf. Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it (Matthew 7:13). Instead, a beautitude promises blessing to those whose lives are characterized by certain qualities as the outcome of faith and relationship with God. Sin is the transgression of the Law. The three things that cause a man to be blessed, happy, or fortunate are if he is a man: If being with your family or friends delights you, that can be better, but it still falls short. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. Walks notnor standsnor sits: The blessed man does not do certain things. However, the believer, who is kept by the power of God, will be in eternity with the Lord. Isaiah 57:20-21 But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. It is whatever misses the will of God for man doctrinally or morally. Two great thrusts flow out of this: (a) the importance and absolute necessity of the Scripture, and (b) the changed character, stability, and fruitfulness it promises to those who make Scripture the core of their lives. They hear advice, or theories about their problems, and they find themselves agreeing or disagreeing without considering, Is this godly or ungodly counsel?. Unbelievers will face God at the great white throne judgment but will not be able to stand its test (Matt. The fruit comes naturally from this tree, because it is planted by the rivers of water. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. Psalm 13-6. 1:3; 3:20; Col. 2:10), and experientially (Phil. 25:31-46). 1 A Miktam of David. 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. 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. 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. (3) Syntheticthe second line explains or further develops the idea of the first line (1:3; 95:3). Summary: Psalm 1 introduces us to two "characters" or types of people: the blessed person and the wicked person. Man must have some delight, some supreme pleasure. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul, He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. 4:1-4). You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. ii. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. This can be done by carefully thinking about each word and phrase, applying it to ones self, and praying it back to the Lord. It means that God looks out for the righteous. Day and night is an idiom which means constantly, consistently, and regularly. This means the man of blessedness is occupied with Gods Word. 29:18). The way of the righteous. So a fuller statement of what Psalm 1 is about could be this: "The Righteous are Blessed and the Wicked are Judged." Psalm 1 Commentary: Relevant Today Is this message needed today? Scripture teaches that the believer, if he continues on in a life of carnality, can begin to look like the wicked (1 Cor. 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. Literally, not so, the wicked. This is an emphatic denial; the way of the wicked is nothing like the way of the righteous. iii. It declares the blessedness of the righteous and the misery and future of the wicked. The word translated blessed is also translated "happy." It is the idea of gaining great fortune. Esher is a form of the Hebrew word ashar, which in its root means to be straight or to be right. Blessed is the man speaks of the happiness, the blessedness, the contentment in the life of the man or woman who is right or straight with God. 25:1-30). You can measure your delight for the word of God by how much you hunger for it. 1. The wicked. This is a key word in the Psalms. Transplanted is a passive participle. Blessed means supremely happy or fulfilled. One is reminded of Pauls statement in 2 Timothy 2:19-20. 106:1 ), and future hope ( Ps. 5:22-23). i. Spurgeon on chaff: Intrinsically worthless, dead, unserviceable, without substance, and easily carried away. There is a huge difference between a tree and chaff. Here we see patterns forming and becoming entrenched. Eph. As Jesus spoke of bearing fruit in John 15:5, as we abide in Him. i. While believers have a heavenly position and an eternal inheritance secured by the work of Jesus Christ, the experience of their blessings, the increase of their capacity to appreciate the Lord, and their capacity for happiness is directly proportional to their knowledge and application of the Word. 1:21). It came from an Arabic verb (a sister language) which meant to be mindful of, attentive to, and so it came to mean, keep, protect. When something delights us, we become preoccupied with it and we tend to protect and guard it. It is not, however, an unconditional pronouncement, nor a pronouncement of bliss or a life without problems. "Psalm" suggests that the passage of time cannot defeat the soul, while "Auspex" indicates that it can. 6:19-24). In every experience of our own, no matter how deep the pain or how great the frustration or how exhilarating the joy, we can find psalms which echo our inmost being, psalms which God uses to bring comfort or to confirm release.1. Essentially, the services are man-centered rather than Bible-centered and God-centered. Certainly, it is the way of the righteous, not the way of the ungodly. You can check these in your browser security settings. 