Do You Want to be Happy & Blessed? A Study in Psalm 1.
Are you reading the title of that post saying, "YES! That's me!"? Psalm 1 has the answer for us, my Friend. We all want to live a happy and blessed life, but few of us are doing so. The simple answer is right before our eyes if we are willing to follow. Let's break down Psalm 1:1-3 in today's Bible Study.
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“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law, he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”
Psalm 1:1-3 ESV
In this Psalm of David, we see two men - two natures - two paths to choose. Today we study the Blessed Man. As you read through the Psalms, look for Jesus. He is there in every book of the Old Testament, and He is undoubtedly most present in the Psalms.
THE BLESSED MAN
Jesus is the Blessed Man of Psalm 1, and as always, He is our example for life. The word "blessed" in verse one is translated as HAPPY in Hebrew. So we can say ... "Happy is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;"
The blessing/happiness of Psalm 1 is not referring to a circumstantial blessing like money, wealth, power, or a material blessing. The greatest blessing you and I can know is a relationship with God Almighty. When we have a right relationship with Him, we are blessed, and we find great joy and happiness. Our Lord Jesus has a perfect relationship with His Father (John 5:30) this is why Jesus was the Happy Man - because His blessing came from the relationship He had with His Father and not from worldly circumstances.
Moving on we see some fantastic things about the Blessed Man. Let's study these together and apply them to our lives.
1. He Walks Not in the Counsel of the Wicked.
This Blessed Man - our Lord Jesus - a picture of one we should emulate - doesn't walk in the counsel of the ungodly. Let me ask you ... who do you go to for advice? An ungodly friend or coworker, a new-age self-help book, unrighteous internet blogs? If you are, you are walking in the council of the wicked. You may think, "It's only advice - it's only talk - how bad can it be?" Good question. What happens when you casually walk along with the advice of the ungodly?
2. He Doesn't Stand in the Way of Sinners.
This Blessed Man doesn't end up standing in the way of sinners because He never sought the advice of the ungodly in the first place. He only did what He saw His Father doing. (John 5:19)
The problem for us is what starts as a casual stroll through ungodly council, now causes one to stop and stand. Do you see the posture? Walking through the advice of the immoral has caused one to stop and listen - standing in the ways of sinners. Once you open your spirit up to that ungodly council, you can end up standing in the ways and advice of the sinners who gave it to you.
3. He Doesn't Sit with Mockers.
Finally, the Blessed Man doesn't sit in the seat of scorners or mockers. Do you see the picture? We go from walking along seeking advice from the ungodly. Then we stop, listen, and stand in the ways of the sinner. Finally, we take a seat at the table of those who mock the way of the Most High God.
For those thinking that this can't possibly be you Let me give you an example . . . Because it has been me!
You go online to find out how to have a better relationship with your spouse. (The Blessed Man would have gone to The Father.) You find a blog from an unsaved woman telling you to do x, y, and z to fix your marriage. You overlook her vulgar language and the fact that she isn't saved because she has such a great personality and cute clothes; so you gobble up the advice.
Next, you like her advice and quirky personality so much; you begin following her on social media. You stop and stand in her ways even implementing some of her advice. And finally, you've become the ultimate fan, even following her ungodly recommendations, friends, and lifestyle. You've sat with those who mock the Lord, and you don't even realize it. You just wanted marriage advice.
4. He Delights and Meditates on the Law of the Lord.
In my darkest hours, the Word of God is the only thing that has brought me comfort. On my brightest days, it is the only place I have been able to find joy. The Word "meditate" in the Hebrew is hâgâh. It means to ponder, to speak aloud, to think about, to utter. The Blessed Man is speaking the Word of the Lord to Himself day and night. It is where His focus lies. Just read through the New Testament and see how many times the Lord quotes the Old Testament. His delight was in the words of His Father.
So it should be with us. When we are meditating and delighting on the Word of the Lord, there isn't anything that can come against us. This is a picture of one who is blessed and happy.
5. He is Planted.
In Psalm 1:3, we read, "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
The blessed man or woman is planted. They are not wildly growing wherever they wish. When we are saved in Christ, we become planted in His garden. We are rooted in Him.
My Friend, when we have given our lives to Christ, we are planted by rivers of water. These waters represent the Word of God. We are planted in His garden by His Word. Thank you, Jesus! The water of God's Word provides cleansing of our sinful nature. It gives us refreshment in our times of drought. The water of the Word sustains us.
6. He Brings Forth Fruit and Prospers.
When we delight and meditate on God's Word, whatever we do will prosper, and we will bear fruit. Don't think of prospering in the material sense or as in success or power. The prosperity in verse 3 is a relationship with Jesus. If we have that, we have everything we could ever want or need.
As you read through Psalm 1, strive to find your blessing and happiness in your relationship with Jesus, and not in the advice of the ungodly. Check your heart. Check yourself. Are you walking, standing, and sitting with the ungodly, sinners, and scorners? If so, repent - turn around, and get back into the arms of the Blessed Man - Jesus.
If you take one thing away from this Bible Study it's this; Meditate on His Word day and night. Find your joy, your pleasure, and your greatest delight in His Word.