The first Psalm in the psalter begins with an epilogue that gives us the basic principle that people who do what is right in the eyes of the Lord will have all they need to survive the challenges of life while those who follow the path of other sinners and scoffers will have greater difficulty and eventually be cut off from God.
What is a Psalm?
Today we start a new sermon series, “Greatest Hits,” based on popular psalms from the Bible. We’ll begin with Psalm 1, which acts as a prologue to the entire book of Psalms.
A bit of background: The word “psalm” is based on the Greek word, “psalmos,” which means “song.” When the Bible was translated into English, rather using the word “Songs,” the translators kept the Greek word and called that book “Psalms.” The original Hebrew word for the book of Psalms was translated not as “songs,” but as “praises.”
The book of Psalms is near the center of your Bible. With 150 chapters, it is the longest book in the Bible; and the early editors grouped the chapters into five “books.” King David is believed to have written roughly half of the psalms in the first 70 chapters. He is believed to be the author of all but two of the psalms in the first “book.”
Psalms is actually a collection of songs written over an extended period of time and brought together over hundreds of years. For example, Psalm 90 was written by Moses centuries before the time of David. Other psalms were clearly written many generations after David’s reign, after the fall of Jerusalem, and after the Israelites’ 70-year-long exile in Babylon.
The book of Psalms is similar to our hymnal. It was written by many people, added to over hundreds of years, and produced in various versions through time until it was deemed complete. Because Psalms is the songbook of the Bible, we must treat it differently from other biblical books, understanding that it uses imagery and emotion in ways many Old Testament books never do. We must also remember that even though the songs do not seem to us to rhyme or use poetic cadence, this is because of the translation from Hebrew to English. In the Hebrew language, this is poetry and there’s a lot going on with these words as the authors play with sounds, syllables and rhymes.
Most importantly, we need to understand why the book of Psalms was written. This was a corporate book of songs to be used when the people gathered or traveled to Jerusalem for festivals, but it also included songs people would have sung or prayed individually throughout their days. Within the 150 chapters we see a great diversity of concepts and emotions, but the entire book together forms the basic theology of the Israelites. It was much more than a tool for worship; it was involved in teaching and shaping the Israelites.
All this tells you why we are going to take an extended look at this incredible book. This book shaped the Israelites into the people God desire. We, too, can be shaped by the God who brought all these assorted threads together to create a beautiful tapestry.
As stated before, Psalm 1 serves as a prologue for the entire book. While the psalms of David appear in chapters 3 through 31, Psalms 1 and 2 stand alone, not attributed to any author. They describe the “righteous” and the “wicked.” In both cases, their words apply to individuals and to the nation of Israel. We can’t consider Psalm 1 entirely on its own; we must view it in the light of the entirety of Psalms. What was the author trying to accomplish as he wrote this song?
Paths to Happiness
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners takeor sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither –
whatever they do prospers.
Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly leads to destruction
Psalm 1 (NIV)
Note the positive tone of the beginning verses. They speak of blessings, happiness, good things, good life, and prosperity for the one who follows God. This kickoff to the entire book of songs – this book of the praises God wants to hear – begins by telling people where and how they will find true happiness. I would think the opening would be a praise to God, but instead it starts with US and tells us where to find happiness. Happiness is a universal theme – who doesn’t want happiness? Every single person on this earth is looking for happiness and joy – the wicked and the righteous alike – even though they have very different ways of pursuing their goals. We will learn throughout the rest of the book of Psalms that we are most blessed, most happy, and most content when we live life praising God.
Psalm 1:1 uses negative language to tell where the righteous should NOT be spending their time. They should NOT walk in step with the wicked; they should NOT stand in the way that sinners take; they should NOT sit in the company of mockers.
Psalm 1 contrasts two ways of life: the righteous and the wicked. It lays out two life-paths, one of which everyone must choose; and it shows the results of each choice. Notice the three-step progression of the verbs in this verse: walk; stand; sit. In the “walking” stage, at first, you might simply have daily exchanges with people who walk contrary to the things of God – those guilty of doing wrong. But sometimes this leads to stepping into the path of the sinners. You’re now in the “standing” position, with more connection than before. Worse yet, you may decide to go on to the “sitting” stage and join the group of mockers. Mockers are more than people who behave in ways contrary to God’s law; they actually oppose God and scoff at those simple-minded people who believe God can help.
