Psalm 1
The Blessed and the Banished Man
Pr Edi Giudetti
09-08-2020
There are 219 quotation of the Old Testament found in the New Testament, 116 of those Old Testament quotes are from the Psalms.
As a whole this book of Psalms has been referred to as “the epitome and Analogy of the Soul”.
Charles Spurgeon said “The Book of Psalms instructs us in the use of wings as well as words. It sets us both mounting and singing”.
There is something about the Psalms that should not surprise us; we serve a God who is a God of Order, he seems to love structure and purpose, we see this characteristic throughout creation and we see it in the Bible.
Strangely many people think the Psalms are just a haphazard collections randomly put together, but what we find instead as we study them is a marvellous and simple structure.
Just like the Old Testament has structure to it, and even structure within structure, so too it is with the Psalms.
What is of great interest is that the Psalms are found in the midst of the five Poetic books of the Bible and yet it itself is neatly divided into five very distinct sections.
What is most fascinating is that those very five sections measure themselveswonderfully with the first five books of the Bible, also known as The Pentateuch, or, the Five Books of Moses.
- There is the Genesis section of the Psalms which extends from Psalm 1-41 (Man is the focus, firstly seen in blessedness, then in his fall and then recovery)
- There is the Exodus Section of the Psalms from 42 to 72 ((Israel is the focus, its Ruin and then its redemption)
- The Leviticus section of the Psalms from 73 to 89 (Typically the Sanctuary is the focus here. The tabernacle, temple, house of God, the assembly of the people)
- Numbers from 90-106 (J Vernon McGee says speaks to the Peril and Protection with the Earth in View)
- And Deuteronic section from 107 to 150 (Speaks to Perfection and Praise of The Lord and of His Word)
The last thing that is worth noting in this introduction is that often one Psalm introduces several others to help explain it. That is, one Psalm will set the doctrine or the principal and several others will be employed to explain them.
It is as if God has set an order that he repeats again and again in the Bible.
Paul wrote that all scripture is given for ‘Doctrine, for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness”
We witness this structure in the New testament often;
- Romans: DOCTRINE
- 1ST and 2nd Corinthians: REPROOF
- Galatians: CORRECTION
- Ephesians: INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS
It should not surprise us if Gods word follows such an order as this, and no doubt the Psalms do a good job at representing God purpose and structure in them.
Psalm 1 interestingly sets up the next seven Psalms.
J VERNON MCGEE gives an interesting outline he sees to those first 8 Psalms
A. Perfect Man (Last Adam), Psalm 1
B. Rebellious Man, Psalm 2
C. Perfect Man Rejected, Psalm 3
D. Conflict between Seed of Woman and Serpent, Psalm 4
E. Perfect Man in Midst of Enemies, Psalm 5
F. Perfect Man in Midst of Chastisement (Bruising Heel), Psalm 6
G. Perfect Man in Midst of False Witnesses, Psalm 7
H. Repair of Man Comes through Man (Bruising Head), Psalm 8[1]
Psalm 1 reveals to us two distinct manner of lives, one is the perfect man, the other the wicked, one is The Blessed, the other is Banished Man.
Both live in distinct ways, both have distinct ends. One Prospers, the other perishes.
This will be our consideration today.
1 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. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 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.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Verse 1 What he does not do
1 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.
This first verse speaks of the blessed man from a negative perspective, it speaks of things that the blessed man does not do.
This is important, for there are many things that the wicked do that the blessed man simply does not do.
The passage does not command restriction, it’s simply one which identifies distinction.
Those who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, are BLESSED.
When the angel of the Lord led the people of Israel out of the Iron furnace, also known as Egypt, God gave them a law, a blessed law, one that created for them the greatest distinctions of all between them and the people of the world.
Never was there such a law as this, a manner of living that would see the people who obeyed that law as a blessed people, and they were.
But it was in the book of Leviticus where God gave the negative command to the people.
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God. 3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.
Chapters 18, 19 and 20 demonstrates some of the most perverse acts that the people of the world would excuse themselves to do as they lived completely unrestrained.
And it was for this cause that God used Israel as his tool of Judgement upon the wicked.
