Psalm 1:1-6
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.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
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 ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
So Happy!
I love how the Lord starts Psalm One – Blessed! What I love about this is what this word means for the reader – So Happy! As the Lord begins His wonderful book of songs He begins with telling His people how they can be happy!
It has been said that most people long for two things in their life – to be fulfilled in their purpose of life and to be happy in their life.
The Lord knew what great needs His creation would have within – and as He formed humanity in His image – He knew and also longed that we would be happy! God created a world for our enjoyment. He created amazing creatures for us to marvel at. He created a vast universe for us to stand in awe of – God certainly set out to help humanity to be happy!
Sadly, happiness evades so many. For the majority happiness comes in small doses. We have moments of happiness but how many people would say that they are happy. That’s the difference God wants to make in our life through the lessons of Psalm one – His lessons are to teach us how to have a happy life! Let’s look at these lessons together.
First, we find that if we are going to be happy we must surround ourselves with the right kind of people. The Psalmist directly relates the happiness of our lives to the people that are in it. The ungodly (those who live contrary to God’s teachings) that remain in our lives will teach us habits or lifestyles that are contrary to God’s Word. If we follow their counsel we will find ourselves living in disobedience to God and God can not bless or reward these behaviors. “The way of sinners,” is an interesting phrase. We find that it means we should not become comfortable or settle into an environment that is geared toward sinful living. If we go about with those who frequent places, whether physically, emotionally or mentally we can easily find ourselves swayed to make a visit. These are the places that rob us of happiness because they grieve the Holy Spirit of God. The final statement of verse one is about, “the Seat of the Scornful.” These are those that know the truth but for one reason or another they are willfully living contrary to what the Lord teaches in Scripture. God clearly tells us not to entertain them or be entertained by them. This understanding is seen in the language – “the seat of the scornful.” Pulling up a chair at the local coffee shop with a scorner will lead you no where good! God teaches us that the people in our lives have a huge impact on our happiness. Consider who it is that you have in your life that may be leading you away from the happiness God desires for you.
Secondly, we find that God emphasizes the importance of the believers relationship with the Word of God and how it is directly related to our happiness. Two things are noted about our relationship with the Bible. The first is our attitude – if we want to go from happy times to being a happy person we need to learn to “delight” in the Word of God. Learning to enjoy the Bible in study, in reading and in application is an attitude that takes time to develop through discipline and maturity. We can be on our journey of delight by meditating on God’s motives for what He writes to us! God writes from a position of love. He is always seeking to help us grow to a place of blessing! When we, by faith, begin to view the Bible through the lens of God’s motive we will find a natural sense of delight in learning and following what the Bible teaches! The second emphasis is on meditation. God wants us to think about the scriptures. Many times we do not allow the truth of God’s Word to sink into our subconscious. We glide over the surface of the verse with barely a notation to the substance that lies within it’s meaning. God relates our happiness and fruitfulness (success) to our mediation on the Truth! The more a believer dwells on the Word of God – the more God can teach them. This teaching, when applied, leads us to a life of blessing and obedience – these things grow and blossom into a life that is happy!
The next time you think about your own happiness – ask yourself these two questions: Who is in my life and where is their influencing leading me? Am I spending enough quality time with God’s Word for Him to influence me in the path that leads to being blessed? My prayer for you is that you will see the truth – that a happy life is found in Jesus Christ!