Wednesday 1st January
Read Psalm 1
“Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither –
whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.” (NIVUK)
The first psalm doesn’t ‘beat around the bush’, it goes straight to the heart of how mankind should live if we are to be ‘blessed’ and thrive. Our lives should involve deliberate avoidance of entanglement in the attitudes and actions of those who would oppose God’s purposes (wicked, sinners, scoffers); avoidance at many levels, be it bumping into these people in our daily activities (walk), in regular discussions (standing) or friendship groups (sitting). Such associations will not bring happiness, rather delight (happiness/blessing) will be found in prioritising listening to God through His word. God’s word is to be reflected-on at every opportunity (day and night). If this is the choice we make, then we will have access to a constant ‘stream’ of God’s resources that will strengthen and nourish us so that our life will be what it was designed to be. Those who oppose God will not last for long, no nourishment and provision, here today, gone tomorrow; they will not have an eternity of fellowship with God. Those who are ‘counted righteous’ will come together (assembly) and be cared for (watch over) by their Maker. Somehow the psalm captures the struggle of day-to-day living, our two ‘natures’, the old that desires to rebel against God and ‘enjoy’ wickedness and the ‘new’ that desires to know God and to live as he wants us to.
Geoff Hinch
