The Basic Equation of Life

Psalm 1
The Basic Equation of Life

Introductory Thoughts

· We live in a post-Christian society, if not an Anti-Christian society.

Ø God’s ways are ridiculed.
Ø Truth is ridiculed.
Ø If you have standards, you are the bad guy. If you believe in morals, you are the bad guy. If you understand God to have definite, non-negotiable doctrines, you are the bad guy.

· But even in churches, the man or woman truly committed to Biblical truth, lived out and believed, may find a chilly reception.

Ø Bible Vegetarians!
Ø Heb 5:12-14 "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

Ø 1 Cor 3:1-3 "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?"

Ø The result of this lack of Biblical Christianity is that often those outside see no difference between those in the church and those in the world.

Ø This psalm is about not conforming to the world, but being transformed by God as in Romans 12:1ff

· Martin Luther—“…this man is rare…”

· Preliminary matters

Ø In some manuscripts, this is not numbered, but it is considered as the introduction to the psalter—
ü It is almost as if the psalmist is saying, “You want to worship God? Here is the entrance exam, here is the character you will find in a true worshipper…”
ü God wants worshippers in Spirit and Truth
Ø Key word—blessed
Ø Style-contrast
Ø The psalm is a ready companion to the Sermon on the Mount
Ø The subject of the psalm is the blessed man or woman, the man or woman described in the beatitudes!

Ø Blessed—“ashre” in the plural form means “OH! the fullness of God’s blessings…”

Ø It corresponds to the Greek word for “blessed” in the beatitudes, which means “Happy!” (Kidner, Psalms 1-72 in Tyn OT)

1. What the Blessed Do Not Do— Psa 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…”

a. Note what defines blessedness è NOT material blessings, or even worldly happiness. Blessedness is defined by Godly Character, holiness, faithfulness to God and His Word
b. First of all, this is about lifestyle habits—“…Walks…” and “…stands…” are in the present tense—continuous action

c. Three words used for wicked people—These words are all used throughout the OT to correspond to those who are against God and against God’s people.

(1) Ungodly--7563. rasha', raw-shaw'; morally wrong; … an (actively) bad person…condemned, guilty, ungodly…

(a) Used 266 times in the OT to describe just about every type of evil doer.

(b) (TWOT) “…The measure of the word is its contrast with the character and attitude of God…”

(c) The fact is, that God is against RAWSHAWs

(d) A RAWSHAW is a person who is everything a believer should not be, a person utterly opposed to God and His Truth.

(2) Sinner—“khataw” This is (TWOT) “…a habitual sinner who is subject to punishment because of his practices…” This is an intensive word, indicating a criminal

(3) Scornful—luwts (loots) (TWOT—“Fools scorn and mock at sin (Pr 14:9) and judgment (Pr 19:28) The scorner…may himself described as proud…haughty…(Prov 21:24)…resistant to all reproof, and hating any rebuke, (prov 9:8, 13:1) Wisdom and knowledge easily elude him (Pr 14:6).”

d. A note of warning—with the common twisted view of cheap grace that prevails in our day, you will find many of this type who are prominent and active churchgoers and professing Christians!

e. The Progression of evil that is implied here—walks, stands, sits—the blessed man or woman are those who do not fall into this progressive path of ruin.

(1) The Blessed do not Walk in the Counsel of the Ungodly—Prov 4:14-19

(a) Remember who the RAWSHAW is, and how God feels about the RAWSHAW.

(b) No believer should seek counsel from such a man or woman.

(c) Examples

(i) Successful men of business
(ii) Wicked professionals
(iii) Psychology and relationship gurus
(iv) Motivational Speakers
(v) “Self-esteem” teachers.

(d) The message is, don’t go to the ungodly for advice, period.

(2) The Blessed do not Stand in the Way of Sinners—(way = path)

(a) “I’m just gonna stand in this path, not walk in it.”

(b) First, a man listens to their counsel, then he comes over to stand in their path.

(c) The professing Christian says, “I’m just over here to witness to them.” Right. The real influence almost always goes in the other direction.

(3) The Blessed do not Sit in the scorner’s seat—God’s people will sit alone if they have to. Jer 15:17 "I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation."

(a) The fool listens to their advice
(b) Then the fool hangs around with them.
(c) Now the fool sits in their teacher’s seat—he is one of them, their leader!
(d) This can happen to a child of God, with disastrous results!

(4) The Example of Lot

(a) He first picked the good-looking ground around Sodom. We don’t know whether he listened to ungodly counsel, or if his own greed blinded his moral vision, but he started in a limited way, ignoring the wickedness of the society to which he was taking his family. Gen 13:12-13 "Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly."

(b) Next we find him living in Sodom Gen 14:12 "And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed."

(c) Before too many years is up, he is a city official (in all probability) sitting in the gate at Sodom. Gen 19:1 "And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;"

(d) He calls the wicked men of Sodom “brethren.” Gen 19:7 "And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly."

