Summers schedules are chaotic, and emotions run from the highs of vacation days to the anxiety of keeping kids engaged. Thankfully, the Bible addresses the full range of human emotions and experiences, and it draws our attention away from our circumstances back to God.
This summer I invite you to join me in reading the Psalms. Over the next three months we will read and examine six different Psalms, think through what they mean, and find ways to apply them to our lives today. Will you join me?
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Psalm 1
What better way to jump into our Summer in the Psalms series than by starting at the very beginning with Psalm 1. Read the passage below and write down your initial thoughts. What sticks out to you?
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.
4 But not the wicked!
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.
Observation
After reading Psalm 1, what stands out to me the most is the contrast between the lives and behaviors of the godly versus the wicked. The way the passage is laid out makes it easy to create a side-by-side list comparing the two groups. Feel free to write your own list. Below is the one I compiled.
| The Godly | The Wicked |
| – Do not follow the advice of the wicked (vs. 1) – Do not stand around with sinners or mock others (vs. 1) – Delight in the Word of God (vs. 2) – Meditate on the Word of God without ceasing (vs. 2) – Are like a tree planted by water (vs. 3) – Bear fruit in season (vs. 3) – Never wither (vs 3) – Prosper in all they do (vs. 3) – The Lord watches over them (vs. 6) | – Are like chaff, tossed in whatever direction the wind is blowing (vs. 4) – Condemned (vs. 5) – Have no place among the godly (vs. 5) – Their choices lead to destruction (vs. 6) |
Interpretation
The godly are compared to a tree planted along a riverbank. Have you ever marveled at the grandeur of a tree growing by water? Trees by water have everything they need to grow strong and tall. Sun shines on their canopy of leaves, while water abundantly nourishes their roots. Trees planted by water are always connected to their life source.
The same should be true for those of us who follow Jesus. Psalm 1 clearly outlines that believers are not easily influenced by those around them, but instead stay connected to their life source – the Word of God. It says that they delight in the Word and focus on it day and night. When we abide in God’s Word and make it central to everything in our lives, Psalm 1 assures that our life will bear fruit at the appropriate times and that we will not wither. Does that mean life will always be easy and burden-free? No. But it does mean when trials come, our roots will be firmly nourished by the Word of God, and we will be able to withstand hardships. God’s Word will sustain you; you will not wither.
However, the wicked are given a promise of a different kind. Here the wicked are compared to worthless chaff. In Biblical times grain was crushed on threshing floors which separated out the inedible parts of the grain called chaff. The lightweight chaff was often left on the floor or even thrown into the air, allowing the wind to carry away the unusable parts of the grain.
Psalm 1 uses this metaphor of chaff to describe the wicked, suggesting that they are easily swayed and tossed in whatever direction the wind is currently blowing. They lack the depth of solid roots we see in verse 3. As if that weren’t reprimand enough, Psalm 1 continues by explaining the wicked will not escape final condemnation on judgment day.
All of this culminates in verse 6 when the Psalmist makes his final comparison declaring that the Lord directs the paths of the godly but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.
Application
Psalm 1 gives us a clear description of two paths in life – the way of the godly and the way of the wicked. One promises life, abundance, and the presence of God. The other guarantees instability and destruction. The choice is freely ours to make.
Joshua and the Israelites were presented with a similar choice when Joshua said to them in Joshua 1:15, “If you decide that it’s a bad thing to worship God, then choose a god you’d rather serve—and do it today. Choose one of the gods your ancestors worshiped from the country beyond The River, or one of the gods of the Amorites, on whose land you’re now living. As for me and my family, we’ll worship God.”
Choose today whom you will serve. As for me, I will serve the Lord.
Questions to Consider
- How does my life resemble the godly? How does it resemble the wicked?
- What are the gods of our culture today? Are there any gods I’m putting before God (money, success, self, education, relationships, etc.)?
- What am I allowing to blow me around like chaff? How can I prevent this in the future?
- How am I currently delighting or meditating on the Word of God? What can I do moving forward to delight/meditate on His Word?
- What fruit has God produced in me recently?
- When do I feel closest to God? How can I cultivate a closer relationship with Him?
Additional Resources:
- Want to learn more about the book of Psalms? Watch this 9-minute video overview about the Psalms created by The Bible Project (https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/psalms/)
- Can’t wait to read another Psalm? Check out my post last fall on Psalm 139.