Psalm 1: The Ways Of A Blessed Man Contrasted With The Ways of a Sinner.

Psalm 1:1  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3  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 Psalmist begins this book of 150 chapters by contrasting the ways and life of a Godly man with the ways and life of an ungodly man.

Thus, two different paths of life are presented to us.

One is the path to God's blessing and the other is the path God's judgment.

This connects with Jesus teaching us that there are two gates. 

One gate is restrictive and only one person at a time can enter.

The other gate is wide and everyone is barging through it.

The straight or restrictive gate opens to a narrow path that leads to eternal life with Christ in heaven.

The wide gate leads to a very wide highway where most people are living, and it leads to eternal damnation. (See Matthew 7:12-14).

In like manner, we have the path of blessing set before us first, and the kind of life that it produces.

A blessed man does not walk by following the advice of a God rejecting man, because he knows that path leads to great hardship and sorrow.

A blessed man does not stand in the way of sinners. He does not want to pollute himself with the sinful ways of wicked, Christ rejecting people.

A blessed man will not sit down with those who are hateful scornful people. 

This is very applicable because much of social media today as absolutely toxic. 

So many are trying to insult or cut down someone else. So many post hate filled, rage driven words.

The idea is that a believer in Christ is not going to associated himself with any of this cultural corruption.

The focus of those who trust God is entirely different from what occupies the minds of sinners living for self.

The godly man's focus is on the scriptures. Specifically, he finds great delight in studying and reading the law of God. 

Why? Because God's law steers us away from sin and helps us do what is right in God's sight.

For example, the law of God teaches us not to steal, not to lie, not commit murder.

The man who simply learns and obeys God's law will be a law abiding man.

He will respect and love His neighbors enough not to steal, or not to make false accusations against them.

The result of choosing to live a life guided by God's truth, is that this man will be stable.

He will endure the storms of life because he trusts God with his life.

He will be like a tree with strong, deep roots planted by a stream of copious fresh water.

Like that tree, this godly man will produce fruit. He will worship God rightly. He will set a strong moral example of God's law lived out.

He will teach his children about God and discipline them in love, as needed.

He is a man who can always be counted upon to do what is right and what honors God.

This is the path to a blessed life.

However, the way of transgressors is hard (See Proverbs 13:15).

Psalm 1:4  The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 

The ungodly are not like the godly man.

Instead, the Psalmist compares them to chaff. 

Chaff is a worthless byproduct of winnowing wheat for harvest. 

The dry, scaly outer husk of wheat is light weight and good for nothing except to be burned.

Psalm 1:5  Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6  For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. 

Because the ungodly are like worthless chaff, this anticipates their final judgment and consignment to the flames of Hell.

They will not ever be allowed to enter heaven.

They will not stand beside the righteous redeemed children of God to worship God, becaus they worship self. 

The LORD knows His children and ther path that they choose to walk on.

Each child of God walks in the beautiful path marked out by God's law, will find blessing and an eternal home in heaven.

In contrast, the ways, and memories of the ungodly will perish. 

No one will remember them, but they will suffer in Hell for eternity.

The good news of the gospel of Christ is that a sinner does not have to die in his or her sins, and got to Hell.

God will save any sinner who hears the gospel, repents of sin and put his or her trust in Christ. 

May these words bless those of us who choose to obey God's word, and may the be a sober reminder that we must share the gospel with those who do not yet know God.

Bob