(e) His family is ruined—Gen 19:14-15 "And Lot went out, and spake unto…”

(i) “… his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. Beside the two daughters of Lot with which we are commonly familiar, he had other daughters, with husbands—Maybe grandchildren (we don’t know)—these all perished in Sodom, and they were probably all lost people!
(ii) 15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city."
(iii) His wife perished
(iv) His two surviving daughters tricked their father into incest, and Lot ended up fathering two tribes which were Israel’s greatest enemies—Moab and Ammon

(f) The New Testament Commentary on Lot—2 Pet 2:7-8 "…. just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

· Bottom line, you cannot play footsie with the world without getting burned! 1 John 2:15-17 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."

· This is what the blessed man or woman does NOT do—but why? Why does the blessed man or woman NOT fall into this quagmire?

2. The Blessed DO— 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

a. First, language notes

(1) Delight—higher joy

(2) Meditate (Josh 1:8) “…to consider and think about continually and customarily—to mutter to one’s self, and habitually—“…the Law to this man was more than a mere rule after which he was to frame his outward life, that it was food and [medicine] to his spirit…” (Perowne)

b. Delight in God’s Word—

(1) This is not a theoretical thing, it is real. Not admiration, but dedication.

(2) The people of God don’t listen to the counsel of the wicked, stand in the path of the wicked, or sit in the scorner’s seat, but they get their counsel and way from the Bible.

c. Study and meditate on The Bible day and night.

(1) Again, the Word “meditate,” means “to ponder while talking to himself.”

(2) Josh 1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

d. Compare with verse 1

(1) The counsel of the Godly person is God’s Word
(2) The Godly path is to follow God’s Word—Psa 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path."
(3) The Godly man sits at God’s table
(4) The key—Mat 28:18-20

3. Results of the Godly Way— 3 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.

a. Language note—“…planted…” is a passive participle—“going on being planted…”

b. Like a Tree—

(1) The wicked are like chaff, the righteous like a tree.
(2) A similar contrast: Jer 17:5-8 "Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. 6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. 7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit."

c. Like a well-watered and nourished tree.

(1) Cultural light—it is hard for us to appreciate the depth of this illustration. “…When all else was parched and sterile, the brooks of water…[were green]…There the grass was freshest and greenest, and there the trees flourished…” Perowne.
(2) Is there drought in your spiritual life? Read and meditate on the Word.
(3) Is there hunger in your spiritual life? Eat the Word!
(4) Are you avoiding the Counsel, way, and seat of the Ungodly? If not, that may be the cause of the drought.
(5) The Lord cleanses His church through the Word:

Eph 5:25-26 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,"
(6) John Bunyan: “Either this book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book.”

d. Like a Fruitful Tree— that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

(1) If a believer avoids the counsel, way, and seat of sinners, and meditates and studies the Bible consistently, he will be fruitful!

(2) The Fruit of the Spirit—a Godly lifestyle—Gal 5:22-24 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

e. Like an evergreen tree— “…his leaf also shall not wither (fade) ; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper…”

(1) A believer who follows this advice will not be out of season—2 Tim 4: 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

(2) A believer who follows this Psalm will not fade with age, but will grow.

f. Whatever he does shall prosper (spiritually)—an often misapplied and misquoted passage is è 3 John 1:1-4 "The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."

4. The Results of the Ungodly way—“…4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish."

a. Not so… Whatever we said about the Godly, the Ungodly are not so…

(1) Not like a nourished, fruitful tree
(2) Not meditating and delighting in God’s Word
(3) Not avoiding the counsel, way, and seat of the wicked.

b. The Ungodly are like chaff, which the wind blows away. The storm of life devastate them, and the great storm, the judgment, will ruin them.

c. The ungodly will not stand up to God’s judgment.

d. The ungodly will not stand in the blessed company of the Redeemed. Oh, some are among us now, but in that day, God’s people will be a pure company.

5. The Lord Knoweth—6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish."

a. The Way of the Righteous

(1) “Or, as the Hebrew hath is yet more fully, “The Lord is knowing the way of the righteous.” (Spurgeon)

(2) Job 23:10 "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

(3) He knows everything about our way, because He directs our paths—Prov 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

(4) He knows our way, because He walked in our way.

(5) He knows our way, because He IS our way. John 14:6

b. The way of the wicked, He does not know.

(1) Now, He knows about their way; He has the information.
(2) But He does not KNOW their way intimately, because He never walked in it.
(3) And the way of the wicked will perish—not just them, but their way…

Application

1. First, where are you standing now?
2. Where do you get your advice about life, love, family, work, business?
3. If the answer in every case is not “the Word of God,” then you have a problem.
4. Before us is set tonight a clear standard and a clear choice. There is no middle ground.