Psalm 1:3

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. (NASB)

And he shall be like a tree firmly planted and tended by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper and come to maturity. (Amplified Bible)

In Jeremiah 17 we have a passage that closely parallels Psalm 1:

Jeremiah 17:5-8:

Thus says the Lord, "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind
And makes flesh his strength,
And whose heart turns away from the Lord.

[6] "For he will be like a bush in the desert
And will not see when prosperity comes,
But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,
A land of salt without inhabitant.

[7] "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
And whose trust is the Lord.

[8] "For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.

In our study of verse three, we are going to look at several words that have significance.

The psalmist introduces a simile, a term of comparison, which functions much like an open window, which give us insight into the meaning of the Word. Remember that these “windows” are not to be abused by a fanciful, even “sanctified” imagination, but are to be interpreted in light of the context. The danger of figures of speech is for us to “run wild” with our interpretations, forgetting that even figures of speech are meant to picture a literal truth.

Let’s look at the phrase “like a tree.”

A tree must have water, and it is fascinating to see how some kinds, the alder, for instance, if planted away from it, will instinctively push out their roots in the direction of the water, however far off, seeming, with their tendrils, to be feeling for it, till they find it.

Matthew Henry writes that he shall be like a tree, fruitful and flourishing. This is the effect of his pious practice; he meditates in the law of God and that is what makes him like a tree. The more we converse with the Word of God the better furnished we are for every good word and work.

The word “planted comes from the Hebrew work “shathal/satal” which means to plant or transplant. The idea is to plant and cultivate a seed or seedling in the ground so it may grow. The picture of the godly man being transplanted is a fitting image of the New Testament truth of the born again person. We were dead in our trespasses and sins in Adam and when we were born again by the sanctifying work of the Spirit we were transplanted from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom light and placed in Christ, rooted and grounded in Him.

Planted also speaks of stability in the storms of life. Ray Pritchard elaborates on this picture asking; How do you know when a tree has good roots? Answer: when the storms come. All the trees look pretty much alike when the sun is shining or a gently rain is falling, but let a might storm with fierce rain and howling winds pass through. Then the true difference is apparent. The trees with few roots are blown over, bu the trees with deep roots are still standing when the storm has passed. So it is for the child of god. You won’t know how good your root system is until the storms of life crash against you. Only then will you discover the strength of your spiritual foundation. The only way to be ready for the storm is to spend time now delighting in God’s Word day by day, meditating on its truth, and building a foundation deep and strong for whatever may come your way.

Consider Isaiah 61:3 and Psalm 92:12-14

The next phrase to look and is “streams of water.”

This is a stream of water flowing underground and suddenly breaks through and flows out freely a spring.

This is not a stagnant pool but a flowing stream, making the image ever more vivid in a land where a flowing spring feed streams. How blessed is this man!

Steven Cole explains that the psalmist describes the person who delights in God’s Word as a tree planted by streams of water. This is a tree that has been deliberately cultivated, surrounded by these canals or streams so that its roots have continual supply of water. It is solid and able to withstand drought or storms. It is fruitful and has continual evidence of life and vitality; its leaves do not wither. He sums it up by applying it: “In whatever he does, he prospers.” There’s a truly happy person, the person God blesses with His prosperity, no matter what circumstances of life he finds himself in.

Warren Wiersbe writes that a tree is a blessing. It holds the soil, provides shade and produces fruit. The godly are like trees, with root systems that go deep into the spiritual resources of God’s grace. But sadly, many professing Christians are not like trees but are like artificial plants or cut flowers with no roots. They may be beautiful for a while, but soon they die.

A tree needs light, water and roots to live. We all have resources upon which we draw life. The questions we to ask ourselves is, Where are out roots? The person God can bless is planted by the rivers of water. We must be careful not to be like Christians who are dry and withered and depend upon their own resources. They are like tumbleweeds, blown about by a wind of doctrine.

To have the blessings of verse 3, we need to meet the conditions of verses 1 and 2. That is, we must first be separated from the world and saturated with the Word to be situated by the waters.

