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Lessons of Encouragement and Joy #1
David’s Playlist (Psalm 1)
The Hebrew title of the collection of Psalms is Tehilim, which means “songs of praise.” As we journey through this collection of praise songs we will notice that the composers address every aspect of our relationship with God. It is a guidebook for the ups and downs of life giving us insight on how God meets us in our deepest needs.
In ITunes and other music platforms, you can make playlists for specific types of music. I often refer to the Psalms as David’s playlist. In the collection of Psalms there are five different playlists: worship psalms, psalms of lament, royal psalms, thanksgiving psalms, and wisdom psalms. Psalms 1 and 2 are considered the introduction for the whole collection.
Psalm 1 helps us understand the answer to the question, “Are you blessed?” In Matthew 5, Jesus started the Sermon on the Mount talking about what type of blessing certain people will experience because of the way they live as they pursue God (Matthew 5:2-12). James writes about the blessing that comes from being faithful in times of trial, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12) In one of the most interesting passages in the gospels, Jesus makes a statement
about those who are blessed, “Blessed . . . are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28) In this verse he is echoing the words of the Psalmist recorded in Psalm 1.
Psalm 1 is summed up in the last verse, “ . . .for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish”. When I read this verse, it reminds me of God’s desire for an intimate relationship with all people. However, a sobering reality is that some will reject Him because of their choice to hang around people who give ungodly counsel and have contempt for those who do walk with God. The psalmist points to the ultimate destination of righteous and wicked people, and explains the path taken by the righteous and the many paths offered to everyone by those who reject the wisdom of God. The righteous man is characterized by his love for God’s word and the desire to internalize it for application in life. The wicked man is defined as a corruptor and antagonist to the things of God.
This Psalm really gives us insight into one of the greatest promises of scripture. When you look at the text, it is reassuring to know that God is active in our lives and wants to bless us. I think we all believe in our hearts that God‘s way is the best way, but sometimes we have a hard time remembering that! However, God’s grace and mercy meets us in our brokenness, and we are blessed because of our relationship with Him.
The focus of the Psalmist here is to give insight into our purpose as believers: to bring glory to God. This is accomplished by planting ourselves beside the river of life, resisting any alternate path in life, and immersing ourselves in God’s word on a consistent basis.
What a great way to start our walk through the Psalms! We are reminded of the faithfulness of God and the call to righteousness that leads to blessing in our lives. Please make sure you take some time today to reflect on these truths and experience the joy that only comes from walking in relationship with Him!
Pastor Chuck Reed
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