Psa 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; (2) but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. (3) He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
Blessed is the man… The Book of Psalms opens up the same way Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount in the book of Matthew. (Matt 5) It means to be blessed and blessed and blessed over and over as one walks and delights in the law of the Lord. It also means happy… Happy is the man who delights in the law of the Lord. This happiness, or blessing isn’t a one time thing, it is a continual blessing that is bestowed on the man or woman of faith that follows hard after the Lord.
This blessing isn’t found when we seek after the things of the world. Teaming up with sinners, scoffers, and wicked people nullifies the blessing and causes us to become just like those the Lord drives away like chaff in the wind.
Meditating on the law of the Lord is our delight. It brings fruit in its season and causes one to prosper. I have been an avid hiker for years. No matter which season I hike in, there is always something new. As I hike along the river in the spring time I cant help but marvel over the beauty that begins to come to life after the cold dormant winter. Wild flowers, majestic trees, and the amazement of spring comes to life because it is the right season. So with our life as we delight in the Lord. Our life is strong and stable like a mighty fir tree planted along the rivers edge. It drinks its fill of water and receives the nourishment it needs to grow. The winds and the rain and even the harsh summer sun may come against it, but because its roots are deep and it is nourished by the Lord, it grows mighty and strong and can withstand the elements.
As we meditate on the word of God, we too grow strong and mighty in the Lord. We produce healthy fruit that prospers long after we are gone and reaps a harvest ten and even twenty fold. Rooted, grounded, and delighting in the law of the Lord isn’t simply reading the Bible for the sake of knowledge, it is living out the words on the pages as though the words were spoken to us directly from the mouth of the Lord. It isn’t following rules or laws, it is delighting in obedience because of our love and affection for Christ.
Happy is the man who delights in the law of the Lord and continually lives by and meditates on that law out of a heart and spirit of love. Just as the tree by the river produces fruit and prospers in the right season, so too does the man who follows after the Lord with all his heart, mind, and strength… Avoid the wicked, the ones who make fun of others, and those who are continually living a life of sin. They will ultimately be driven away and left to their own folly, coming under the judgement of Christ for their unrepentant heart… The Lord knows their ways and they will perish. And the Lord knows the way of the righteous ones who will live with and delight in Him for all eternity.
Be blessed today as you delight in the Lord.