Salmos 1
Adam Clarke · Citado em PreceptAustin
Salmos 1:1
Clarke - The word ashrey, which we translate blessed, is properly in the plural form, blessednesses; or may be considered as an exclamation produced by contemplating the state of the man who has taken God for his portion; O the blessedness of the man! And the word haish, is emphatic: THAT man; that one among a thousand who lives for the accomplishment of the end for which God created him. 1. God made man for happiness. 2. Every man feels a desire to be happy. 3. All human beings abhor misery. 4. Happiness is the grand object of pursuit among all men. 5. But so perverted is the human heart, that it seeks happiness where it cannot be found; and in things which are naturally and morally unfit to communicate it. 6. The true way of obtaining it is here laid down. In context, the psalmist expands the meaning of blessed in Psalm 1, explaining in picture language that the blessed man is like a tree by water, a striking image in an arid land where water is sparse and greatly valued. And thus planted by the precious water (and not a stagnant pool but a stream of flowing water!). And too the blessing is pictured as like a tree that is fruitful in season with an unwithering leaf. And such a one prospers in all he does. He is blessed indeed! And finally the psalmist goes on to explain the greatest blessing of all, the blessing of being known by Jehovah and the privilege of standing in the assembly of the righteous of all the ages. The blessed man is stabilized in the storms by these truths regarding his present and his future. Martin Luther comments that ""blessed" is a plural noun, ashrey (blessednesses), that is, all blessednesses are the portion of that man who has not gone away, etc.; as though it were said, "All things are well with that man who," etc. Why do you hold any dispute? Why draw vain conclusions? If a man has found that pearl of great price, to love the law of God and to be separate from the ungodly, all blessednesses belong to that man; but, if he does not find this jewel, he will seek for all blessednesses but will never find one!" COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS! Spurgeon... Those that trust in Him are blessed; and I would observe, first, that they are really blessed. It is no fiction, no imaginary blessing; it is a real blessedness which belongs to those who trust in God: a blessedness that will stand the test of consideration, the test of life, and the trial of death; a blessedness into which we cannot plunge too deeply, for none of it is a dream, but all a reality. Again, those that trust in Him have not only a real blessedness, but they oftentimes have a conscious blessedness. They know what it is to be blest in their troubles, for they are in their trials comforted, and they are blest in their joys, for their joys are sanctified. They are blest and they know it, they sing about it and they rejoice in it. It is their joy to know that God’s blessing is come to them not in word only but in very deed. They are blessed men and blessed women. “They would not change their blest estate For all the world calls good and great.” Then, further, they are not only really blessed, and consciously blessed, but they are increasingly blessed. Their blessedness grows. They do not go downhill, as the wicked do, from bright hope to black despair. They do not diminish in their delights, the river deepens as they wade into it. They are blessed when the first ray of heavenly light streams on their eyeballs; they are blessed when their eyes are opened wider still, to see more of the love of Christ; they are blessed the more their experience widens, and their knowledge deepens, and their love increases. They are blessed in the hour of death, and, best of all, their blessedness increases to eternal blessedness,—the perfection of the saints at the right hand of God. “Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” John
Salmos 1:1
Clarke writes... Mark certain circumstances of their differing characters and conduct. The ungodly man has his counsel. The sinner has his way; and The scorner has his seat. The ungodly man is unconcerned about religion; he is neither zealous for his own salvation nor for that of others; and he counsels and advises those with whom he converses to adopt his plan, and not trouble themselves about praying, reading, repentance, etc., etc.; "there is no need for such things; live an honest life, make no fuss about religion, and you will fare well enough at last." Now "blessed is the man who walks not in this man's counsel," who does not come into his measures, nor act according to his plan. The sinner has his particular way of transgressing; one is a drunkard, another