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Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church, NY
October 19, 2025
◘The Blessed Man
Psalm 1
INTRODUCTION
For several different reasons I decided to delay our study of Revelation in order to preach today on Psalm 1. It has been 25 years since I last preached on this Psalm, so this will be fresh to the younger generations and a good reminder to the older ones. ◘Psalm 1 is worthy to read on a regular basis and to memorize for it addresses foundational issues on how to live a fulfilling life blessed by God and avoid the curses that come upon the unrighteous. For that reason it is a Psalm of great hope as well as warning which, from what my sons tell me and recent news stories, is greatly needed today.
I have seen news stories for years that have pointed out that marriage in the United States is in trouble. ◘Marriage statistics began being kept by the Census Bureau in 1940 and until 1970 more than 70% of households were headed by a married couple. That percentage has steadily declined reaching its lowest point in 2022 at 46.8% which improved 0.3 points to 47.1% in 2024. There are a lot of very negative consequences to this for any society. ◘Even worse, the replacement birth rate is 2.1 and we recently hit our lowest point ever of 1.6. That has even greater negative consequences for a society. These statistics indicate a society that is collapsing.
◘I have seen stories for a couple of decades of young women complaining it is very difficult to find a responsible man to marry. My sons tell me young men are complaining they can’t find a good woman to marry. ◘While there are many reasons for this, two major ones are the destructive consequences of feminism and cultural Marxism. There is nothing feminine about feminism for it embraces what are typically masculine characteristics of career and social success while rejecting God’s primary roles related to marriage and children. That is the reason for feminism’s Satanically driven demand for abortion on demand. A child will ruin their career and hedonistic quests. At the same time, too many women are raised to think of themselves as a princess or queen who is to be served and the guy is to cater to her whims. Add pride to the mix and the woman will not be able to find any man worthy of her and few that are acceptable.
◘Feminism has also resulted in societal oppression of boys and men expressing typical masculine traits. Boys are naturally active, physical and aggressive, but our society now punishes those traits demanding they sit, be still and passive. No wonder boys and young men like video games in which they can be manly in a virtual world without leaving their seat. It has also produced the strange reality in which a women that dresses in a sexually provocative manner will then seem surprised and offended by the attention she has attracted from a man looking for that. Men now run the risk of having a sexual harassment complaint filed against him for asking a woman out for a date or complimenting her on her appearance.
◘When you add in cultural Marxist thought common in our colleges and universities and trickling out from there that there are oppressor and victim groups, many young men, including some professing to be Christians, are wallowing in a state of victimhood instead of girding up their loins and moving forward as men. From what I am told, this has become especially bad in Gen Z – those who are in their late teens and twenties. And even worse, they will not receive advice from previous generations claiming they don’t understand what is like for them while also blaming them for their predicament.
◘Well, they are correct. I don’t understand for I was taught as were all the previous generations before me that whining is childish. When obstacles are placed in front of adults – real men, real women – they figure out a way to go through it or around it in the pursuit of their God given roles and purposes for which God has given them life. I am old enough to be grandpa to Gen Z, but instead of giving some grandfatherly opinion, I am going to do what good grandfathers have always done. ◘We are going to look at the ancient wisdom given in God’s word that directs us to and can keep us on the path that leads to true fulfillment and success in life no matter what generation you are in. Turn Psalm 1 and follow along as I read it. We will then go back and look at it in detail.
◘Psalm 1 (LSB) – 1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the way of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of Yahweh, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 And 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 rise in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.
◘Success & Happiness?
This Psalm is set in contrast to the things that the world offers in which people think they will find success and happiness. ◘The most common pursuits are wealth, fame, power, prestige and pleasure, but all of these fail miserably. Voltaire was a very accomplished philosopher, yet he wrote: “I wish I had never been born.” Jay Gould was an American Millionaire with plenty of money. Yet, when he was dying, he said, “I suppose I am the most miserable devil on earth.” Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of position and fame, yet he wrote, “Youth is a mistake, manhood a struggle, old age a secret.” Lord Byron reveled in pleasure all his days, but he wrote on his last birthday, “My days are in the yellow leaf; The flowers and fruits of life are gone; The worm, the canker, and the grief; Are mine alone.” Napoleon Bonaparte was a man that at one time was arguably the most politically and militarily powerful man on earth. Yet, while a prisoner in St Helena, he mused, “Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and myself founded empires. But on what did we found them? On Force! Jesus Christ alone founded His on Love, and today there are millions who would die for Him.”