God desires to bless us, but we need to meet certain conditions to receive His blessings. We bear fruit only when we have roots, and we must draw upon spiritual resources to bring forth fruit in due season. To bear the fruit of the Spirit, we must allow the Spirit to work in us and through us.
In contrast to the believer, the ungodly are not like trees but are like chaff. They have no roots, produce no fruit and a blown about. The ungodly reject the Word of God and will perish without hope. As Christians we must not reject the ungodly but try to reach them. God blesses us so that we might be blessing to others. His Spirit helps us bear fruit that can help win the lost.

Are you a tree or like chaff?

We need God’s resources to bear fruit. But where we place our roots is paramount. Only as we grow deeply into the spiritual resource of God’s grace will we produce fruit. Make the Bible your spiritual resource. Delight in it and feed your soul with its truth. God can use you to help you win the lost.

The next phrase is “yields fruit in its season.”

The more we converse with the Word of God the better furnished we are to every good work. Note again the recurring biblical principle: First the root, then the fruit. First the Word with obedience and then the bearing of fruit. The sad truth is that so many Christians are more concerned about the leaves and the fruit at the expense of neglecting the root, but the roots are the most important part. Unless Christians spend time daily in the Word, and allow the Spirit to feed them, they will wither and die.

Ray Pritchard notes that to speak of “fruit in its season” means that the tree produces fruit that expresses its inner character. How do spot and orange tree” By the oranges it produces. How do you spot and apple tree? Look for the apples. Whatever is on the inside must eventually be seen on the outside. Applied to the spiritual life, this means that when our roots are deep in the Word, we will be given whatever we need, whenever we need it. If we need love, from the Word of God will come the strength to produce the fruit of love. If we need a forgiving spirit, from the Word of God will come the strength to forgive. If we need courage, we will produce the fruit of courage. If we need patience and perseverance, the Word of God will produce it in us. This sort of supernatural life is available to every believer, but it will only be fully realized over time as we continue to walk with the Lord and to delight in His Word.

Pritchard adds that the phrase pictures a leafy tree that seems like an evergreen because its leaves are in season all year round. People like this are constantly refreshed by the Word of God, constantly renewed, constantly drawing on new strength for new situation. They are never boring, never dull, never living off yesterday’s blessing, but living each day in the strength of the Lord whose mercies are new every morning.

John Piper explains that you will be a fruitful person. O for more fruitful people! You know them. They are refreshing and nourishing to be around. You go away from them fed. You go away strengthened. You go away with your taste for spiritual things awakened. Their mouth is a fountain of life. Their words are healing and convicting and encouraging and deepening and enlightening. Being around them is like a meal. This is the effect of delighting in the Word of God and meditating on it day and night. You will yield fruit in season.

Regarding the phrase “whose leaf does not wither,” Piper says the point here is that the hot winds are blowing and the rain is falling and all the other trees that are not planted by streams are withering and dying, but in spite of all the heat and drought, your leaf remains green, because delighting in the Word of God and meditating on it day and night is like being planted by a stream. The happiness of this person is durable. It is deep. It does not depend on which way the wind is blowing or whether the rain is falling. It gets its life from absolutely changeless source: God in His Word.

We come to the phrase. “And in whatever he does, he prospers.”

Ray Pritchard says that they prosper in the sense that no matter what happens, they find strength for the day and hope in the midst of the hardest difficulties. They bring forth godly fruit in good times and bad times. Why? Because they are planted deep in the good soil and their roots reach out to the water of the Word of God. Finding constant nourishment therein, they can face whatever life throws at them.

The thought here is similar to Romans 8:37 where in the midst of struggles, sorrow, persecution, famine, distress, nakedness and the sword, those who know Jesus are “more than conquerors” through His divine power. And that triumphant deliverance comes to us in large part through the Word of God.

In this world we may face disappointment, sorrow, rejection, failure, sickness, abandonment, and discouragement. We my hear things about our children we prayed to God never to hear, our dearest friends may desert us, our spouse may leave us, and we may face an unremitting series of earthly tragedies, illness, physical weakness, and death itself may visit our door time and again.

