Message Notes

INTRODUCTION

1. Beginning the New Year

a) In prayer

b) In hope

c) In faith

2. The Blessings of God

a) They are humbly sought in prayer

b) They are to be carefully understood

OBSERVATIONS OF THOSE WHO ARE BLESSED BY GOD

1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

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

Psalm 1:1-2

1. Determination of Rejection of bad company

a) The ungodly and his counsel

b) The sinner and his path

c) The scornful and his seat

2. The Delight of the Blessed of God

a) His delight is in the law of the Lord

b) He sets aside time to read and meditate on God’s Word

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PERSON BLESSED BY GOD

He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

Psalm 1:3

1. The Imagery of a well-planted Tree

a) It is planted by the rivers of water

b) It is thus, well-watered

2. The Health of the well-planted Tree

a) It will bring forth fruit in its season

b) Its leaf shall not wither

c) It will always be fruitful (“prosper”)

AN IMPORTANT CORRESPONDING TEXT

1. A similar description of a person blessed by God

7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
And whose hope is the LORD.

8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

2. The believer

a) He trusts in the LORD

b) He hopes in God

3. The imagery is similar to what is written in Psalm 1

a) A tree that is well-planted

b) It is planted by the waters

c) Its root system is strong

4. In times of drought

a) It will not fear drought

b) The leaf would always be green

c) It will not cease to yield fruit