◘Solomon summarized man’s effort to pursue after supposed success and happiness best when he said, “Vanity of vanities. All is vanity.” Man’s effort to find success and happiness by his own means and methods is just so much chasing after the wind. It is a morning mist, a vapor, that vanishes (Ecclesiastes 1). 1 John 2:15-17 adds to this description of futility by pointing out that all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is passing away. There is no permanence to them even if they bring about momentary happiness and sense of success. They end.
◘Psalm 1 begins with a description of the blessed man. The word “blessed” is from the Hebrew, “ ‘ashre” meaning “happiness,” “bliss.” He is blessed because of both what he avoids and what he pursues, and the reward that brings from God which is contrasted to the consequences of the pursuits of the wicked.
◘What the Blessed Man Avoids – Psalm 1:1
The psalmist looks at the blessed man’s lifestyle from two vantage points. He begins with what the blessed man avoids. Vs. 1. 1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the way of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
How “blessed,” “happy,” “blissful,” “joyous,” is the man who does not do these things. ◘It is well that the proposition is stated from the negative aspect for it would not be enough for the psalmist to state this from a positive position of “blessed is he who walks in the counsel of the good,” or “stands in the way of the virtuous,” or “sits in the seat of the faithful” because that does not give any reference to his relationship with the wicked. Just because a person keeps some good company, follows some virtues and advocates some faithfulness, that does preclude influence that comes from the sinful teaching and practices of wicked company he also keeps. It is great to pursue what is good, but to be blessed, there must also be avoidance of what is wicked. The stress of this proposition being stated as a negative is much stronger and forceful than stating it as a positive. But what does he mean not to “walk in the counsel of sinners, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor seat in the seat of scoffers”?
◘To “walk in the counsel of the wicked” means to hear and follow the advice of those who are wicked. The Hebrew word for wicked, reshaim, refers to someone guilty of a crime and deserving punishment. The context here points this to being those who disobey God’s commandments. The starting point of being blessed is considering two questions. ◘First, from whom do you get your counsel, advice and guidance? Second, what do you then do with that counsel? When you have a problem, to whom do you turn for help? Who do you look to for counsel? Where do you get your advice? “Psychic Live”? Advice columnist? Talk-show Psychologists? Your co-workers or class mates? Take a secular class on the subject? Non-Christians friends? What is the source of the council?
◘The second part is what you do with that counsel? We all hear ungodly advice even when we don’t want it, but you can protect yourself by not heeding it. Do not follow the wisdom of this world. Look for godly counselors and walk in their advice.
◘The split in the Kingdom of Israel came about because of ungodly advice. 1 Kings 12 records the division of the Kingdom because of King Rehoboam’s foolishness. The people came to him and said, “Your father made our yoke hard; therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you” (vs 4). King Rehoboam wisely decided to get some advice on dealing with this matter. First, he went to those men who had counseled his father. They told him, “If you will be a servant to this people today, will serve them, grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever” (vs 7). Rehoboam received very good advice from them, but he also wanted to hear the opinions of the men he had grown up with. They told him to increase the burden on the people (vs. 10, 11), which is the counsel he followed with the result being “When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king saying, ‘What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; To your tents. O Israel! Now look after your own house, David’” (vs 16). The Kingdom split into Israel and Judah.
◘How often something similar to this happens to both those outside and inside the church. Even if they hear good and godly counsel, they reject that in favor of listening to and following ungodly advice. Those who hear and heed the counsel of the wicked will eventually bear the penalty of it. Have you ever followed wrong advice to your own regret or seen someone else do that? How blessed is the man that rejects the advice of the wicked and restricts himself to the counsel of the godly. He will live in righteousness.
◘The Psalmist went on to say that in addition to not walking in the counsel of the wicked, the blessed man also does not “stand in the path of sinners.” This is a reference to those whom he keeps company, those who he “hangs around with.” The blessed man chooses his friends wisely because he is aware of the influence they will have upon him so he avoids spending time with those who will not keep God’s laws. ◘Proverbs 12:26 states, “The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” Proverbs 22:24-25 adds to this stating, “Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man, Lest you learn his ways, And find a snare for yourself.” This is not to say that the blessed man does not try to reach out to sinners and help them change their ways. Christ certainly did that. But it is to say that the blessed man does not stand with them. You will not find the blessed man spending his time on his day off with the guys while they think of some mischief to get into. The blessed man may talk with them, but they are not his buddies. He will seek to influence them, but he will not allow them to influence him. Whom do you count as your friends, your pals, your compatriots? Whom do you spend your time around?