dishonest, another unclean. Few are given to every species of vice. There are many covetous men who abhor drunkenness, many drunkards who abhor covetousness; and so of others. Each has his easily besetting sin; therefore, says the prophet, "Let the wicked forsake HIS WAY." (Isaiah 55:7) Now, blessed is he who stands not is such a man's WAY. The scorner has brought, in reference to himself, all religion and moral feeling to an end. He has sat down -- is utterly confirmed in impiety, and makes a mock at sin. His conscience is seared, and he is a believer in all unbelief. Now, blessed is the man who sits not down in his SEAT. Thomas Adams wrote of the scoffers that... when a wicked man comes to the depth and worst of sin, he despiseth. Then the Hebrew will despise Moses (Exodus 2:14), "Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?" Then Ahab will quarrel with Micaiah (1Kings 22:18), because he doth not prophecy good unto him. Every child in Bethel will mock Elisha (2Kings 2:23), and be bold to call him "bald pate." Here is an original drop of venom swollen to a main ocean of poison: as one drop of some serpents' poison, lighting on the hand, gets into the veins, and so spreads itself over all the body till it hath stifled the vital spirits. God shall "laugh you to scorn," (Psalms 2:4), for laughing Him to scorn; and at last despise you that have despised him in us. That which a man spits against heaven, shall fall back on his own face. Your indignities done to your spiritual physicians shall sleep in the dust with your ashes, but stand up against your souls in judgment. ARE YOU BLESSABLE? Warren Wiersbe sums up Psalm 1:1 noting that... God enjoys blessing your life, but you must be “blessable.” That means having discernment (v. 1), avoiding the steps that lead to sin: considering sin (walking), contemplating sin (standing), being comfortable in sin (sitting). Watch that first step! (Wiersbe, W: With the Word: Chapter-by-Chapter Bible Handbook. Nelson - available for borrow from archive.org) The Escalator Going the Wrong Direction Picture someone stepping onto a downward-moving escalator while trying to go up. Every step forward is dragged downward by the machine beneath their feet. That’s what worldly counsel does. It always pulls you lower, never higher. The blessed person chooses the other escalator—the upward path of God’s Word. The Three Chairs Imagine three chairs in a room: Chair 1 – Walking: You pass by and hear the world’s counsel. Chair 2 – Standing: You pause, interested… and linger. Chair 3 – Sitting: You settle in and adopt their mindset. Sin rarely starts with sitting; it starts with slowing down. Where you sit eventually shapes who you become! The Fork in the Forest In a quiet forest, a trail splits in two. One path is well-worn, wide, and muddy with footprints heading downward. The other is narrow, winding upward toward sunlight. Psalm 1:1 stands at this fork and whispers, “Blessed is the one who chooses the uphill path toward God.” The Magnetic Pull A compass responds instantly to a magnetic field. Place a magnet near it, and the needle jerks away from true north. Worldly counselors are like hidden magnets. They quietly pull the heart away from true north—God’s Word. The blessed person keeps the “magnet” far away. No magnet, no drift. Wet Footprints on a Pool Deck After leaving a pool, wet feet leave a trail. Anyone watching knows exactly where you’ve been. Your walk (choices), your stand (loyalties), and your seat (identity) leave spiritual footprints behind you. Psalm 1 asks: Do your footprints lead toward God or away from Him? The Gradual Slide Think of a child sitting at the top of a playground slide. He doesn’t fall all at once—he edges forward slowly. One inch at a time… until gravity takes over and down he goes. Walking… standing… sitting… Sin’s slide is always gradual, and then suddenly. Blessed is the one who never even sits down at the top. The Wrong GPS Voice A man is driving and chooses the wrong navigation voice on his GPS—a sarcastic “comic mode” that sends him toward dead-end roads just for laughs. Worldly counsel is exactly that kind of voice: entertaining, clever, and absolutely directionless. The blessed man switches back to the only voice that knows the way: God’s Word. A Tree Planted Upstream A wise farmer tells his son: “If you want clean water for the tree, don’t plant near the dump.” The blessed person plants his life upstream—far from polluted counsel, far from corrupted paths, far from cynical company. Where you plant determines what you become. The Company You Keep Walk into a perfume shop—you leave smelling good. Walk into a smoke-filled bar—you leave smelling like the air you inhaled. Atmosphere always