Even then, we prosper, we thrive, we survive, we are not destroyed. Sometimes when I ask friends going through hard times how they are doing, the answer comes back, “I’m surviving” Years ago I foolishly thought that was a wimpy response. Now I see that it is a powerful statement of faith. Sometimes surviving is the same as thriving. Some days to survive is to prosper. That, too, is a kind of prosperity for the people of God.

Let these illustrations permeate you thinking on our passage:

Spiritual Trees
By Henry G. Bosch

Godly men and women are compared in Scripture to sturdy, healthy trees, planted by the rivers of water, laden with fruit, and full of leaves. In order for us to be fruitful we must:

1. Stand straight for God. Lives that reveal Christlike character are lovely to behold, for they are not gnarled by sin or rotted by hypocrisy.

2. Be strong. Those who are well-rooted in God’s Word will be unmovable in time or trial and temptation.

3. Keep growing. As healthy trees add a new ring of growth each year, we too should constantly grow in grace.

4. Bring blessing to others. Some trees provide food, others give shade, and others are made into lumber. So too Christian should provide spiritual food and comfort to their neighbors, as well as use their time and talents to build people up in the Lord.

5. Be ready to be transplanted when God so wills. Christians are not here to stay; they are waiting to be transplanted in the garden of heaven where their fruit will never wither and their leaf will never fade.

How good a tree are you? Is there any fruit, any beauty, any growth worth talking about? Or are you wilted and unproductive? Get growing!

The just are nourished like a tree
Set by the riverside;
Their leaf is green, their fruit is sure,
And thus their word abide. Anon.

Tall Trees, Deep Roots
By David C. Egner

My son Mark and I were digging out the stump of an old tree in his front yard. The tree had been only 5 inches in diameter, so we didn’t think the task would be difficult.

After digging around the stump and cutting through the surface roots, we fastened a nylon towrope to the back of my truck and pulled. Nothing happened. We dug some more, cut out some more roots, and tried again. Still not success. On the third try the nylon rope broke. Strong, deep roots had anchored that tree firmly in the ground.

In the Bible, godly people are often likened to trees. Joni Eareckson Tada wrote about this in her book “Diamond in the Dust.” “The branches of growing trees not only reach higher, but their roots grow deeper. It is impossible for a strong tree to have high branches without have deep roots. It wold become top heavy and topple over in the wind. Then Joni observed, “The same is true with Christians. It is impossible for us to grow in the Lord without entwining our roots around His Word and deepening our life in His commands.

Would you like to be a tall, immovable tree? That comes only through a life of Bible study, discipline, and tested faith, conditions that produce deep roots.

We rend and learn the Word of God
To fix it firmly in our heart;
And when we act upon that Word,
Its truth from us will not depart. DJD

The roots of stability come from being grounded in God’s Word.

Deep Roots
By M. R. De Haan

In my orchard are two pear trees. Last summer was extremely dry, yet one of the tress was unaffected and remains green and yielded luscious fruit. The other tree did not do so well. Its leaves turned yellow, the fruit shriveled, and the leaves and the fruit both dropped to the ground. The tree seemed to be dead.

Then came the rains, and the ground was soaked with moisture. The tree that seemed to be dead sprang to life again. Soon is was covered with leaves and, believe it or not, in the latter of part of August it burst into full bloom. Little pears came into view, but then came the frost and no fruit matured.

One tree thrived and produces delicious fruit in season. What made the difference? Its roots had grown deep, where they found plenty of water. The other had shallow roots and depended on the uncertain rains. The one was like the tree David described, “planted by the rivers of water.” The other, with belated bloom, bore no fruit.

Which kind of tree are you? Do your roots go deep in the underground streams of the Word of God, or is your devotional life shallow and only occasional? Dig deep, friend, deep into the Book, and your life will produce abundant spiritual fruit.

The just are nourished like a tree
Set by the riverside;
Their leaf is green, their fruit is sure,
And thus their works abide. Anon

We cannot bear fruit with the water of God’s Word.