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. But it could also mean persecution as one takes a stand for righteousness or refuses to compromise or do the things employees are sometimes asked to do that go against the righteous principles of Scripture. Martin Luther said that he could not live in paradise without the word of God, but he could live well enough in hell with it. Unbelievers are separated from believers and the believers go into the Millennium. The Apostle Paul emphatically teaches us that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is anchored in Christ (Rom. (4) ClimacticThe second line repeats with the exception of the last terms (29:1). Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. Compare Psalm 37:6 and note the kind of prosperity God primarily has in mind (spiritual prosperity, discernment, and godly character). Path speaks of a way, a road, a direction and the righteous man is not traveling in the same direction as sinners. (5) EmblematicOne line conveys the main point, the second line illuminates it by an image (42:1; 23:1). 4:14), and (c) in Isaiah 1:17 it is used of correcting false rulers so they will go straight through learning and advancing in the Word. In the counsel. Counsel is the Hebrew [emailprotected]>h which means, purpose, plan, resolution of the will, or deliberation, viewpoint, way of thinking. It refers to a mental attitude, a state of mind, or viewpoint that determines the decisions that we make. Blessing comes from growth in the plan of God through fellowship with Him and through the Word of God. 1, Moody Press, Chicago, 1980, p. 311. Psa. Main Idea The book of Psalms is a remarkable collection of Hebrew poetry focused on prayer and worship of God for His past faithfulness ( Ps. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart will rejoice in your salvation. and more. Psalm 13-5. The poet calls us to avoid harmful behaviour but also calls us in a positive sense. The man of blessedness chooses to direct his life by Gods plan according to His inspired and inerrant Word. It celebrates individuality and the expression of emotion. 4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I . Luke 1:71-73; Acts 3:25; Rom. They fall short. Salvation in the day of judgment is equated with being known by the Lord (cf. The church is not a social club, a welfare organization, a religious or a ritualistic institution. 57:20-21; Ps. Psalm one is a wisdom Psalm. Have these people been going to church? Blessed is the Hebrew noun, a~shr?. 72) in spite of life's tremendous difficulties ( Ps. It will never wither away, because it is always getting what it needs. (b) The wicked are unstable, unfruitful, and will be judged. We can then too easily become an associate of those who scoff at Gods plan and ignore His counsel. Christians should meditate on Gods word! Lesson 1: Psalm 1 and Psalm 19 Reading: 1. I would emphasize how remarkable this is. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. With verse 4 we come to a very strong contrast. ; Book 2 - Psalms 42-72 - Like Exodus, this book describes ruin, and rescue by God. (2) Tribulation Judgments: Also known as Jacobs trouble and Daniels 70th week. 12:33-34). This does not deny the ministry and work of the Holy Spirit or other valid functions of the church like music, but central to everything is the Word (Jam. The Psalms have a wonderful capacity to capture the reality of our human experience. This is the message of this Psalm. The basic meaning is obvious, but lets dig a little deeper to see exactly what this means. Some say the genres are like prayers. The righteous man is also discerning enough to know the counsel of the ungodly can come from ones own self. Fruit bearing is the result of deep roots' finding an abundant supply of nourishment from underground streams of water. The word delight was also used of that in which one takes delight as in ones business, pursuits, or affairs of life. 4:13). With this new position also comes new provision and resources of lifethe Holy Spirit and the Wordboth of which are likened to streams of living water (John 7:37-39; Ps. He chose according to the viewpoint of the wicked. Verse 1 BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO WALKS NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE WICKED NOR STAND IN THE WAY OF SINNERS. Psalm 13 is a psalm of lament - an impassionate cry for help from the Lord. (c) 2020 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik ewm@enduringword.com. Knows does not mean simply to have knowledge of something. (a) By blatant ridicule or rejection. While eating lunch, my wife and I occasionally listen to a well-known talk show host who takes questions from those who call in for counsel with their perplexing moral dilemmas. 