Righteous or wicked?
prosperous or not?
I am a black or white kinda gal. It is either one way, or the other. I don't like 'iffy' things.
So, this psalm has always seemed simple to me. You are righteous, or wicked. And the result of either is clearly marked out for us.
In thinking about this psalm today, it seems to me that the 'walk, stand, sit' theme covers pretty much all of our lives. The things we do, the places we go, the company we keep, the thoughts we think. We are to be intentional about the things we avoid.......like the advice of the wicked (in opposition to God's Word), participation in sin with others, or keeping company with those whose actions and attitudes are not Chirstlike.
Our nature is to be people-pleasers. We want to fit in with those around us, to be held in esteem by them; to be included; to be wanted. I think this is one major reason we do, as Christians, wander at times into the counsel of the wicked, the way of the sinner or the seat of the scoffer. Hence the warning here at the beginning of the Psalms.
We are called to be set apart. Different. In, but not of, the world.
Our delight is to be in the law of the Lord. There is a note on the ESV version I have on my tablet that says "law" is synonymous with "instruction".
We are to delight in
Walking in the counsel of His Law.....
Standing in the way of righteousness......
Sitting in the seat of those who proclaim the Truth and are not ashamed of it.
If we will do this, we will prosper. Ahhhh.....but there's the hook. That word prosper that is so misinterpreted by many! What does this mean? That I will have all I want or could ask for? That I'll be rich, have a big, wonderful family, or live a long, healthy life?
The picture of the tree by the waters brings the word "flourish" to my mind. This is prosperity.....that we flourish. We grow. We produce fruit. We do not die when drought comes. We are strong. We STAND.
And simply put, "The wicked are not so." They die. They are fruitless. They wither. They are blown away like so much chaff. They FALL.
I recall a Sunday School quarter a while back where we used a book by Dale Ralph Davis called "The Way of the Righteous in the Muck of Life"....looking at the first 12 Psalms. I liked his answer to his own question, "Why is Psalm 1, Psalm 1?"
(page 14) "Because it packs a matter of such supreme importance. Here two ways, two humanities, two destinies are clearly spelled out."
He references Christ's words from Matthew 7:13-14:
"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
There you have it. Black and White. There is no middle ground.
In my Bible I have some notes written by Psalm 1, taken down during some class or sermon sometime...... One points me to John chapter 15 where Jesus tells us to abide in Him.
The other is a simple note that states in summary: "There is no refuge FROM God, only IN Him."
So......how to apply this to life? Does God's 'instruction' occupy my thoughts, drive my intents and actions all day long? Or am I wandering along in the counsel of the wicked, the way of sinners and the seat of the scoffers?
Am I entertained by those things that God calls wicked or sin?
Do I delight in His instruction? Do I seek the wisdom from His Word and pray as He taught us?
Do I delight in spending time with the righteous or the wicked? Where would I rather be?
Or am I like the wicked man who will not stand in the judgement, but will be blown away like the chaff on the wind?
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