Of Time And Trees
By David C. McCasland

People who don’t want to wait 4 decades for a globe Norway maple to grow in their front yard can buy a 3- foot specimen from a New York nursery for $42,000. A 50-foot European beech is a “bargain” for only $20,000. In spite of the prices, the country’s leading nurseries report soaring sales of mature trees.

As one customer put it, “I can’t wait for a banana to ripen. I only buy them bright yellow. There’s no patience for watching a tree grow.”

We humans are always in a hurry, looking for shortcuts to skirt the process and grasp the product. And sometimes we expect instant maturity in our Christian walk and growth in faith. What a contrast to the enormous leisure of God in His dealings with us!

The psalmist affirmed God’s promise that the person who delights in His Word will “be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth it fruit in its season.” A growing Christian, whether a new believer or a seasoned saint, is like a healthy tree, planted, nourished, and fruitful.

If our roots are in God’s Word and our hearts are drawing sustenance from Him, we will flourish. And growth toward maturity brings joy to the God of patience.

Our fruitfulness and growth in Christ
Won’t happen instantly,
But meditating on God’s Word
Will bring maturity. SPER

It takes a moment to be saved; it takes a lifetime to grow in godliness.

Did you learn anything in this lesson?

I would like to hear your comments about Psalm 1:3.

DAN WILSON
Ephesians 4 Teacher
ephesians4teacher@gmail.com

Psalm 1:2

Psalm 1:2-3:

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
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. (NASB)

Psalm 1:2-3:

2. But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law, the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God he habitually meditates, ponders and studies by day by night

3. And he shall be like a tree firmly planted and tended by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper and come to maturity. (AMPLIFIED)

We have seen in verse 1 of this Psalm how this person is blessed because he doesn’t associate with ungodly counselors, sinners, and scoffer.

We have seen the characteristics of each of these and find that these types of people we don’t need to associate with to help us in our spiritual walk.

Now the psalmist uses the word “but” to introduce a contrast between what this man doesn’t and what he does do.

The psalmist “changes direction” from the broad way leading to destruction, to the narrow way that leads to eternal life, the highway of holiness, the ancient paths.

Now he presents the marked contrast that accrues to those who choose to avoid the ways of the wicked, sinners and scoffers.

There are two words in verse 2 that we are going to focus on. The first word is “delights” and the second word is “meditates.”

What is delight?

What does delight look like?

How does one obtain “delight” or begin to delight?

How is delight maintained, nursed and nourished?

Delight comes from the Hebrew word “hapes, chapes”. It pictures that which is bent toward and thus is a beautiful figure of the godly man or woman who is ever leaning toward the law of God, not referring to the Ten Commandment, but to the law as representative of God’s Word.

And given that God’s Word is His “love letter” to fallen, rebellious mankind, the blessed man seeks this letter as a young man or woman would devour a love letter from the one they are courting or being courted by.

Sentence by sentence. Phase by phrase. Word by word. Reading the letter without interruption, even unaware of surrounding distraction. Reading and re-reading.

Such a picture is one of sheer delight of the beloved at having received a love letter from God Who is the essence of love. And so the blessed man and woman inclines toward the word.

Delight is an attitude that leads to an action, meditate. Delight is a good attitude and James says that every good thing and every perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights in Whom there is no variation or shifting of shadow.

Before we were saved by grace through faith, we were hostile toward God and His Word. Clearly, salvation is necessary for one to delight and ultimately that delight is planted in our hearts by the Father of lights.

But this good gift like all gifts can be squandered and abused to the point in that it begins to fade into only a dim memory of times when we truly delights in the Word like a newborn baby.

Time and effects of sin have a way of slowly eroding one’s delight if we are not vigilant to watch over our heart with all diligence.

Ray Pritchard writes that the word “delight” means to take great pleasure in. It has the idea of a consuming passion that controls your life. Everyone “delights” in something.

Some people delight in food. Others delight in a job or a hobby or a career. Some delight in particular friendship. Many people delight in money or the things money can buy. Many delight in evil pleasures and wrong desires.