2 Timothy 3:16-17. On one occasion one of them, a man named Thorpe, was mimicking Whitefield to his cronies, delivering his sermon with brilliant accuracy, perfectly imitating his tone and facial expressions, when he himself was so pierced that he sat down and was converted on the spot.7. It specifically applies this to work and to our desire for success. They need to wait until they bring forth fruit in its season. 1:4-6). 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. i. Read "Introduction to the Psalms" (from the ESV Study Bible). This emphasis is borne out throughout Scripture (cf. John 15:16 with verse 27). 8:1; John 5:24; Rom. 6 Because Jehovah knows the way of the a righteous, but the path of the b ill will . 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). 1 Lawrence O. Richards, The Teacher's Commentary, electronic media. As far as the believers fruitfulness is concerned, this means studying and becoming prepared to serve in special ways according to ones gifts and Gods timing (compare Moses, Paul and Christ). It refers to a restless, unquiet condition which, in its agitation and unquieted passions, runs from one thing to another seeking happiness and peace, often at the hurt of others. This judgment comes at the end of the Tribulation and is carried out by Christ on earth. The data reveals, among other things, an astounding degree of theological illiteracy: 84 percent of those who claim the evangelical label embrace the notion that in salvation God helps those who help themselves, 77 percent believe that human beings are basically good and that good people go to heaven regardless of their relationship to Christ, while more than half of those surveyed affirmed self-fulfillment as their first priority. Blessed is the man who. Who is a function word which introduces us to the person who is so blessed, one who has the qualities of life which lead to blessedness. So, how can we avoid this? 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. There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.. iii. It is an examination for rewards or loss of rewards in heaven, i.e., forfeiture of privileges of service (Rom. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. The man of blessedness is one who has determined to walk by the whole counsel of the Word, not by his emotions, experience, tradition, by popular opinion or by what is politically correct. 4:2-3). The participle stresses continual action. How do people scoff at the Word of God? For a similar idea compare the wheat and tares (Matt. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Outline of the Book of Psalms . What is the main idea of the book of Psalms? So how does the wicked forsake his wicked way? This is why Christ had to die for our sin so we might have His righteousness. 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. 6-19; 1 Thess. By the sound of the words, the Hebrew has a play on these words which drive this home. There is loa, which expresses absolute emphatic negation. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. But is Ka]m in the Hebrew text. 2:8-9; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; Heb. The Hebrew verb form of this noun is used several times of a man taking pleasure or finding delight in the woman he loves. d. And whatever he does shall prosper: It isnt that the righteous man has a Midas Touch, and everything he does makes him rich and comfortable. Of sinners. Sinners is the Hebrew j^ff`a. We can say these speak of thinking, behaving, and belonging. Gods word is always the best counselor, and godly counselors will always bring the truth of Gods word to help someone who wants counseling. It is accurate, reliable and actively powerful (Ps. . We think we have better things to do with our time. Wicked is a Hebrew word (r`sh`u) which has as its root idea, to be loose, unstable. This word carries two ideas. But there are other ways. In the Old Testament, Israel was viewed as the wife of yahweh and in the New Testament the church is the bride of Jesus Christ. The first book is like Genesis, detailing blessing, fall, and redemption. For many of them the answer is yes, but their time in church did nothing to build them in the Scripture. Matt. Let me close with this interesting illustration of the power of the Word. (Rev. By way of application, God has provided the inspired word, the canon of Scripture and gifted teachers of the Word. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water 1. 3 Francis Brown, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs, A Hebrew And English Lexicon of the Old Testament, Clarendon Press, Oxford, p. 343. But in Christian meditation, the goal is to fill your mind with the word of God. a. Blessed is the man: The Hebrew word esher is here translated blessed, which has the idea of happiness or contentment. 