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.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
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.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
There is something to be said about a prayer life. And if I am being honest, one of my weakest parts of my life is my prayer life. Sometimes, I just don't know how to talk to God. So as a spiritual practice and a daily discipline, I will be praying and reflecting on a Psalm a day. There will be a break at Advent and Christmas, but with 150 Psalms, some being much longer than others, there will be plenty of time to take it slow. I hope you will join me in this endeavor and in prayer over the next several days.
All psalms are prayers in a sense, for they are speaking to God. Psalm 1 makes everything seem so easy. In verse 5, when the wicked stand in judgment, it is not merely metaphorically speaking. For when ancient Israelites or surrounding cultures took part in trials, the defendants would stand the whole time. The assembly of the righteous was not metaphorically, but literally the community of faith.
Living a life of God is not meant to be (and cannot be) lived in a life of isolation. Those who are blessed (other translations say, "Happy are those who...) are living as best they can within community. Love of God, love of neighbor. May we too choose to see those around us as our community, to delight in God's law, and to become fruitful and blessed.
Prayer: 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.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
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.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Amen.
G. Thomas Martin
