PSALM 1

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It's no accident that this psalm is at the beginning of the book of psalms. This psalm sets up the fork in the road where you must choose which way to go. Here the two ways are the godly and the wicked. This psalm answers the timeless question, "How can I be happy?"

First-You must refuse certain things. 1 Blessed are those who do not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,

NOTE there are 3 stages for those who are out of the flow of God's blessing. 1. Walk in step with the wicked. 2. Stand in the way that sinners take. 3. Sit in the company of mockers.

Those who are out of the flow of God's blessing ignore God's Word and God's way and follow the herd--going along with the crowd.

Second-You must delight yourself in the Word of God. 2 but who delight in the law of the LORD and meditate on his law day and night.

NOTE those who are blessed by God find a certain "delight" in the Word of God. And this delight is characterized by meditating and ruminating over God's Word day and night.

Third-Those who delight in the Word of God will experience certain results. NOTE what these results are. 3 They are like a tree planted by streams of water,

1. They will have a purposeful life, like a tree that is nourished and refreshed by a stream of water. which yields its fruit in season

2. As a tree they will be fruitful in God's timing. What a privilege! and whose leaf does not wither-

3. As a fruitful tree, they will enjoy a healthiness and strength. whatever they do prospers.

4. NOTE whatever they do will prosper. Now that is an amazing statement for those who refuse to walk, stand or sit with the crowd that ignores God and His Word. This is an interesting picture of what it means to be truly happy.

Fourth-Those who do not delight in the Word of God experience certain results. 4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

NOTE that those who go along with the crowd and ignore God and His Word are like empty chaff rather than real grain and are so unstable and empty that they are simply blown away by the wind. There are no roots and no fruitfulness and their lives amount to nothing. There is no happiness here!

Fifth-God is for the righteous and the wicked will find destruction. 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 will be destroyed.

So, to be truly happy, delight yourself in God and His Word. To be unhappy, simply ignore it all. NOTE that there is no great performance required of the blessed. It is important to be interested enough to delight yourself in God and His Word. This reminds me of the statement, "God only requires one thing of man and that is that he be interested."

What are your interests? Delighting yourself in God and His Word or delighting yourself in going with the crowd that essentially ignores God? Remember, "Even if you win the rat race, you're still a rat!"