◘The Psalmist continues on to say that the blessed man does not “sit in the seat of scoffers.” By Jewish custom, when a person was going to teach, he sat down to do so. The blessed man is not a teacher with the scoffers. The scoffers were men who derided and ridiculed the godly. If this last trait is true, then the first two will certainly be true. The man that teaches the words of the scoffers is also someone who stands with sinners and walks in the counsel of the ungodly. Those who start listening to and heeding the counsel of the wicked will find themselves spending time with sinners whom they will then consider to be friends which will lead to them being a scoffer themselves and teaching others to be wicked and sin.
◘The blessed man is careful from whom he gets counsel. He avoids walking in the counsel of the wicked. He is careful of whom he has as his close friends and refuses such levels of friendship with sinners. He certainly will not allow himself to become a scoffer himself who espouses the ridicule of the ungodly to others. What then does the blessed man do?
◘What the Blessed Man Pursues – Psalm 1:2
Vs. 2 “But his delight is in the law of Yahweh, And in His law he meditates day and night.”
It is because of blessed man delights is in the law of Yahweh that he meditates on it both day and night. ◘This kind of delight in God’s law is seen very clearly in Psalm 119. Here are at some of the things said in Psalm 119 about the Word of God.
Vs. 7, I shall give thanks to Thee with uprightness of heart, When I learn Thy righteous judgements.
Vs. 14, I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, As much as in all riches.
Vs. 24, Thy testimonies also are my delight; They are my counselors.
Vs. 40, Behold, I long for Thy precepts.
Vs. 47, And I shall delight in Thy commandments, Which I love. . .
Vs. 54, Thy statutes are my songs In the house of my pilgrimage.
Vs. 72, The law of Thy mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Vs. 92, If Thy law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction.
Vs. 103, How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Vs. 111, I Have inherited Thy testimonies forever, For they are the joy of my heart,
Vs. 127, Therefore I love Thy commandments Above gold, yes, above fine gold.
Vs. 140, Thy Word is very pure, Therefore Thy servant loves it.
Vs. 164, Seven times a day I praise Thee, Because of Thy righteous ordinances.
Vs. 174, I long for Thy salvation, O Yahweh, And Thy law is my delight.
Why such delight in the Law of Yahweh? ◘Because both the nature and effect of the law were very clearly understood. Psalm 19:7-11 speaks clearly to that.
The law of Yahweh is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of Yahweh is sure, making wise the simple;
The precepts of Yahweh are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandments of Yahweh are pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of Yahweh are true; they are righteous altogether;
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much find gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
The blessed man’s delight is in the Word of God. Do you delight in the Scriptures as described here? Do you meditate on them both day and night?
◘When the Bible speaks about meditation it is not talking about zoning out and repeating it like a mantra as in Transcendental Meditation of Eastern Mysticism. It is referring to mulling the Word of God over in your minds. You ponder, contemplate, reflect, think about what it means and how it can be applied in your own life. The idea is the same as a cow chewing its cud. It regurgitates what was bitten off before to chew on it again. You will swallow it and then bring it back at another time to chew on it again. You are seeking to extract every bit of meaning and application that is in the passage you are meditating on.
◘Example: How do you meditate on John 17:17 – “Thy word is truth.” Think about the context – Jesus is talking about the Law of God in the midst of a prayer for his disciples and us who have followed the disciples. Think about each word and its meaning, reference, and emphasis. It is “Thy” word. It is God’s word, not just any word. It is the word God speaks to us. It is His “Word.” God has communicated to us. God’s word is the Bible. The Bible is God’s communication to us. That word is “Truth.” There is no falsehood in it. If I am to live in freedom, then I must know the truth. If I am to live in a way that will not end in tragedy, then I must live according to the truth. It is the Word of God that is truth. Therefore I must know the Word of God. I must diligently study it today!
The Blessed man’s “delight is in the Law of Yahweh, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Do you? If you do, then there is a reward.
◘The Blessed Man’s Reward – Psalm 1:3
Vs. 3 “And 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.”