24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: 25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. (Lev 18:24-25)
Far too many people have judged God unrighteously thinking that he acts arbitrarily when he gave command to kill and to destroy people and nations, but we fail both to understand the severity of the sin of the people and the righteousness of God.
“The wages of sin is death” says the scriptures, and the Godless that God judged in the Old Testament received the recompense of their error which was meet.
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly
This is the man who will not live by the council of those who know not God.
It is a curious thing to see so many Christians today seeking the counsel of counsellors who do not know the Lord.
These will not be blessed, simply because 1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.
Consider what sort of council you will receive from an individual that does not even know the purpose or meaning of life?
What value can a man or woman who things they are a product of ‘goo through the zoo to you’ biology give a person who was created in the image of God?
How can a man be blessed who takes council from these who do not even have a sound basis for ethics or morality, or even thought?
Yes, here we are speaking of those trained in the arts of Psychology. The apothecary of Alchemists of the mind whose education came forth largely in the study of committed lunatic by the name of Fredrich Nietzsche .
It is difficult to consider how it is possible for people to be blessed by those indoctrinated in part or in full by the philosophies of a world that thinks life came about by accident and the mind came about by a random colocation of atoms, and yet there are even Christians who think they shall gain blessing from such council.
But the Bible says; 1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.
You will no doubt have friends, as I have had, that you thought might be able to impart to you some wisdom that may influence you. But take great care beloved, often times the ungodly desire to influence the blessed to be as they be, they place a stumbling block before you.
Those who walk in the counsel of the ungodly are those who accept the counsel of the ungodly.
Amos 3:3 says “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
Now this “Counsel” can certainly be both active AND passive.
On the one hand you have the active counsel mentioned above that has the direct effort to influence you, but do not be ignorant of the PASSIVE influence of those things you permit into your lives.
Yes, the music you listen to, the shows you watch, the movies you think are ONLY there to entertain you and not to influence you, influence you;
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
There is always an active effort pressed upon you to conform you to this world. Music and Movies are one of the most diabolical of all means because, you have not asked counsel of them, and yet each time you indulge them, they preach to you, they counsel you, and you walk in the counsel of the ungodly.
I wish I had time to bring out all the evidence for this, but suffice to say;
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.
, nor standeth in the way of sinners,
The Bible says “there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov 14:12)
To stand in the way of sinners does not refer to blocking their path, it refers to standing on the same side.
There seems to be a natural flow from walking in the counsel of the ungodly to standing in the way of sinners that few people are willing to acknowledge, and yet there it is in the scriptures.
Those who are influenced by the ungodly inevitably, if left unchecked, will also stand in the way of sinners.
Again and again we see the natural progression of the backslider, first they are moved and influenced by the ungodly, by their entertainments, by their indulgences, by their ambitions. But the influence does not seem to stop there, it continues and they find themselves standing in the way of sinners, siding with them on their lifestyle choices, doing what they do, talking like they talk.
There is an interesting passage in the New Testament related to Peter’s denial of the Lord Jesus, its worth turning there. Turn to Mark chapter 14:67-72
67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. 68 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. 69 And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. 70 And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. 71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. 72 And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.
To convince the sinners that he was not a disciple of Christ, to convince them that he was not influenced by Christ, and to show them convincingly that he stood in the way of them, “he began to curse and to swear”, up until then his speech agreed that he was a Galilaean disciple of Christ.
1 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.
Incredible how the backslider progresses from the influential councel of the ungodly, to the standing in the way with the sinner, consider Peter cursing and swearing, this is a prime candidate of godless influence being willfully permitted, and now to “sitting in the seat of the scornful”.
Those influenced in an ungodly manner are not blessed, but when they have fallen so far as to now pour scorn on the blessed, they have justified their sin and mock those who do not partake of the same.
Turn to 1 Peter 4:3-5
3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
To justify themselves in their sin, they pour scorn on those who will not sin as they do.
The blessed man however does not sit in the seat of the scornful, but when the man of God allows himself to be influenced by the ungodly, and then stand in the way of the sinner, it is no surprise to then see them sit in the seat of the scorful.
These are those things however that the blessed man DOES NOT DO.