clings. Psalm 1 is God’s reminder to choose your air wisely. The Subtle Drift of a Boat A boat tied to the dock stays secure. Untie the rope—even with calm water—and it drifts quietly, unnoticed. The blessed person keeps the rope tied tight: No drifting counsel No drifting companions No drifting compromise Because drift never leads toward God. Hebrews 2:1-3+ For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, The Air You Breathe Step into a room filled with pure oxygen and your lungs feel alive. (Actually it is not good to breathe pure oxygen - I am a physician) Step into a room filled with smoke and you cough immediately. You can’t breathe smoke all week and expect to live in oxygen on Sunday. Psalm 1:1 reminds us: Blessed people choose their atmosphere, because atmosphere shapes appetite. The Cancer of Cynicism Cynics don’t start out scoffing. They begin by listening… then laughing… then mocking. Like cancer, scoffing spreads quietly—cell to cell, thought to thought. Psalm 1:1 is chemotherapy for the soul: Cut the cynics out early, before they metastasize. The Three-Way Roadblock Imagine a road with three warning signs: Road Narrows – Walking Bridge Out – Standing STOP – Do Not Enter – Sitting Ignoring the first sign leads to the second. Ignoring the second leads to the third. Ignoring the third leads to disaster. The blessed man heeds the very first sign. The Voice in the Crowd A child in a stadium hears 20,000 voices shouting, but one voice cuts through all the noise—his father’s voice. In a world filled with ungodly counsel, the blessed person listens for one voice above the crowd:the Shepherd’s. The Rotten Bench A park bench looks clean, inviting, sturdy. But sit down, and you realize it’s rotten underneath—and you fall straight through. That’s what the “seat of scoffers” is like: it looks comfortable until you sit, and then it collapses beneath you. The Subtle Whisper Think of a serpent in a garden whispering pleasant lies. Sin rarely shouts—it whispers. It offers “counsel” that sounds wise, compassionate, open-minded. But the blessed person knows: If the counsel contradicts Scripture, it is the hiss of the serpent. (cf Genesis 3:1+ "Indeed, has God said?") The Guardrail on the Mountain Road Driving up a mountain at night, you’re grateful for guardrails. Not because you want to hit them, but because they keep you from disaster. Psalm 1:1 is a guardrail for the soul. God’s “do not walk, do not stand, do not sit” is not punishment—it’s protection (from falling off the cliff suffering severe injury, even death!) The Beacon on the Harbor A lighthouse doesn’t argue; it simply shines. Boats that ignore the light hit the rocks. Boats that heed the light reach home safely. Psalm 1:1 is God’s lighthouse saying: Avoid the rocky shoreline of the wicked—follow the light of My Word. A holy life will make the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns, they just shine. -- D L Moody The Invisible Seeds A farmer walks through his field scattering seeds. Some are good seeds, some are weeds—but all look the same at first. Worldly counsel often looks harmless in seed form. But plant it in your mind, and months later it becomes a thornbush. The blessed man screens the seed before it hits the soil. The Headphones of the Heart Picture a jogger running through a noisy city with noise-canceling headphones. He’s surrounded by clamor but hears none of it. Psalm 1:1 teaches the art of spiritual noise cancellation. The blessed person filters the world’s counsel through the truth of Scripture—every worldly voice is muted by the Word. The Campfire Circle Sit close to a campfire and you smell like smoke for hours. Stand beside mockers or cynics for long—and their smoke clings to you spiritually. Psalm 1:1 says: Blessed people choose their fires wisely. The Invitation with the Fine Print The world hands you an invitation: “Come sit with us—share our thoughts, share our jokes, share our values.” In bold print: “Fun, freedom, acceptance.” But in the fine print: “Guilt, regret, bondage, spiritual coldness.” The blessed man reads the fine print—and declines the invitation. The Poison Trail Mix Imagine someone gives you a bag of trail mix. Most pieces are harmless… but one peanut is poisonous. Worldly “counsel” is exactly like that: mostly harmless sounding, just poisonous enough to kill your joy. The blessed man throws the whole bag away. The Waiting Room You enter a doctor’s office for a check-up. Three doors: Door 1: Walking in ungodly counsel Door 2: Standing with sinners Door 3: Sitting with scoffers Behind each door is a spiritual diagnosis—worse than the last. The blessed man stays in the waiting room until the Doctor calls. The Construction Zone On a bridge