◘The blessed man is compared to a tree that is planted by streams of water. Notice first that this tree is planted. It is not a wild sprout that happens to come up there. It is placed there on purpose by design. The future of the blessed man is not controlled by happenstance, luck or chance. It is controlled according to the providence of God. God is personally and intimately involved in the events of the blessed man’s life. In addition, the streams of water mentioned most probably refer to the streams of water that occur in the irrigated orchards of the ancient middle east. Summers are long, hot and dry. The rains of the winter would be stored in various manners such as cisterns and catch ponds. During the summer, the trees which were planted in orchards would be watered by releasing water from a catch pond or cistern to run down ditches dug between them. There would be “rivers” of water between the trees. The blessed man is cultivated by God. God always provides just what the blessed man needs just when he needs it. It is no wonder then that the blessed man does bear fruit at the proper season, and his leaf never withers. That does not mean there cannot be droughts and times when insects and disease will attack. But it does mean that God is carefully watching each event and will provide just what is needed at the proper time so that the blessed man will bring forth fruit. That includes pruning as well as irrigation & fertilization.
◘It is important to note that the blessed man will bring forth fruit. The idea of fruit is used throughout Scripture. In the New Testament alone, John the Baptist required the people to “bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matt. 3:8). Jesus said that by a person’s fruit you would know their character because bad fruit does not grow on good trees (Matt. 7:17-19). There are the fruits of the spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal 5:22,23). And Christians are to bear fruit for God (Rom 7:40) which are such things as good works (Col 1:10); righteousness (Heb 12:11) and praise to God (Heb 13:15). ◘But fruit only comes in its season – not before and not after. Apricots come in late spring, peaches in the summer, pears and apples in late summer and fall. Each needs certain conditions of soil, water, light, and even the amount of cold in the winter. In addition, Jesus said in John 15 that He was the vine and we were the branches. Branches must be connected to the vine to produce fruit. We cannot produce fruit unless we are connected to Jesus. We must be abiding in Him (John 15:4), and to abide in Jesus means to constantly walk with Him following His lead to do His will. We are to be obedient to Him (1 John 2:6).
If I am cultivated by God, then He is the one that is watching over me. He will take care of my needs including watering, fertilizing, pruning. The result will be that I will not wither and will bear fruit at the proper season. That is why the blessed man will be able to prosper in whatever he does.
◘Joshua 1:8 states it this way in telling the children of Israel before they entered the promised land, “this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will have success.” The blessed man’s reward is success. Fruit comes in its season because he “does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers.” Instead, the blessed man “delights in the Law of Yahweh and meditates in it day and night.” He is a planted tree that bears fruit and prospers.
◘The Wicked Man’s Lifestyle – Psalm 1:4a
The contrast between the blessed man and the wicked cannot be seen more clearly seen how this Psalm describes them with two simple words in verse 4. ◘The wicked are “not so.” They are the opposite of the blessed in their lifestyle. They do walk in the counsel of the ungodly. They do stand in the way of sinners. They do sit in the seat of scoffers. They do not delight in the law of the Lord and the last thing they would ever do is meditate on it day and night.
◘The slide into wickedness is a progression. Here is Psalm 1 it starts from getting counsel from the ungodly and following that counsel. It progresses to the point where the person is close friends with those who give such ungodly counsel. They are his buddies, his associates, his comrades. The third step is down is becoming a teacher with those that give such ungodly counsel. He becomes a teacher of unrighteousness himself. It starts by listening, then goes to following, and then degenerates so that sinners are his peers, and finally, he becomes an ungodly and scoffing teacher himself.
◘Paul shows a similar progression in Romans 1. The ungodly first just fail to honor and give thanks to God resulting in their hearts being darkened. Then they turn their backs on God and worship created things rather than the Creator resulting in them being given over to degrading passions. Finally, they will not even acknowledge God resulting in them being given over to depraved minds.
◘We must be careful when we think of the wicked here because this is not just referring to what our society thinks of as wicked such as murderers, child abusers, swindlers, etc. Paul gives us several lists of true wickedness – Romans 1:29-31; 1 Cor 6:9,10; Gal 5:19-21. In the list in Romans 1:29-31 Paul describes the wicked as those who are “filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving , unmerciful.” Recognize anything you or someone you know struggles with? I do. What is the result of having such a lifestyle?
