Why is the “Blessed Man” of Psalm One “Blessed?”
Spiritual Questions with Scriptural Answers.
Psalm One is God’s introduction to the Psalms. It is only six verses long but packed full of rich material.
In this Psalm, we read of the character and condition of the righteous (vs. 1-3) contrasted with the character and condition of the ungodly (vs. 4-6). The “godly” is referred to as the “blessed man.”
In this study, we want to first examine the text and then ask and answer the question, “Why is the blessed man “blessed?”
By means of implication, if we do what he did, we too will be blessed by God!
The Text of Psalm 1.
“Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. 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. The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish” (Psalm 1).
Because He is Careful in His Walk.
First, the man is blessed because he is careful in his walk. He does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. Because he does not “walk,” he does not “stand” in the path of sinners or “sit” in the seat of the scornful.
Did you notice the progression? “Walk,” “stand,” and “sit” are the three verbs used to describe the action taking place.
For example, consider a recovering alcoholic. He has repented and is making changes which means he has to take drastic steps to avoid falling back into the downward spiral in which he was once engaged. In times past, he would walk by the bar, find himself then standing at the window looking in, and finally succumbing to the temptation and sitting at the bar ordering drinks. To fight again this, he must not “walk in the way of the ungodly” so he can keep moving and not regress.
The blessed man is careful in his walk as he is guided by the Word of God which is a “lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path” (Psa. 119:105).
Because He Concentrates on God’s Word.
Second, the man is blessed because he concentrates on God’s Word. His “delight” is in the Law of the Lord.
The word “delight” means “extreme pleasure or satisfaction.” He is satisfied by the word recognizing that it is all-sufficient for his needs (Matt. 4:4; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3).
As he concentrates, notice that he “meditates.” The word “meditation” is an agricultural term used to describe a cow that chews on the cud. In other words, he “chews on” and deeply considers what he is reading and studying from God’s Word.
The text also says that he does this “day and night.” Daily Bible reading is important, but it is the application that makes a true difference (Jas. 1:22). Knowing what God wants you to do, considering why, and then putting it into practice with the right attitude, emphasis, and motive is what glorifies God!
The blessed man spent time in the Word of God and didn’t allow it to “go in one ear and go out the other.” He soaked it in and made application.
Because He is Complete in His Work.
Third and finally, the man is blessed because he is complete in his work. Because he spent time in the Law of the Lord and because he was satisfied by the Word, he was situated by the waters.
He is like that tree that is planted by the water not to be moved: “I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved” (Psalm 16:7-8). Jesus said, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:8).
The blessed man was bearing fruit to the glory of God and was prosperous in all that he did. God blessed him because he made the right decisions and spent his time wisely.
This is contrasted with the ungodly who were unstable, unwise, and would ultimately be unprepared. They did the exact opposite: They were not careful in their walk, were not concentrating on God’s Word, and as a result, they were not complete in their work.
If you and I want to be blessed by God, we can look at this model example and learn the value of spending serious time in the Word of God and making application to our lives to His glory.
May we study the content of Psalm One and model our behavior after the “blessed man.”
Drew Suttles is a minister for the Quitman church of Christ in Quitman, Georgia, and one of my best friends in this world. They live-stream all their Bible classes and sermons on their YouTube channel.
Drew also hosts the “Weathering the Storm” podcast on the Scattered Abroad Network. Drew talks about facing life’s challenges as a child of God. His podcast will be a blessing to your life.
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