under construction, signs clearly warn: Do Not Enter – Structure Unstable. The wicked offer counsel built on unstable beams—human wisdom, temporary pleasure, shifting morals. Psalm 1:1 is God’s flashing sign: Don’t build your life on scaffolding that will collapse. The Wrong Bus A man waits at a bus stop. Two buses arrive: One heading away from where he wants to go One heading toward his destination Psalm 1:1 is God saying: Don’t get on the wrong bus — it will take you places you never intended to go. Counsel is a bus; wherever you board determines your destination. The Spider’s Web A fly lands near a web — not in the web, but near it. It feels safe because it hasn’t touched the sticky threads. But each step closer reduces its margin of safety. Walking… standing… sitting… The world’s web is woven with subtlety. Blessed is the one who stays far from the web’s edge. The First Drift of a Snowflake Avalanches begin with one drifting snowflake landing where it shouldn’t. One counsel accepted. One step taken. One seat occupied. Small beginnings; catastrophic endings. Blessed people don’t let the first flake settle. Technical Note - This is a poetic statement, not literally true — but it illustrates something real. Avalanches often occur when a very small trigger disturbs an already unstable snowpack. In avalanche science: A slope can sit dangerously unstable for days with no movement. A tiny added stress —a skier, a deer, a loud vibration, even a single snowflake or gust of wind — can set off the collapse. So the idea that “one snowflake” can trigger a disaster symbolizes this reality: When a system is already at critical instability, a tiny additional force can unleash a huge reaction. The Contaminated Fountain Imagine a beautiful public fountain. Sparkling water. Cool, refreshing. But hidden in the pipes is poison — invisible but deadly. The world’s counsel often looks clean on the surface. But corruption is in the pipes. Blessed people drink from a different fountain — God’s Word. Comment: This actually happened in Flint, Michigan that giving rise to the Flint water crisis was a public health crisis from 2014 to 2019 which involved the drinking water for the city of Flint, Michigan, being contaminated with lead and possibly Legionella bacteria.[2] The Quicksand Patch The ground looks normal — even solid. Step on it, and you find yourself sinking. Stand long enough, and you cannot escape. That’s the “path of sinners”: Looks safe. Feels safe. Isn’t safe. The Stained Glass Window Stand outside a cathedral and stare at the stained glass — it seems dark and dull. Step inside where the light shines through — it becomes breathtaking. Worldly counsel keeps you outside the cathedral. God’s counsel brings you inside, where light transforms everything. Blessed is the one who steps inside. The Windshield vs. the Rearview Mirror Driving with full attention on the rearview mirror guarantees a crash. Walking in the counsel of the wicked is living by backward philosophy —old patterns, old habits, old lies. The blessed person looks through the windshield —toward God’s way, God’s will, God’s Word. The Rotten Fruit Dresser Imagine buying a beautiful fruit bowl to hold apples. Every week, the apples rot faster than before. At first you blame the fruit. Later you discover: the bowl itself is contaminated. Worldly counsel is a contaminated bowl. No matter what you put into it, it rots your fruit. Technical note: It is true that a contaminated bowl can cause apples to rot faster, depending on what kind of contamination is present. The Noise of the Marketplace Stand in an ancient marketplace and you hear 100 voices shouting at you —each one claiming to have the best deal. The world is a marketplace of opinions. The blessed person keeps walking until the crowd’s voices fade and the Shepherd’s voice is the only one left. The Wrong Table at the Banquet A banquet hall is filled with tables. Some labeled “Mockers,” “Sinners,” “Fools.” One table labeled “Those Who Fear the Lord.” Sit at the wrong table, and you end up eating the world’s food: bitterness, sarcasm, compromise. Blessed people choose their table by choosing their company. The Slow Leak in the Tire A tire doesn’t go flat instantly. It leaks slowly — one pound at a time. Walking with the wicked doesn’t ruin a heart in a moment. It deflates slowly — joy seeps out, peace seeps out, courage seeps out. Blessed is the one who patches the leak immediately. The Dark Alley Shortcut You’re tempted to take a shortcut through a dim alley to save time. It seems harmless, even efficient. But danger lurks where shadows are thick. Worldly counsel always presents itself as a shortcut. Psalm 1:1 whispers: No shortcut is worth the danger. The