Mark this well: Your “delight” determines your direction. What do you delight in? What gets your motor running” What gets you excite in the morning and keeps you awake at night? What do you daydream about?

Tell me the answers to those questions and I will tell you something crucial about who you are/

To delight is to be so excited about something that you just can’t wait. Watch a young man who has fallen in love for the first time. Ask his friends and they will say, “He’s not the same guy he used to be.” They mean he has radically changed. He doesn’t want to hang around with them anymore. All he does is talk about “that girl.” Just look at him. He got this goofy grin on his face. He’s in love. Now apply that principle to the Word of God. We are to delight in God’s Word as a lover delights in a letter from his beloved.

Steve Cole asks the question, What does it mean to delight in God’s Word? The word is used in the Old Testament of a man delighting in a woman. That tells us something. Have you noticed that when a young man delights in a woman, he rearranges his priorities so that suddenly he has plenty of time to spend with her? And he doesn’t do it because he has to; he wants to! Nothing interferes with his time with the object of his delight.

Now let me ask, Do you delight in God’s Word in that sense? Do you make time to spend in the Word because you delight in it? Or has it become a duty? It is easy to fall into the duty mentality toward the Word: “A chapter a day keeps the devil away!” Besides, it alleviates your guilt to read it. So you grind through a chapter and check it off on your list, but you didn’t commune with the living God or apply His Word where you need to change.

The Bible is God’s love letter to you. You’re reading the counsel of a loving, all wise Heavenly Father as to how you should live. His commandments are for your blessing and good. It should be no more of a duty to spend time in God’s Word that it is for a young man to spend time with an attractive woman. The way to true happiness is to delight in God’s Word.

William Heslop writes that he is blessed because his delight is in the law of the lord.

He not only reads the Bible, he delights in it.
He not only studies the holy word, he enjoys it.
He not only reviews the truth, he relishes and revels in it.

John Piper writes that the deepest mark of this happy person in Psalm 1 is that he delights in the Word of God. Bible reading and Bible memory are not a burden to him, but a pleasure.. This is what we want. What sadness when Bible reading is just a drudgery. Something is wrong.

What shall we do? We struggle with Bible reading and memory and mediation because we don’t find pleasure in it. We have other things we want to get more. TV or breakfast or newspaper or computer. Our hearts incline to other things and do not incline to the Word. And so it is not a delight.

Did the psalmist ever struggle with this? Yes they did. Take heart. We all do. How shall this be changed? The answer is found through prayer. We must pray for God’s enabling to help us delight in His Word.

F. B. Meyer writes that it is not enough to read the Bible as a duty, we must come to it with delight. This is possible if you eschew light and foolish literature which cloys the appetite. Read the Book in happy fellowship with its Author, meditate until it is assimilated. Better one verse digested that a whole chapter bolted.
Here are some passages of Scripture on “delight.” Look them up for yourself and keep in mind what we have learned about the word “delight.”

Psalm 22:8
Psalm 35:27
Psalm 36:8
Psalm 37:4
Psalm 37:23
Psalm 112:1
Proverbs 3:12
Isaiah 42:1
Isaiah 62:4
Micah 7:18
Malachi 2:17

Richard De Haan gives us an illustration of how delight can be dulled and end up as drudgery.
The first morning I heard the mockingbird practicing his bagfull of imitations outside my window, I was thrilled by the beauty of his songs. Gradually, however, I began to take his early morning songster for granted. One day as I awoke, it dawned on me that I no long appreciated my regular visitor. It wasn’t the mockingbird’s fault. He was still there. His beautiful song hadn’t changed, but I was no longer listening for it.

As believers in Christ, we may have a similar experience hearing God speak to us in His Word. When we are first saved, the Scriptures, with their soul stirring instruction and vital spiritual food, are deeply satisfying. As time goes on, however, we routinely read those same portions over and over in a manner that no longer speaks to us. Our spiritual senses grow dull and lethargic, and God’s exhilarating Word becomes commonplace to us. But then, what joy we feel when a passage reveals the exciting truth, and once again we “hear” the Lord!

