It is 2:20 AM on Saturday morning and I could not sleep.
I felt so impressed to open my Bible to Psalm 1. I know that I have read and reread this Psalm over a million times, but I want you to read it over again with me.
1 Blessed is _____________________[put your name here] Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
The Psalmist gives a description of the godly man’s spirit and how you and I must be before the Lord. It truly amazes me that El Shaddai knows each one of us by name. Now, He desire for us to spot the traits of people who will keep us from Him.
The character of a good man in Psalm 1 is given by the rules a Christian should walk. God judges each action we take. Our conversations; who we relate with; where we are seen; and what we do; are all influenced by our association with the worldly or as the Psalmist claim the “ungodly.”
Verse one describes three characteristics of UN-Godlike people who defy the laws and commands of the Lord and “walk their own paths to unrighteousness'” The ungodly casts off all fear of God and continue to live in a world that will satisfy their flesh.
I once heard that the saying “omissions only lead to commissions.” By omitting God in your life only commits your life to Satan, and your heart will be hardened. That is how it is easy to become “scorners.” Scorners openly defy all that is sacred and scoff at religion and make fun of sin.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
How is your prayer life? Do you pray or do you just mutter a few words and then go on with your day? Are you aware of the Lord while you are washing the dishes? Feeding you dog? Shopping for groceries? Making the beds? Or is it just another day crossed off on your calendar until Sunday morning or Wednesday evening Prayer and Praise.
3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper. I love the idea of being a tree planted by the cool waters. My thirst will never cease and my leaves will not fall off and die. I will be ever blooming and bearing the fruits of my labor and of my spirit.
4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Just as we are beautiful and fruit filled, the ungodly just the opposite. They are restless and their spirit is in continuous commotion. They are continually running from one inspiration to another in constant seeking of the answer, but never accepting the truth. Whatever effort they put forth to be recognized by God will be like the autumn leaves after a severe windstorm. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
The ungodly will have a very difficult time on the Great White Throne Judgment Day. They will squirm and shuffle in their position. They will be unable to look God in the eyes because of their past behavior. It will be seconds too late for regrets, a lifetime of tears.
But my dear Christian friends, I want you to notice that the Psalmist also wrote that no righteous should be standing in the congregation of sinners. We do not become righteous because of our inherent goodness; God sees us as righteous because of our identification by faith with His Son. We must continually walk in the counsel of the Almighty and not stray into the enticement of sinners.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
I love this last verse. God knows us. He approves of us, He delights in us, and He loves us. Everything that we do in the Lord, he will approve and show us his favor. But if you look at the second part of the verse where the ungodly continue in their evil ways, their reward is death. I would like to paraphrase the words of Jesus “Choose today who you will serve” You cannot be faithful to God, if you love the desires of the ungodly and the world, Read Matthew 6:24 and learn how to be a good servant of the Lord.
Blessings and Honor
In His Love,
Sue Ramsey
Sue@sermonillustrator.org
Associate Director of Bible Questions at Answers2Prayer.org