Unplugged Refrigerator A refrigerator looks fine on the outside. The door opens. The shelves are there. But if it isn’t plugged in, everything inside rots. Standing in the path of sinners is living unplugged from God’s power. The external may look fine — but inside, things spoil. The Distracted Hiker A hiker checks his phone for one moment while walking along a mountain ridge. That single moment of distraction almost pulls him off the trail. Walking in the world’s counsel is a distraction —and on a spiritual ridge, distractions are deadly. The Wrong Schoolroom Three classrooms: The counsel of the wicked teaches rebellion. The path of sinners teaches compromise. The seat of scoffers teaches cynicism. Psalm 1:1 says: Enroll in none of them. Your teacher is the Lord. John Butler - Sermon Starters - HOW TO BE HAPPY Psalm 1:1 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1) The word “Blessed” in our text means spiritual prosperity and pleasure. It could well be translated, “Happy.” Therefore this first Psalm which opens the book of Psalms tells us how to be happy. This chapter in both a negative and positive way tells us what to do and not to do if we want to be happy. Our verse is in the negative and says there are three things one must not do if he expects to be happy. FIRST—UNGODLY COUNSEL “Blessed is the man that walked not in the counsel of the ungodly.” The world’s counsel is unholy and will destroy happiness. If you listen to the advice of the world you will end up in more trouble and less happiness that when you started. The world is ready to give counsel. The Ann Landers and astrology columns in the newspaper give much advice. But this advice is seldom, if ever, in accordance with the Word of God. Ungodly counsel does not include the Word of God. It is counsel that the Word opposes. If you want true happiness in life, do not listen to worldly advice in character matters. Worldly advice will not bring you happiness but regrets and sorrow. And in many cases it will deplete your pocketbook as well. SECOND—UNGODLY CONDUCT “Nor standeth in the way of sinners.” This means to not do as the sinner does. It means to not act as the sinner. The world has their standards and they are certainly not God’s standards. They are immoral, corrupt, and defiled in their conduct. Yes, there is pleasure in sin, but it is only for a season (Hebrews 11:25) then comes the eternity of sorrow. Political correctness and cultural are only clever terms for worldly conduct. Such conduct is not advocated in the Scriptures. The key to happiness is holiness. The world scorns that fact but scorning does not change the fact. If you want to be happy, be holy. There is no true happiness apart from holiness. THIRD—UNGODLY COMPANIONS “Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” Our text says at least two things about scorners who make bad company. • The character of scorners. “Seat” indicates that scorners often have high and respected position. Spurgeon said, “The seat of the scornful may he very lofty, but it is very near the gate of hell.” The scorner is irreverent, and does not respect the things of God. The scorner does not bring happiness to the world. But honoring God does. • The company of scorners. “Sitteth” speaks of keeping company with scorners. Choose your companions with care. Unholy companions have a bad influence upon you. Keeping company with the foul mouthed and those who scorn God will not bring happiness, but much sorrow to your life. A sanctified mouth is not a scornful mouth. (Sermon Starters) A W Tozer - It is my judgment that too many of us go to church on Sunday for the same reason that a child climbs into its mother’s arms after a fall or a bump or a fright—the child wants consolation! We have fallen upon times when religion is mostly for consolation—for we are in the grip of the cult of peace. We want to relax and have the great God Almighty pat our heads and comfort us with peace of mind, peace of heart, peace of soul. This has become religion! According to my Bible, there should be a people of God, a people called of God and subjected to a spiritual experience by God. Then they are to learn to walk in the way of Truth and the way of the Scripture, producing the righteous fruit of the child of God no matter what world conditions may be. But there is a great misunderstanding among us. Too many tend to think that we get the flower and the fragrance and the fruit of the Spirit by some kind of magical shortcut, instead of by cultivation. Meanwhile, our neighbors are waiting to see the likeness of Christ in our daily lives! Henry Blackaby - It is no accident that some people consistently experience God’s blessing on their lives and others do not. Is