Then let me love my Bible more
And take a fresh delight
By day to read these wonders o'er
And meditate by night.
-- Isaac Watts

I scanned the Scriptures thoughtlessly--
My haste had closed my ear;
Then prayerfully I read once more--
This time my heart could hear.
--Gustafson

Are you reading the Scriptures out of a tired sense of duty?
Or do you still possess the delight and fresh expectancy you had when you first believed?

Today, when you read God's Word, listen closely for His voice

Not only does this person delight in God’ Word, he meditates on it.

Meditates, from the Hebrew word “hagah” strictly speaking means to utter a sound and hence it is employed of inward utterance, of the word a man speaks to himself and also of giving open and loud expression to the thoughts.

So in Hebrew thought, to meditate upon the Scripture is to quietly repeat them in a soft, droning sound, while abandoning outside distractions.

Meditation of the idea of digesting something thoroughly, of ruminating on it, of chewing the cud of God’s Word of Truth, of considering a verse by pondering it from various angles.

As stated, the original Hebrew idea is to mumble under one’s breath. I get the picture of one “brooding” over God’s Word, almost like a mother hen sitting on her eggs until they hatch! Have you ever been to the “Wailing Wall” in Jerusalem and seen the men facing the wall rocking back and forth muttering or chanting. That’s a picture of meditating, but only a partial pictures because without the Holy Spirit our Teacher, such mumbling becomes a rote, mechanical exercise.

Mediation is to our inner person what digestion is to our body and this if you make the Word a part of your life, hearing and heeding, you will grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Watch your thoughts: they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
Author Unknown

When you truly delight in the Word, you have a desire to spend time in it and to meditate on it.

In the following verses from Psalm 119, observe the association between “delight” and “meditation”:

Verse 15: I will meditate on Thy precepts, and regard Thy ways.
Verse 16: I shall delight in Thy statutes, I shall not forget Thy word.

Verse 23: Even though princes sit and talk against me, Thy servant meditates on Thy statures.
Verse 24: Thy testimonies also are my delight; They are my counselors.

Verse 47: And I shall delight in Thy commandments, Which I love.
Verse 48: And I shall lift up my hands to Thy commandments, Which I love; And I will meditate on Thy statutes.

Wiersbe writes that we saturate ourselves with the Word by meditating on it. When we meditate on the Word, we allow the Spirit of God within us to “digest” the Word of spiritual nourishment for us.

God desires to bless us, but we must meet His conditions for receiving blessings. By staying separate from the world and keeping saturated in the Word, we may expect God's blessings. Resolve to meditate on the Word of God and obey it. He will make you a blessing to others.

Ray Pritchard writes that if we are serious about this, we will find the time to mediate. And we will have some sort of regular reading program. Perhaps we’ll read through the Bible in a year. Or perhaps we’ll use one of many Bible study guides that are available. And certainly we will try to memorize Scripture. This has become something of a lost art today. In an earlier generation, it was commonplace for Christians to emphasize Scripture memory. Today we have more or less relegated that practice to the Awana program. That’s a pity because when we hide the Word of God in our hearts, we are protected from sin and given strength to obey God. I know that many people, men, especially, like to say, “I just can’t memorize. I’m too busy. My brain is too tired. I can barely remember my phone number.” Women seem to do better at this, bit we men have thousand excuses. The truth is, we lack motivation. Suppose that Bill Gates came into the sanctuary with 50-gallon drum filled with crisp $100 bills. And suppose he offered $100 for each verse anyone memorized by next Sunday. That would change things, wouldn’t it? I’m sure we’ve got men who would figure out a way to memorize 100 verses by next Sunday because they need the money. But God’s Word is more precious than gold or silver. If we delight in the Word, we will find a way to read it, to meditate on it, and even to memorize it.

A. T. Pierson says that meditation is simply thought prolonged and directed to a single object. Your mystic chambers where thoughts abide are the secret workshop of an unseen Sculptor chiseling living forms for a deathless future. Personality and influence are modeled here. Hence, the biblical injunction, “Keep thy heart with a diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.”

