Young People's Group

Blessed Is the Man (Part Two)

by Mitchell Tan
July 01, 2021

OBSERVATIONS OF LIFE

Psalm 1 is based on the Psalmist’s observations of life. He had noticed how there were definite truths in life and he learned important lessons from them. He perceived that there were two distinctive paths in the journey of life. There is the way of the righteous and there is the way of the ungodly. He noted how those who trust God and lived righteously would be blessed by Him (Psalm 1:1). The Lord knows them and the path that they will take. On the other hand, those who are ungodly will not be blessed by the Lord and they will perish in life.

THE EXHORTATION TO LEARN THE RIGHT THINGS

“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;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law, he meditates day and night.”
Psalm 1:1-2

1. LEARNING THE PRINCIPLE OF FEARING THE LORD AND WALKING IN HIS WAYS

A. ONE KEY PRINCIPLE – TO FEAR THE LORD

The Lord God had commanded His people to fear Him and to walk in all His ways (Deuteronomy 10:12). This is the principle behind the practical advice given by the Psalmist to reject the bad influences of worldly people who are offering ungodly counsel, living a sinful path of life and being scornful consistently.

B. THE FEAR OF THE LORD WILL GUIDE AND HELP US MAKE WISE CHOICES

It is choosing wisely not to be swayed by the counsel of the ungodly, not to be associated with sinners and their sinful ways and not to join those who are scornful.

2. LEARNING THE PRINCIPLE OF FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH KEEPING THE WORD OF GOD

The principle of following through with keeping the word of God was also commanded by the Lord (Deuteronomy 10:13). The way to do this was to meditate on the word of God, day and night (Joshua 1:8).

a. There is the practical advice to make meditation a daily part of our lives:

i. Meditation is about thinking further and pondering over the word of God.
ii. It is meditating until it sinks into our minds and hearts and it impacts us.
iii. It is taking the time to meditate in the morning and in the evening.

b. Meditation helps us to follow through with keeping the word of God.

PRACTICAL REALITIES

When we live according to His word, there will come practical realities.

1. The illustration of a tree.

When we keep His word, we will grow to be like a tree that is strong and healthy (Psalm 1:3).

2. We will bear “fruit” in our lives.

3. The Lord will bless us in all that we do.

PERSONAL DELIGHT IN THE WORD OF GOD

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord”
Psalm 1:2

1. When we experience practical realities from His word, we can delight in them.

2. The righteous can find a special delight in the word of God.

3. There can come joy to the heart when we see the benefits in keeping the word of God.

4. There comes a greater desire to keep the word of God.

Let’s choose to follow the way of the righteous and to delight in His word.

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