it because God loves some people more than others? You already know the answer to that one. What is the difference then? It all depends on people’s choices. The Bible says there are things we can do and things we can avoid doing that will determine God’s blessings in our lives. One extremely important factor is the friends we choose. If we allow sinful people to influence us, we shouldn’t be surprised when God doesn’t bless our lives. It’s impossible to spend prolonged time in the company of ungodly people without being affected by their sinful attitudes. Even if our motivation is to provide a positive influence on them, we need to have our eyes wide open and be extremely cautious of the dangers, or the influence will end up going the wrong way. When we sit down with mockers, it takes great effort to avoid being dragged into a cynical, sinful spirit ourselves. On the other hand, if we choose the friends we know God wants us to have, we’ll find our lives overflowing with blessings. As we spend time with those whose lives please God, we’ll find strength and encouragement to live pure, meaningful lives ourselves. When we make the effort to seek direction from his Word, we’ll not wander down dangerous roads that lead only to despair. We’ll know where we’re headed, and we won’t be lured off the right path by others. God does not arbitrarily choose to bless one person and not another. We determine, by our own choices, whether we’ll open our lives up to the good things God has in store for us. The Man Who Is Careful Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. PSALM 1:1 It is not for you to be seen standing, much less to be found sitting down with men of loose manners and lewd converse. You may have heard the story—but it is so good it will bear repeating—of the lady who advertised for a coachman and was waited upon by three candidates for the situation. She put to the first one this question: “I want a really good coachman to drive my pair of horses, and therefore I ask you, how near can you drive to danger and yet be safe?” “Well,” he said, “I could drive very near indeed; I could go within a foot of a precipice without fear of any accident so long as I had the reins.” She dismissed him with the remark that he would not do. To the next one who came, she put the same question. “How near could you drive to danger?” Being determined to get the place, he said, “I could drive within a hair’s breadth and yet skillfully avoid any mishap.” “You will not do,” said she. When the third one came in, his mind was cast in another mold, so when the question was put to him, “How near could you drive to danger?” he said, “Madam, I never tried. It has always been a rule with me to drive as far off from danger as I possibly can.” The lady engaged him at once. In like manner, I believe that the man who is careful to run no risks and to refrain from all equivocal conduct, having the fear of God in his heart, is most to be relied upon. (At the Master's Feet) Gregg Laurie - 58 THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF A HAPPY LIFE To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness. Ecclesiastes 2:26 Life in the kingdom of God isn’t about all the trappings of a so-called happy life. But that doesn’t mean it’s a miserable, restricted life either. Psalm 1:1 speaks of how to live a happy life: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” The world “blessed” can also be translated “O how happy.” So if you want to be a happy person, you need to do what this psalm encourages. Psalm 1 begins not with the power of positive thinking but with the power of negative thinking. It’s telling us that if we want to be happy, we can begin by avoiding certain things that make it impossible for happiness to flourish. These things are poisonous and counterproductive. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. . . .” Happiness is found in what we don’t do. PRACTICING HAPPINESS But it is also found it what we do. Psalm 1 continues, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers” (verses 2–3). The happy person of Psalm 1 stays in God’s Word. Amazingly, at the time this psalm was written, “the law of the Lord” consisted only of the first five books of Moses. So how much more should we Christians today practice meditating on God’s Word? After all, we have sixty-six books to read! Keep in mind too that this verse doesn’t say “his drudgery is in the law of the Lord,” or “his dread is in the law of the Lord,” not even “his duty is in the law of the Lord,” although one could make a case for the dutiful study of Scripture. Instead, it is our delight and privilege to read the words of our God each day. FOUR SIMPLE QUESTIONS A number of Christians I know