◘The Wicked Man’s Wages – Psalm 1:4b-5
First, the men that are “not so” – the opposite of the blessed man – “are like chaff which the wind drives away.” ◘Chaff is husk, stems and debris which is separated from a small grain when it is threshed. It is useless and worthless. It has no strength of its own. It is tossed into the air in threshing and the wind takes it wherever it blows. So are the wicked. They are tossed about by anything that comes down the road. They are affected by whatever new fad comes along. The problem is not so much fads in clothing, hair, jewelry, diets, places to eat, music, slang, and causes. It is the fads of religious doctrine that are so dangerous. Such is the wicked man. He is useless. He has no reference in truth and so he cannot think for himself resulting in being tossed about by the winds of the opinions of others.
◘Those not grounded in God’s word and actively involved with the godly will be subject to being blown around by every wind of doctrine that comes along (Eph. 4:11-16). That is a severe problem for many today because there are so few strong, Bible believing and teaching churches. Even so, there is still no excuse for walking in the counsel of the ungodly, standing with sinners or sitting with the scoffers because God has given us the truth of His word to know and follow.
◘Verse 5 adds, “Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.” The wicked will not endure when they stand before God’s judgment seat. Because they have not repented to believe and receive the forgiveness of sins that comes with faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, they will be condemned in their sins and thrown into the eternal lake of fire (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:15). They will not make it past the judgment seat to stand with the assembly of the righteous. The sheep and the goats will be separated as will the wheat and the tares. The wicked will go to eternal punishment and the righteous to the blessings of the Father in the kingdom prepared for them from the foundations of the world (Matt 25).
◘The Summation – Psalm 1:6
The Psalm ends with a summary in verse 6 , “For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.”
◘The righteous are blessed for they are known by God and follow Him. They are on the road to eternal life while the wicked are on the road to eternal destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). The Lord also knows the way of the wicked which is why they are warned that they will perish. Which path are you on? That will depend on whose counsel you hear and heed. That of the wicked or the word of God?
◘Psalm 1 gives hope to all generations in all circumstances for those that will follow its counsel. That is the answer for those who have lost hope. Those who will seek and follow the instructions of God instead of walking in the wicked ways of the world will be blessed. They will fulfill the glorious purposes for which God has created them and given them life. ◘Last week in our Family Bible Hour class on Successful Christian Living, Jeff Lowery gave an excellent summation of true success that matches Psalm 1, for the blessed man will hear God say at the end of his life, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
◘Psalm 1 also gives hope in relationships since developing the godly character of the blessed man will result in becoming someone whom other godly people want to have as a friend. The perfect love of Christ enables the godly to overcome fear and become perfected in love themselves (1 John 4:18). Godly character and a loving heart enables meaningful and lasting friendships to develop that flourish. Those following the path of the blessed man will be humble in their relationships for they regarded others as more important and seek their best interest (Phil. 2:3-4).
◘Those who continue in the ways of the world may achieve success according to worldly standards, but that is fleeting and will perish. Their character is only attractive to other worldly people which at best are friendships of mutual exploitation. They last only so long as each is getting something they want out of it. Relationships are hindered or even blocked by combinations of fear and pride.
◘Psalm 1 is the ancient wisdom that gives the answer to those women that cannot find a good man and to those men who cannot find a good woman. You will neither recognize nor be attractive to those who are good unless you are godly yourself. Stop walking in the counsel of the ungodly and start delighting in the law of the Lord and meditating on it day and night that you might follow it and be blessed. The godly do not whine and wallow in victim-hood. They step out to be overcomers and achieve true success in life by walking in faith in the counsels of the Lord.
Sermon Notes – 10/19/2025
The Blessed Man – Psalm 1
Introduction
Psalm 1 addresses the foundational issues on how to live a fulfilling life ______by God & avoid wickedness
Only ____% of households are headed by married couples. The birth rate is down to___(2.1 is replacement)
Young women complain they ____________a good man to marry, and young men can’t find a good woman
__________is a major cause of this: It moves women out of their god given roles. It ________________men
The oppressor / victim groupings of cultural Marxism always has someone else to ___________for failure
Whining is ________& real adults (men & women) find a way to overcome obstacles in the path to success
Psalm 1 is ancient wisdom applicable to ___________generation in every circumstance
Success & Happiness?
Common pursuits of worldly success include wealth, fame, power, prestige and pleasure – they all ________
Solomon summarized man’s pursuit of worldly success & happiness as “Vanity of vanities. All is _______.”
