Psalm 1 - Contrast Of The Righteuos And Wicked

Psalms - The psalms are the production of various authors. "Only a portion of the Book of Psalms claims David as its author. Other inspired poets in successive generations added now one now another contribution to the sacred collection, and thus in the wisdom of Providence it more completely reflects every phase of human emotion and circumstances than it otherwise could." But it is especially to David and his contemporaries that we owe this precious book. In the "titles" of the psalms, the genuineness of which there is no sufficient reason to doubt, 73 are ascribed to David. Peter and John (acts 4:25) ascribe to him also the second psalm, which is one of the 48 that are anonymous. About two-thirds of the whole collection have been ascribed to David.

The whole collection extends over a period of about 1,000 years. There are in the New Testament 116 direct quotations from the Psalms.

The Psalms are divided, after the analogy of the Pentateuch, into five books, each closing with a doxology or benediction:

Pray – open meeting

·        The word Psalms for all practical purposes means praise song.

·        This is first psalm and it points out the reward of the righteous and the wicked.

·        The word righteous literally means right standing with God. – How do we get to have right standing with God? (HIS SON, Invite to be saved)

·        The Word Of God is called by the Psalmist David (73), a lamp unto my feet – it is our road - map

Psalm 1

 1 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.

God always tells us what is good for us but at the same time, gives us the choice what to do, whether to follow His direction or not. In this verse, He uses the word “blessed” to imply what is good for us – but this verse also implies we have a choice.
Duet 6 : 7-9 - read
Josh 24:15 – read

 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
       and on his law he meditates day and night.

His Love for us is unconditional – His love is unconditional. His blessings, however, depend on us fulfilling a condition. Nothing but being obedient. - how? (meditate on His Word – all the time)  Read -Josh 1:8

^{Exodus 1:18-20  18} Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”¹⁹ The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.²⁰ So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous

Interesting to note that for God to further His Master Purpose – restoring His Kingdom on earth HIS end does seamingly justify the means. However, when looked at in the context of love (for humanity, His children – us, nothing is more important than His “kids”) it is consistent with his command of being under authority (civil, familial, workplace, etc).  He only does what is best for us. The Egyptians had the chance to follow just as all of humanity did.

Ex 2:23 & 24   23 Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites still groaned beneath their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their pleas for deliverance rose up to God. 24 God heard their cries and remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 He looked down on the Israelites and felt deep concern for their welfare.

Also – GOD Always keeps His promises – in this case His covenant to 

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

3 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.
    
 ·        God's children are so saturated with his grace, that whatever comes to them,                works and tends to their salvation as long as they are rooted in Him.

·        He want His children to “yield fruit” – work for The Kingdom

·        To be successful so as not to be discouraged

4       Not so the wicked!
       They are like chaff
       that the wind blows away.   

4 &5 dealt with equally here :  (read)Isaiah & 17Mat 3:12 

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous            

          
 The idea here is that people who do not have right standing with God (righteousness, Gained by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior) through His Son Jesus, will be discarded like the waste of harvesting wheat. 
Many times in the Word is the Kingdom and It’s principles likened to a harvest. – Mat 9:37 -38                                                   

6   For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
     but the way of the wicked will perish.

2 Tim 2:19 - read

·        We can know the lord by being / staying in HIS WORD everyday. Find a verse first thing every morning – learn it, write it down if you need to, lay the ground work to meditate on that verse 4 – 5 times in that day.

·        Do right! Plain and simple. Always keep your word, even if not convenient, always do what you say you are going to do – if not let that person know.

Prov 14:12 - read

• God’s Word is the road map
• Lean not to your own understanding – God is saying “ trust Me” – over and over again in HIS WORD – that is His plea to us – “trust Me”

Rom 6:21 - read

• God says to you and me, quit doing things your way,  know  Me, trust me even though My Ways don’t make sense to you or the world sometimes. Your ways only screw things up. Rely on me and I will give you  the /  My wisdom to make the right decisions,

And what happen then?  Josh 1:8 says we will be prosperous and successful.

It will not always be easy, opposition by friends, family, enemy -  (examples)                 When things going good car breakdown, pressure on marriage, finances etc. In the long run though, I have read the end of the book and we win!

How to have favor with The Lord

• Keep company with people who know God – when you ask advice get it from Godly people –

Meditate on the Word every day – get close to & know God – He longs to have fellowship with us. He thinks about us -        

 Psalm 8  says :  3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of your fingers,
          the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

                                        4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you  care for him?

Get to know God through prayer and reading The Word, do the right thing on purpose, help people (remember, He says that when we draw near to Him He will draw near to us). – He never changes, it is always up to us!