have a hard time reading the Bible. They don’t quite know how to apply its truths to their lives today. I encourage people to learn how to read the Bible in a methodical, meaningful, meditative way, asking certain questions as we meditate on God’s Word: • Is there any sin here for me to avoid? • Is there any promise for me to claim? • Is there any victory to gain? • Is there any blessing to enjoy? This psalm tells us that happiness is found in being both reactive and proactive, resisting what’s wrong and embracing what’s right. If we do this, the Bible says, we will find happiness. THE TRUE GOSPEL This is the great Christian paradox. In fact, if this element is not present, then it is not the authentic gospel, because the gospel begins with a cross. If you hear a so-called gospel proclaimed from a pulpit, on TV, or on the radio, and that gospel does not begin with a cross and the fact that some part of you has to die, then it is not the true gospel. If it tells you to believe but not to repent, then it is not the true gospel. If it promises heaven but does not warn of hell, then it is not the true gospel. There is the so-called prosperity gospel of today that says you can have it all. You don’t have to be sick or in debt. But Jesus says that if you are living to please yourself, you will lose yourself. This means we must see ourselves for what we really are. We need to realize that living for ourselves never will supply what we want out of life. Remember, Jesus said, “The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:25). Only when Jesus Christ is in total control of your life, only when God becomes your everything and your self becomes nothing, only when your love for God is so great that your self-love seems like hate in comparison, only then will you truly find yourself. Abraham Kuyper - DEFINITELY BLESSED That man is blessed who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. Psalm 1:1 Isn’t it wonderfully profound that our Psalm collection dares to begin with a sinful, lost, no-account man who is struggling in misery, dying in his distress, and mouthing one complaint after the other, but who is still blessed? No, blissful! Even praised as definitely blessed! Not only definitely blessed in the hereafter, but already now. Not that that man will be definitely blessed, but that that man is already definitely blessed. Everyone knows very well that we yearn for happiness in our hearts. All human striving and endeavor is directed to that end. They are attempts to remove the hindrances that impede the way to our happiness. We don’t and we can’t rest until we are able to say that we are blessed. “To be a blessing to the poor” is the approach taken, the promise made, and the prophecy announced by every form of idolatry. It’s the same with every reformer, crusader, philosopher, and world conqueror. And the afflicted masses turn away from such people after they see that the promised blessedness hasn’t arrived. Then the sting of discontent produces even stronger unrest in their hearts. But now consider your Bible, God’s Word. It also makes an approach, offers a promise, and announces a prophecy of blessing to you. But it is much stronger and more powerful in tone than the longing created by the crusader’s approach. This Word doesn’t only promise less suffering and to ease pain but offers an infusion of real blessedness. And that happiness is so complete that it can even be called “definite blessedness.” You can drink that kind of blessedness in such deep drafts that even the term “definite blessedness” is inadequate. That language can’t begin to capture the full richness of the peace and joy involved here. But how and in what way does the Bible promise that kind of definite blessedness? To understand that, simply open the book of Psalms and notice how in many places the man who doesn’t want to walk in the counsels of the wicked is wasting away. You would think that God would deliver him from all his illnesses. But notice how he complains in his chains, calls out from the deadly dangers he faces, and simply moans in the bottom of some pit where there is no water. You would think that his cup is brimming over with prosperity and wealth, but instead you see that he is hunted down like a doe in the mountains and that all the waves and breakers of the Almighty are crashing over him. You would expect that he would be surrounded by a circle of faithful companions. But notice that all his acquaintances have abandoned him, and that the man who ate his bread has repaid him with affliction. If then all these earthly blessings continue to be threatened, you would at least imagine that this most blessed of men would walk in quiet peace before the face of the Lord