The combination of what you ________& what you _________will result in being blessed / happy / blissful
What the Blessed Man Avoids – Psalm 1:1
This is stated from the negative because a positive statement would still allow for ___________influence
He does not walk in the counsel of the wicked – hear & _______those guilty of disobeying God’s commands
What is the __________of the counsel you receive? What do you _______with that advice?
King Rehoboam rejected wise counsel & heeded foolish counsel resulting in his kingdom being _________
Rejecting __________counsel to follow __________advice removes blessedness & brings tragedy
He does not stand in the path of sinners – who are your _____________, with whom do you keep company?
Proverbs 12:26; 22:24-25 – you will become __________those with whom you associate
He does not sit in the seat of scoffers – someone that _______________ deriding, ridiculing the godly
The blessed man is _____________about the source of his counsel and who will be his close friends
What the Blessed Man Pursues – Psalm 1:2
_____________ in God’s law is expressed clearly throughout Psalm 119
That delight is because of the nature & _________ of God’s law on those who follow it – Psalm 19
Biblical meditation is to ponder, contemplate, reflect, think about what it means & its _____________to life
Example: John 17:17 – ________about its context, _________the meaning of each word, ________it to life
The Blessed Man’s Reward – Psalm 1:3
Compared to a tree planted by water – ___________- so it will bear fruit in its season even in drought
Fruit – actions arising out of belief – ______________repentance, character, godliness
Fruit arises in its season as it ___________in the vine & is cultivated – God is conforming you to Christ
Joshua 1:8 – ____________comes from knowing and following God’s commands
The Wicked Man’s Lifestyle – Psalm 1:4a
The wicked are “not so” – they are the ___________- walk with wicked, stand with sinners, sit with scoffers
The slide into wickedness is a ______________- receive counsel, become friends, teach their wickedness
Romans 1 – a downward spiral in rejecting God and becoming more _____________in mind & action
Wickedness includes many things deemed ___________even in polite society – Rom. 1:29-31; 1 Cor. 6:9-10
The Wicked Man’s Wages – Psalm 1:4b
Chaff is husk, stems & debris separated from a small grain in threshing & which is _____________by wind
Those not grounded in God’s word & involved with the godly are blown around by winds of ____________
God’s judgment will ___________the wicked & exclude them from the righteous (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:15)
The Summation – Psalm 1:6
The righteous are blessed because they are known by God & they __________Him. The wicked will perish
Psalm 1 gives _________to all generations in all circumstances for those that will follow its counsel
True __________in life is hearing God say to you at the end of it – Well done, thou good and faithful servant
Psalm 1 gives hope in relationships – godly character attracts _________friends – meaningful & lasting
Worldly character attracts ___________friends, relationships hindered / blocked by fear & pride
Ancient wisdom: ___________= stop walking in the counsel of the wicked and instead delight in God’s law
KIDS KORNER
Parents, you are responsible to apply God’s Word to your children’s lives. Here is some help. Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Older Children – Do one or more of the following: 1) Count how many times the word “blessed” is said. 2) Discuss with your parents the difference between the “Blessed man” of Psalm 1 and the ungodly man.
THINK ABOUT IT!
Questions to consider in discussing the sermon with others. Where do different people try to find happiness? How many people to you know who are truly content and happy? What does it mean to not walk in the counsel of the wicked? Is it enough to get godly counsel? Why or why not? Whom do you get your counsel from? Are they a godly person? What happened in ancient Israel when King Rehoboam did not follow the truths of this Psalm? What does it mean to stand in the path of sinners? Who are your friends? What influence do you have on them? What influence do they have on you? What does it mean to sit in the seat of scoffers? What do you teach others by your words and actions? Do you delight in the Bible? If not, what do you delight in? If so, why? What does the Psalmist mean to meditate? Explain the how and why of Biblical meditation. Meditate on Matthew 6:33 and then write down your thoughts and how the verse can be applied in your own life. What is the blessed man’s reward? How do these rewards come to him? What “fruit” does the blessed man bear? How is the wicked man contrasted with the Blessed man? What defines a person as being wicked? Are these things you have also done? How can you be forgiven and made righteous? What are the results of living in wickedness? What are the ultimate results? If you are not living in the manner of the “Blessed Man” what needs to be changed in your life? When will you make those changes? Make a commitment today to change and ask someone else to hold you accountable. How does Psalm 1 solve the problem of those who whine, wallow in victimhood and blame others for their own failures?
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