103:13; Matt. 1 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! But lets first note how the author develops this because it is so instructive and is a warning in itself. By contrasting the morals, fruit and outcomes of the If he had sat in an easy chair he would have been better able to understand it. (Spurgeon). Unlike the grain or actual seed, it has no body or substance and is blown about by the wind, always unstable. It draws our attention to the difference between the righteous and wicked. In Psalm 1, two words develop this idea of blessing, 'salah' ('prospers' in. He has taken us out of Satans domain of darkness and placed us into the kingdom of His dear Son (Rom. As 1 Thessalonians 2:13 reminds us, constantly living in the Word should result in continued fruitfulness if there has been an open ear to hear what God is saying. The way of the ungodly shall perish: The way of the ungodly leads to destruction. The verb is h`G> or H`G`H which literally means to moan, growl, utter, speak, muse, think, and plan (cf. But what are these in general? They express the emotions, personal feelings, attitudes, gratitude, and interests of the average individual. The psalm is divided into two parts: in verses 1-5, the psalmist proclaims the joy of seeing his fault remitted by God, and in verse 6 to verse 11, he shows his confidence in the conviction that God is the guide on the right path. 1 a Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of b evildoers, nor does he walk in the way of sinners, nor sit in the chair of scoffers, 2 but in the a Jehovah's law is his b delight, and in his law c meditate day and night. It means to stop, to be firm. From merely walking in their counsel, one becomes more confirmed in the way of the wicked, more involved and influenced. His heart was never meant to be a vacuum. That brings forth its fruit in its season: The righteous man bears fruit, such as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). 5:1-11; 2 Thess. Being like a tree is of course a metaphor, a picture. The righteous man and the ungodly man are different in how they think, how they behave, and to whom they belong. This would also be a tree that is strong and stable, sinking down deep roots. Truth God desires in the heart. There is a way he will not walk, a path he will not stand in, and a seat he will not sit in. 3:16 and 2 Pet. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. You can also change some of your preferences. The man who experiences great blessing is one who has a love affair with Gods Word. 1:22 with 29-33). Of these, Psalm 110 is the climax. It may often seem like the ungodly have these things, and sometimes it seems they have them more than the righteous. 4:14-20; John 4:37-38). It is often used in Scripture in a protective sense and refers to Gods providential care and love, which includes the eternal security of believers and His divine provision. b. . Their way (even when religious) is the way of man, the flesh, and cannot stand before the righteousness of God. As one who delights and meditates in the Word, Scripture is consulted and used as a guide for whatever he does (Prov. 3:12f). Look at me; answer me, O Lord my God; enlighten my eyes so that I do not sleep dead, Psalm 13-4. lest my enemy say: I conquered him. Psalm 91 is a powerful and well-loved psalm that has been a source of comfort and strength for Christians throughout the ages. Of the wicked. Of is a genitive of source, i.e., counsel from those who are wicked, from those who want nothing to do with Gods way. Remember this is Gods Word and every jot and every tittle are important. Meaning of Psalm 1 verse by verse. This draws our attention to the doctrine of bibliology or the doctrines of revelation, inspiration, preservation, collection and canonization of the Bible, and illumination (2 Tim. But there is more. The righteous man will be a blessed man, a happy man. The principle is that certain things corrupt, they tear down and destroy. a. These cover a wide range of topics from joy to depression, from peace to persecution, from contemplation to confession, from praise to prophecy, from creation to coronation, and from anxiety to adoration. i. The Hebrew word for blessing is a^shr?. But why? The law of God Requires obedience of the heart. What gets you excited? Below you will see how the 150 psalms are categorized by their overall subject matter. What did Paul tell his young coworker in the faith? i. God has given us His Word that we might become fruitful trees in His service and in ministry to others. and more. Who is the Hebrew relative pronoun, a&sh#r. What is it, then, that the church needs? By-in-large, the wicked live primarily for this life. It has turned aside from the Word as its authority and sufficient source for life and godliness. (b) The wicked forsake God, ignore