and enjoy uninterrupted holiness and devotion. But you find just the opposite, for over and over again his lips complain about his sin, and he prays for forgiveness. What rumbles from the bottom of his heart are the struggles that leave him a broken man and a contemptible sinner in his own eyes. You might ask how it is possible that Scripture still calls such a person “definitely blessed.” My good reader, here is the key to that wonderful secret. That man is the most miserable of all people in every other respect. No one has said it better than Paul did: “O miserable man that I am. Who shall deliver me?” But in one respect the page is completely turned, and that’s precisely where salvation emerges. That man knows that it’s not he who possesses God, but God possesses him! He lives by and with that faith. That’s all he needs. He doesn’t desire more. Now the pit without water becomes God’s pit. God put him there. God is working in him there. God wants to lift him out of it, and he will. So do you understand now? Definitely blessed because God possesses him, God upholds him, and God wraps his soul in the bonds of his divine will. Those bonds tie him securely to Christ, the Son of his love. God is present in his Son and present in himself. This is truly a miracle. All those other proposals, plans, and strategies for making people happy have long ago been discarded, mocked, and then forgotten, and the multitudes in their inflamed bitterness have stopped following those who made them false promises. Then the plan in the book of Psalms for finding definite blessedness emerges once more. It’s three thousand years old now. But in every land and among every people you still find living examples of which the Holy Spirit describes: “Look over there! There’s the kind of definitely blessed person I’m talking about!” And if you were to take the entire world together, there would be a whole multitude that would be celebrating and saying in unison: “Yes, I’m one of those who have experienced that glorious grace!” You’d be able to hear over and over again how those people who are hunted and hounded are still singing. Sometimes they are lying in a deep pit. Sometimes the lions are growling around them. That’s when they sing their way through their fears and even rejoice in their pain and oppression: “As far as my situation goes, it’s good for me to be near to God.” Is that how it is with your soul, my sister and my brother? Are you being definitely blessed like this? (Honey from the Rock) Lawrence Richards - There are two moral paths, each with its own destination (Ps. 1). Resistance to the Messiah, God’s Son, is futile, for He is destined to rule earth (Ps. 2). David found peace when fleeing from his rebel son Absalom by remembering God (Pss. 3–4). David was confident that his merciful God would bless him even though he had to wait for his prayers to be answered (Ps. 5). Understanding the Text Psalm 1: “Two Moral Paths.” There are only two moral paths a human being can take. This psalm graphically describes each. “Walk . . . stand . . . sit” Ps. 1:1. Conformity to worldly morality has three stages. Walking “in the counsel of the wicked” is listening to their views. Standing “in the way of sinners” is acting as the wicked do. Sitting “in the seat of mockers” is adopting their hardened, immoral attitudes. My wife and I have been shocked just this week to review some of the TV “comedy” shows that our nine-year-old Sarah wants to watch between 7 and 8 P.M. Their innuendos and often explicit statements clearly deny biblical morality, and we’ve had to declare such programs off-limits. The progression from walking, to standing, to sitting, reminds us that it’s dangerous to take even that first step away from godly moral thought. (The 365 Day Devotional Commentary) Joni E Tada - God Bless You Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.— PSALM 1:1 When you open the Bible, you realize the first thing God does in relation to man is to bless him. When you dig a little further, you’ll find the first psalm is also about blessings. Follow the lead to the New Testament, and the most famous sermon Jesus ever preached centers on blessings (Matthew 5:3 – 12). It is God’s disposition to bless us. A blessing is an act of declaring or wishing God’s favor and goodness upon others. The blessing is not only the good effect of words; inspired by the Spirit, it also has the power to bring those words to pass. Dr. John
Salmos 1:2
Clarke - his will, desire, affection, every motive in his heart, and every moving principle in his soul, are on the side of God and his truth. He takes up the law of the Lord as the rule of his life; he brings all his actions and affections to this holy standard. F B