1 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.
Verse 2 What he does do
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night
Here we have the positives, we spoke of the negetives, what the blessed man does not do, but here now we have the positives, what he does do, and the first thing we see is his delight in the scriptures.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
Probably the single most contrary act the blessed man does is delight in the law of the Lord. The reading of the Bible stands apart as an act so contrary to the world that all people take notice when the blessed man opens his Bible in a public setting, if you have never doen this, give it a try.
The blessed man’s delight for the scriptures see’s him turn to the book of books regularly and he loves it (Clearly, I and the scripture speak of women when using the generic pronoun ’man’ or ‘him’ or ‘he’. The historical use of the masculine pronoun as a generic term always included the feminine)
Psalm 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart
Psalm 112:1 Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
Psalm 119:35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.
Psalm 119:92 Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction
Job 23:12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
and in his law doth he meditate day and night
DAY: Psalm 119:97 O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
NIGHT: Psalm 119:148 Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
Unlike modern meditation madness where mysticism teaches the mind must meditate on nothing, true meditation is always having the mind focused on ONE thing.
To meditate is to think.
NEVER is the mind to be empty of thought, this is more dangerous than I have time to consider this morning, but note that this is the state of the blessed man, this is what identifies the blessed man;
in his law doth he meditate day and night
David was a blessed man, he loved the Law of God and it was his meditation all the day.
His eyes went before the night watchmen for one reason and one reason only and that was that he might meditate on the word of God.
Daily reading of the scriptures is good and should never be set aside, but the blessed man meditates upon it day and night.
This is not something to consider unusual, it was told to the nation of Israel by Moses saying;
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deut 6:6-7)
Beloved as long as your influences of the day and of the night are not that of the ungodly, you should have no problems also being the blessed man.
I do not consider myself blessed watching “farmer wants a wife”
I can’t say that any woman could ever think of herself as blessed watching “bachelor in paradise”, these are walking in the counsel of the ungodly, so I am not convinced it is the way of the blessed man or woman.
Clearly these things are what the blessed man does not do;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night
The precious nature of Psalm 1 is quite wonderful and many people they be that have committed these six verses to memory, but how many of those who have committed the Psalm to memory have also committed themselves to becoming the blessed man it speaks of?
David was,
I believe Jesus certainly was,
I could think Paul was
Peter was
John was
All were who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But their delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law do they meditate day and night.
There are none of us who could not also be the blessed man this verse speaks of if we might not do some things, but instead delight ourselves in the word of the living God.
Is there are gain to such a thing?
As if our delight in the scriptures were not enough, as if knowing how blessed we are for our love for the Lord is not enough, and yet there is indeed another gain;
Verse 3 What he gains
. 3 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.
River Red gums grow to 40m plus in height in Australia and you might be able to understand why.
Rivers of water have a ready source of nourishment and come to the tree always when it is needed.
The word of God is able to be just that for those who delight in the law of the Lord and Meditate on it day and night, 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
Consider what it must be like to have the answers to the most important questions you have in life as a ready source of nourishment just when you need them.
Gods words as a very present help in time of trouble. The very words of God from which you can draw the answers to decisions you make on a moment by moment basis;
HOW CAN YOU NOT BE BLESSED?
HOW CAN YOU NOT BRING FORTH YOUR FRIUT IN DUE SEASON?
You know, I am sure as I am of anything in my life that God would have us test him at his word. He would have us prove his faithfulness if only we might take him up on it again and again.
In Malachi, God chastises the people because they simply would not trust him with their money, they believed that if they gave to the Lord they would be ALL THE POORER, but God tells them they are poor because they will NOT believe him, and though they desire to keep what they have for the sake of wealth, God says that they will put their money into a bag filled with holes;
BUT his desire is that they would trust him at his word and he tells them to test him;
Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. 12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
Here in Malachi, God desire that they would trust him with their money.
Beloved, Psalm 1 shows the blessedness of the man who has trusted God with his TIME
3 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.
That is the account of the Blessed man, the last half of this Psalm is the account of the banished man.
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Verse 4 Temporary state of the godless
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
It amazes me how often we find ourselves envious of the godless man when all he is and all he has is as temporary as the morning dew.