At face value, this is about the people you associate with, but in our modern lives we communicate with people in ways the Israelites never would have thought of. We sing along to the songs of famous singers we have never met. We read the words of authors, journalists and beat writers who produce our books, magazines and Internet articles. We watch movies, television shows, TikToks, and the nightly news. All of these shape our thinking, our view of the world, and our view of ourselves. If all those things come from a wicked, sinful, mocking approach to the things of God, guess what kind of influence they are having on you.
I’ve found this to be true in my own life, as I’m sure many of you have. When a guy watches a movie with sexy scenes, guess where his mind goes. That’s why Paul writes in Philippians 4:8 – “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Where your thoughts go shapes where YOU go. It shapes your behavior and your character.
Even things that seem harmless, like the news, can make you into a person who lacks the happiness God wants for you. A year ago I encouraged my dad to watch a documentary about how social media pushes people further into the echo chambers of their own points of view. He decided to cut back on his time on Facebook and his time watching his preferred news station. Guess what? After a week he told me he felt less stress and anxiety about the world.
Regardless of who your news source is, right or left, they all make money keeping eyeballs on the screen. They do this by demonizing the “other side,” which is either shoving something down your throat or stonewalling your team’s amazing law. Everyone does it! We can either tread that path of anger and vitriol with them, or we can step out of that path that leads to destruction.
Right now our nation is clearly sick! Mass shootings have become so common we can’t even remember them all. On a news story about the recent school shootings in Uvalde, Texas, the commentator brought up the shooting of 23 people a few years ago at Walmart in El Paso. I realized I had totally forgotten it ever happened! It’s sick . . . we’re sick. And the ultimate cause is that we are a nation of people seeking happiness in all the wrong places, and we’re coming up empty.
A few weeks ago I saw a statistic from InterVarsity college ministry saying that of the over 2000 college students they surveyed, 80 percent said they are currently the loneliest they ever have been. We have more access to people and news and television and friends around the world than ever before, and yet we are more lonely, depressed and angry than ever before. The result is that people are having mental breaks. People surround themselves in the dark recesses of the Internet, stewing about how the world wronged them. While they think they are sitting among “friends,” they sit alone in their rooms spewing their venom online to other mockers. They get more and more angry, more and more unhinged, and more and more dangerous.
What is the alternative? What is the antidote to our nation’s problems? Psalm 1:2 shows us a better way: “Delight yourself in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night.”
The “law of the Lord” here refers to the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. However, it is likely the author meant something bigger: the entire guidance and instruction of God, which includes the entire Psalter. The influence on a righteous person is the wisdom that comes from your time spent in God’s Word and from all you know about His character and His instructions for us. When this verse tells us to “meditate on it day and night,” it doesn’t mean we should all turn into monks who spend all our time reading the Bible and praying. Instead, this advice points us to a lifestyle in which we bring all of life and all our decisions and preferences into line with the instruction of God.
Two paths – remember? Make a choice. We can allow the sinful world to feed our minds and influence our thoughts; or we can let the Word of God help create in us the “mind of Christ,” as the Apostle Paul calls it. The world thinks that allowing this old, archaic book to guide our thoughts is foolishness that leads to a restrictive life. Meanwhile, they believe their footloose, fancy-free lifestyle is the way to genuine happiness. Unfortunately, statistics prove otherwise. Time and time again, when psychologists do studies on happiness, they find that people guided by the Word of God have proven to be happier and more satisfied with life.
The Results of the Paths
The remainder of Psalm 1 now shows the outcomes for walking the two paths: the righteous and the wicked. First it describes the righteous life. These people are like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding fruit in every situation. Understand: being planted near a stream does not mean you won’t experience drought! There is no guarantee that life around you will always be perfect. What this does tell us is that a righteous person is like a tree that has intentionally been planted where it will always thrive, regardless of circumstances.
Think ahead to the time of Jesus. Psalm 1 has an even greater meaning when we remember that Jesus said, “I am the living water.” So long as we plant our roots deep in faith in Jesus, we will never thirst. He will be the water that causes us to grow, and even thrive, in the midst of drought, suffering and pain. Because you have taken the time to meditate on who God is and how He wants you to live, your roots are deep and you are well prepared to face everything life will throw at you. You will do more than just survive; you will thrive and bear meaningful, lasting fruit.
