Blowin' in the Wind (Psalm 1:4-6)

 





Psalm 1:1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!


2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.


3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.


4 The wicked are not so,

But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.


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


6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the wicked will perish.





The righteous man is like a tree with deep roots going down to streams which provide constant nourishment, refreshment, and strength. The stream is the Word of God in which the righteous mans life is firmly grounded. The results of this is that the righteous man prospers in all areas of his life! We are promised at the end of verse 3 that if we do what is required of the righteous man in verse 2, we will prosper in whatever we do. 



This is not a promise for “stuff” though. If you are rooted in the Word and meditate on it day and night, you will be fundamentally changed. The things you do change. The things you do will now be done in accordance with the Word of God and you will prosper. This may or may not involve “stuff.” It will most definitely involve being in the will of God for your life, and prospering there will bring you great joy and blessing. 



The next verse (4) contrasts this complete prospering of the righteous with the worthlessness of the things the wicked do. The wicked may “prosper” in worldly terms, but that prosperity has no value in the Kingdom of God. It brings a degree of gratification, but that gratification in and of itself is empty. The wicked are like chaff which is useless and is blown away with the wind. 



In Matt. 3:12 and Luke 3:17 we find that the wheat (the righteous) will be gathered unto the Lord and the chaff (the wicked) will be burned with unquenchable fire. That is the “prosperity” of the wicked.



Just as the chaff will not stand with the wheat, neither will the wicked stand with the righteous. 



“Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement.” 


In bible school I was told to always ask myself what the “therefore” is “there for.” In this case the therefore shows that the wicked do not prosper and will not stand in the judgement because they are not rooted in the Word of God and follow the path of unrighteousness. Thus, they are condemned.



Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 say, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” This is the way of the wicked, the way of the unsaved.



Matthew 7:13 reads: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.”



I want to prosper. I want God’s blessing. Oh Lord, keep me on the narrow path! Draw my roots to the waters of your word. Cause me to bare fruit in due season and bring you glory.


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