We think he has wealth, God knows he is poor.
We think his life is blessed, God know it is accursed.
We think his state is secure, God says the ungodly are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
There is a temporary state of the ungodly, they do not love God, they do not desire to know God and therefore they do not have an eternal home with God, but will be just like the chaff which the wind driveth away, and the sadest thing of all is that is just what many want.
Dr William Provine, a historian of science and evolutionary biology was recorded during a debate on God, that he did not believe he would live on after he was dead but said, “but If I live on after I’m dead, I’m going to be really, really surprised; but at least, at least I’ll be in hell where I won’t have all those grinning preachers with me”.
Dr William Provine died in 2015.
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Verse 5 What they do not gain
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Two ways of reading the first part of this verse, Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment. Either they will not physically stand before the judgement of God, or that their case will not stand in the judgement.
There are many of the ungodly who believe that, if they see God, they will have a quarrel with him. Dr Richard Dawkins said he would ask God why he did not reveal himself more clearly.
Yet the Bible says “the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handiwork, day unto day uttereth speech and nigh unto night sheweth knowledge” Ps 19
There will be no person standing before Gods throne of judgment, for every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess to God. No, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous
The ungodly will not be in the congregation of the righteous, it is not their place.
Some of us have friends who enjoy our company but do not know the Lord, beloved unless you are willing to share the hope of Christ with them there will come a time where that company they now enjoy will be no longer.
If you have love for friends who do not know Christ, what sort of love is it that you are not willing to have their company for ever?
Beloved, the days are all drawing to a close, no person knows the time of their death and the ungodly who you might even love will not have a share with you and largely because you have never given them the opportunity! Is this love?
Why is Christ your secret?
Why are you ashamed of the Gospel?
There will be no sinner in the congregation of the righteous, this is evident especially with those who do not like your company now, but how sad it is that some do enjoy your company but have never heard from your lips a hope of eternal fellowship.
There are two ways to take this passage, one of which is that against those YOU see as wicked, the other is against those that are not reconciled to God.
You many have a horizontal relationship with them, but they need Christ more than they need you.
Verse 6 A Way that will be forgotten
6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
The way of the righteous is the way of the Lord, the blessed man lives in the manner in which the Lord had prescribed and designed from the first.
The blessed man was created for fellowship with God, this was seen with Adam before the fall as he walked and talked in the garden with God in the cool of the day.
This was seen in the last Adam, the Lord and the Saviour Jesus Christ who did all he did as commanded by the father, and as he communed with him in the garden of gethsemane.
This was seen in David, who delighted himself in the law of the Lord.
This can also be seen of you.
When you think of where you were before the Lord saved you, and where you are now since Christ wonderfully saved your soul, you can see that you are blessed indeed. You will dwell in the congregation of the righteous and you will be with the Lord for ever and for nothing that you have done other than believed the Gospel.
The righteous are not righteous because of anything they have done. We simply believed what Jesus did, we trusted God at his word and he saved us.
This is the blessed man who is known of God and will eternally dwell in the congregation of the righteous because the LORD koweth the way of the righteous.
BUT The ungodly will be forgotten.
Here they make a name for themselves, Presidents look for their legacy, they long to be remembered for something.
Some of them boast of their own wickedness and laugh at their sin.
Ex US President Barak Obama, Laughed at being referred to as setting up policies against Israel that will usher in the biblical end times, mocking he said, “now that’s a legacy….I mean Lincoln, Washington, they didn’t do that”.
If he will not turn to the Lord, both his legacy and life will be forgotten because the way of the ungodly shall perish.
“Chaff” is an astounding expression respecting the ungodly.
Chaff is the light outer casing of the grain and It is gathered when the harvest is white. In biblical times it could not be separated from the grain unless it is winnowed on the threshing floor.
The threshing floors are a high outside plateaus where the grain was either tossed into the air or dropped from a basket and the wind would carry away the chaff and the wheat retained.
The ungodly are ….. like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
the way of the ungodly shall perish.
[1] J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary: Poetry (Psalms 1-41), electronic ed., (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), 17:xii.
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