However, the wicked will find no such hope. Rather than valuable fruit, the lives of the wicked produce worthless chaff that blows away in the breeze.
Humans were created to desire significance. We all want our lives to count in one way or another. The author of this psalm is saying, “Try as you might, there is only one way for your life to have real significance that lasts – and that is to walk the way of the righteous.” True, there are many ways to create a feeling of significance apart from God, but those results are never as important as you think they will be. They are chaff that blows away in the wind.
A perfect illustration of this is Tom Brady’s quest for yet another Super Bowl title. When you read about Brady’s life you realize he is an extremely discontented overachiever. He’s won Super Bowl after Super Bowl, and yet he feels he has produced only the “chaff” Psalm 1 describes. His work has no substantial meaning. That’s why, after retiring at 41 years old, he had to un-retire. He was still feeling unsatisfied. Sad!
This psalm ends by describing the final destinations of the two paths we’ve examined. The wicked will be unable to stand up to the judgment of God as they are led to destruction. They will spend the rest of eternity apart from God. However, the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, who will spend eternity in His presence.
Promise or principle?
As we read through this first psalm, it all seems too neat and tidy. Righteous people study what God wants, and do it, and are rewarded with good things. Wicked people do bad things and the result is destruction. However, I think we’ve all lived long enough to know that our experiences are different sometimes. We have tried to live to honor God, and yet we face trials and unfair situations. Meanwhile, we watch others – sometimes party animals and other times total jerks – who seem to get ahead in life and have everything they want. We have to ask ourselves, “Why?” Why would God give us this psalm that doesn’t seem to match up with reality? Is it, in fact, even based in reality?
This is where it is especially helpful to remember that this is the prologue to an entire songbook rooted in difficult situations, in pain and grief and injustice. A quick look at the first verses of Psalm 3 shows God’s awareness of the reality of this life:
Lord, how many are my foes?
How many rise up against me?
Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”
Psalm 1 is trying to teach us a principle, not a promise for ease and comfort. More often than not, those who live according to the laws of God will have healthy friendships and family relationships. They will be likely to please their bosses and stay out of legal trouble. But this world is bent toward evil and is full of people we have no control over. That means our lives will never be free of turmoil and drama.
As we said about the tree that is planted by the stream, this is not a guarantee that life will be pleasurable and easy. It is a guarantee that the tree will have all it needs to survive and thrive. Does thriving mean success in the eyes of the world? Perhaps not, but it does allow a person to survive with dignity, joy, and hope for a future. Absolutely!
Conclusion
Everybody wants happiness. Everybody wants significance. The world tries to offer us a million ways to obtain each. Psalm 1, however, says there are only two ways: with God and without God. You can live this life with God and reap the results of a life that bears meaningful fruit under the watchful eye of God, or you can live life with other sinners and scoffers, creating a life that counts as nothing in the grand scheme.
Before you react to this message by cutting off relationships with all non-Christians and burning all your non-Christian books and cassette tapes, think what that would mean. Following this message completely literally can leave you living in a Christian bubble with only Christian music, Christian movies, and Christian friends. While that seems like it certainly would make life easier, it is not what God called us to do! In the New Testament, Jesus did not tell His disciples to separate themselves from the world and create a cloistered community. He told them to go out into the world. Jesus Himself hung out with sinners. We need to be among sinners as well.
As we mingle with the world we must constantly evaluate which way the influence is working. If we are being influenced more than we are influencing – if we are being led away from God – we may need to step back from certain relationships or habits. On the other hand, if we are walking in step with the Spirit and sharing the influence of God’s Word in our lives, if we are influencing others we spend time with, then we are right where we should be!
The Christian life is not as simple as we would like. Each of us makes many decisions every single day. If we seek to honor God with our lives, if we seek to know how Jesus wants us to live, if we always evaluate how the world is influencing us, and if we follow the leading of the Spirit, then we can trust that we will experience the blessings and joy God promises.
Life may not be perfect. In fact, I’m sure it will be far from perfect. But at least we can know we are going the right way!
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