Psalm 1 - The Blessed Person

The very first word that introduces the Book of Psalms is one that should catch our attention. The work “Blessed”. Everyone wants to be blessed or at least feel they are being blessed! Basically “blessed” means to have a sense of “happiness” instead of sadness. I believe it also includes being completely satisfied, fulfilled, and a very good assurance that you are in a right relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. To be blessed, means that you know who you are, you accept yourself and have good self-worth. To be blessed, means you know your purpose in life and know where you are going. You live with confidence knowing that you are doing the right things and going in the right direction. Have you ever wondered what it really means when we pray and ask God to “bless” our church, our family, our friends, our missionaries our nation? We sing, “God bless America”. Are we asking God to do good things for lives, our families and friends, churches and nation? Generally, I think that is what we are thinking. But honestly, we should be thinking what I believe Psalm 1:1-3 is teaching us. It is obvious from these verses that being blessed is based on what we don’t do and what we should be doing. In other words, our being blessed is based on our attitudes and obedience to God and His Word. Jesus began each of His Beatitudes in Matthew 5 with this same word, “Blessed”. “Blessed are the poor in Spirit… Blessed are they that mourn… Blessed are the meek…. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst… Blessed are the pure in heart… Blessed are the merciful…Blessed are the peacemakers…” Did you notice that being blessed is always connected to an attitude or an inward character quality that we have are practicing. I like what I heard or read someone say years ago about the Beatitudes. They said, “The Beatitudes are attitudes that we should be or have in us.” Here in Psalm 1, the very first thing the Psalmist tells us are some things we shouldn’t be doing if we want to be “blessed.” We shouldn’t walk in the counsel of the ungodly, we shouldn’t stand with sinners, or we shouldn’t sit with scorners. Isn’t it interesting, that we are first told things we shouldn’t do or be doing. It reminds me also of the Ten Commandments. If you recall, they also come across as being negative. “Do not blaspheme God…. Do not worship idols…do not work on the Sabbath… do not murder… do not commit adultery… do not steal… do not lie… do not covet.” Did you notice in the Old Testament the instruction and commands that we are given are in the negative… Don’t, don’t, don’t… Both the Ten Commandments and this first Psalm seem to testify to this. But in the New Testament the very first recorded message of Jesus seems to be the opposite. Jesus goes deeper into our attitudes and heart and what we should be rather than what we shouldn’t be doing. First remember what John 1:17 said, “The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” And the New Testament teaches that the law is good and was given to show us that we need something more to do those things that glorify God. We need God’s grace through Jesus Christ to be right and to do right! So, first we need to avoid the counsel of those who are ungodly. The fact that we need counsel means that we are dealing with a problem or situation we don’t know what to do. We need help to solve or take care of it. It could be in our marriage, our workplace, our school, our church or anywhere for that matter. So where should we go to get help and answers? The secular, humanistic worldview is quick to give you advise that will be the opposite of the truth of God’s Word and godly people who know and understand His Word. Today, let me encourage you to always seek Biblical counseling in your time of need that will always be based on the Truth! God bless!