His Word, and as a result are unrestrained, oppressive, and unjust. But what does this picture teach us? This is a good way to see what is important to you. Psalm 8, for instance, is a communal or public declaration of praise to God for his relationship with creation. Above all else, it summarizes all that is to follow in the rest of the Psalms, and, for that matter, in the rest of Scripture. In His law he meditates day and night: The righteous man ponders the word of God. Now, what are those things? It means to mock, deride, ridicule, scoff. Grammatically, it is a participle of habitual action. The first is that Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. But, as the next part of the verse warns, if their way of life is one of carnality, it will be futile and will perish by the loss of rewards. Gesenius, the great lexicographer, says it originally meant to bend, incline toward, so it includes the ideas of desire, pleasure, inclination, satisfaction. It is a term for positive volition. ii. But in the life of the righteous man, God brings forth something good and wonderful out of everything. The word r`sh`u (wicked or unrighteous) is contrasted regularly with x#D#q (righteous or righteousness). Psalm 2 The Messiah's Reign . Now listen to the sound of the text in Hebrew, a~shr? Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. (3) Judgment of living Jews (Matt. In their carnality they become unrestrained and impoverished in their spiritual lives. Then in 4:17-19 he warns Christians against living like the unbelieving world in the futility of their minds, minds that are not being nourished by the water of Gods Word. That about covers it all! (2) Ones level of maturity (1 John 2:12, 13; Heb. (d) By listening to the Word proclaimed, but then ignoring it. The righteous man does not have these signs of death and dryness; his leaves are green and alive. T/F Psalm 137 was written by David. The great lesson to be learned from the whole is, sin is progressive; one evil propensity or act leads to another. 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. Sometimes God has to engineer failure and pressures before He can bring about successHis kind of successin our lives. Psalm 1 The Way of the Righteous and the Way of the Ungodly. If it is an oak, it gives shade. For the sake of emphasis, the Hebrew word order reads, but rather, in the Law of the Lord (is) his delight. Gods emphasis is on His word, that which is to be the object of our delight. 4:17f). 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. It also means ungodly, godless, or negative toward God, loose from God, without Him as an anchor or controlling factor. 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. When others are putting down Christians, it is easy to sit with them and criticize them. i. 2:2; 2 Pet. The purpose of the Tribulation judgments is to purge out the rebels and bring Israel to the Messiah. The judgment of the Bema follows the rapture. The genres in Psalms identify and group the books by the main idea of the psalm. A plant which is planted by streams of water has the capacity to endure (Jer. (2) It also pictures the concept of growth and time. Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. i. What does Psalm 23 say? 4 The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. And in His law he meditates day and night. Unbelievers are separated from believers and the believers go into the Millennium. 38 ). What does Psalm 1 6 say? iv. This refers to the judgment of all unbelieving dead or those raised in the resurrection for judgment (see John 5:29). Different types of psalms were written to communicate different feelings and thoughts regarding a psalmist's situation. 4:19). And whatever he does shall prosper. Be out-and-out for him; unfurl your colours, never hide them, but nail them to the mast, and say to all who ridicule the saints, If you have any ill words for the followers of Christ, pour them out upon mebut know this ye shall hear it whether you like it or not I love Christ. (Spurgeon). 7:22f; 8:6f; Heb. He who acts by bad counsel may soon do evil deeds; and he who abandons himself to evil doings may end his life in total apostasy from God. (Clarke). It states the purpose and sets the direction of the paragraph or passage. 4:11-12). The first part of the psalm David talks about God being his shepherd and he is the sheep. As it takes time to produce a huge sprawling oak, so it takes time to grow and mature in the Word. 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. (2) The way of the godly is set forth by way of a contrast: negatively, what the godly do not do (1:1), and positively, what the godly do (1:2). 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. Here is a contrast between character and destiny. It follows the thousand-year reign of Christ and pertains only to unbelievers.
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