(Psalm 1:1-2)(HCSB) Happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path of sinners, or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord's instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.I love reading the Psalms. And each time I start over at Psalm 1, I'm intrigued by the two ways or paths that the psalmist contrasts. We have the way of the wicked, or the path of sin, and the way of the righteous, or the path of praise. When we look at the metaphors used to describe the righteous and the wicked, it always humbles me to realize that I'm counted with the righteous, not because of anything I've done or anything I am apart from Christ, but only because of what Christ has done for me and is doing through me. It also inspires me to continue striving to live the righteous life that God has called me to, realizing that it's only by God's grace and mercy that I'm not following the way of the wicked today.
As we can see in verses 1-3, when we forsake the way of the wicked and the path of sin, and instead turn to the Lord and the path of praise, praising Him by delighting in His Word and reading it, studying it, meditating on it day and night; God in turn blesses us tremendously. Look at how verse 3 describes the blessings of the righteous person: He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. (HCSB)
I love it! God plants us beside streams of water to sustain us so that we won't wither, we bear fruit when it's time, and everything we do prospers! Wow! The same can't be said for the wicked however, as we see in the verses to follow:
(v.4) the wicked are like chaff that's blown away with the wind
(v.5) the wicked will not survive the judgment
sinners will not be in the community of the righteous
(v.6) the way of the wicked leads to ruin
I'm glad that the Lord watches over the way of the righteous! (v.6) And I'm happy to realize that I'm that "happy man" referred to in verse 1 because of what Jesus did for me on the cross. He made atonement for my sins (and yours) once and for all, so that I don't have to continue following theway of the wicked. Instead, I can choose to delight in the Lord's instruction and follow the path of praise!