The Two Ways Set Before Every Soul (Psalm 1) | Augustine

Deep Dive into Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 1.8: Saint Augustine: Expositions on the Book of Psalms - Psalm 1In his exposition of Psalm 1, Saint Augustine identifies the "blessed man" as Jesus Christ, the "Lord Man," who stands in direct contrast to Adam, the "man of earth." While Adam succumbed to temptation and drew back from God, Christ remained untainted by the progression of sin. Augustine defines this progression as going away (drawing back from God), standing (taking pleasure in sin), and sitting (becoming confirmed in pride). He specifically links the "seat of pestilence" to hurtful doctrine and the pervasive human craving for earthly rule and glory.The righteous man’s relationship with the law is one of freedom rather than slavery. Augustine distinguishes between being "in the law"—acting freely according to its spirit—and being "under the law," where one is merely acted upon by the letter. Meditation on this law occurs "by day" during seasons of joy and "by night" during tribulations.Christ is also compared to a tree planted by running waters. These waters represent the Holy Spirit or the "fall" of sinful peoples, from which Christ draws to establish Churches as His fruit following His Resurrection and Ascension. His "leaves" represent the eternal Word, which never falls or becomes vain, ensuring that His deeds and words prosper.Conversely, the ungodly are likened to dust cast away by the wind of pride. Pride is the force that expels the inner man from the "earth" of steadfastness in God. Augustine argues that the ungodly do not "rise in the judgment" because their condemnation is already certain, or they lack the merit to sit in the "counsel" of the righteous. Ultimately, God's "knowledge" of the righteous signifies their eternal existence, whereas the perishing of the ungodly reflects a lack of true being, as God only "knows" that which abides in Him.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReformedExplainerSpotify Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1t5dz4vEgvHqUknYQfwpRI?si=e-tDRFR2Qf6By1sAcMdkdwhttps://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730