J. I. Packer says that meditation is the practice of turning each truth we learn about God into matter for reflection before God, leading to prayer and praise to God.
Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and way and purposes and promises of God. It is an activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communion with God.

Steven Cole explains the value of meditation in the context of Psalm 1 noting that as we saw in verse 1, the mind is the first bastion we must defend. Whatever shapes your thinking will shape your life. The only way for a person to reject the counsels of the ungodly which bombards him from every side is to be continually meditating on, thing about, chewing on in his mind, the Word if God and how is applies to life.

That’s our responsibility: to delight in and meditate on the Word of God. Do you do it”

Matthew Henry wisely comments, We may judge of our spiritual state by asking, “What is the law of God to us? What account do we make of it? What place has it in use?

To the extent that you build your life on God and His Word, you will have true happiness.

A. W. Tozer had this to say about the value of meditating on God’s Word:

Read it much, read it often, brood over it, think over it, meditate over it, meditate on the Word of God day and night. When you are awake at night, think of a helpful verse. When you get up in the morning, no matter how you feel think of a verse and make the Word of God the important element in your day. The Holy Ghost wrote the Word, and if you make much of the Word, He will make much of you. It is through the Word that He reveals Himself. Between those covers is a living Book. God wrote it and it is still vital and effective and alive. God is in this Book, and if you want to find Him, go into this Book.

John Piper writes that meditation in Hebrew means basically to speak or to mutter. When this is done in the heart it is called musing or meditation. Here is where I plead with you to get involved in the Fighter Verse memory program or some other pattern of Bible memorization. Unless you memorized Scripture you will not meditate on it day and night. But, oh, the benefits and delights of knowing communion with God hour by hour in His Word. If you have ever wondered, what is hour by hour walking in fellowship with the living God? The answer is: it is His speaking to you by His Word through your memory and meditation and illumination and application and your speaking to Him words of thanks and praise and admiration and desire and seeking for help and guidance and understanding. The Word is the basis for your hearing from Him and for His hearing you. The depth and solidity and certainty of your walk with God and your communion with God will rise and fall with whether God’s own written Word is the warp and woof of the fabric of your fellowship. So I urge you to memorize Scripture, and meditate on it day and night. It will change your life in many good ways.

Henry Blackaby gives a somewhat more “mystical” definition of meditation writing that meditations means “to think deeply and continuously about something.” For a Christian, this means remaining in the presence of God and pondering each truth He reveals about Himself until it becomes real and personal in your life. This takes time.

Bring the fruit of your meditation and offer it to the Lord for His blessing. Ask the Holy Spirit to apply the Word to your heart and enable you to live today in conformity to it.

Let the words of my mouth,
And the meditation of my heart,
Be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord.
My strength, and my Redeemer
Psalm 19:14

Some last minute thoughts about meditation:

God feeds the birds, but He doesn’t’ throw the food into their nests.

Saturation with the Scriptures is the secret to satisfaction in your soul.

Ongoing Meditation
October 22, 1997 My Daily Bread
By David C, Egner

Meditation on God’s Word doesn’t’ have to end with your devotional time is over. You can continue the blessing by taking Scriptures with you throughout the day.

Some people memorize a passage or write it on a card so they can have it available to read when they get a few moments. An engineer uses his coffee breaks to continue his reflection God’s Word. Homemakers attach versed to the refrigerator or bathroom mirror. Truckers put portions of the Bible on their dashboard.

Leslie B. Flynn tells of a brilliant college student who volunteered to word at a church camp and ended up as the designated potato peeler. A friend who admired her intelligence said, “It’s too bad you had to end up peeling potatoes.” She replied, “I don’t have to think about potatoes while I am peeling them. So I think about my Bible verse for the day.”

The psalmist indicated that he didn’t read God’s Word and then forget it. He meditated on it all day (Psalm 119: 97) And when the Word of God is in our minds from morning to night, we will be more likely to obey it and far less likely to violate it.

That’s the value of ongoing meditation.

We must read Scripture every day
And meditate on what God said
To fight temptation from the world
And live a life that’s Spirit led. Sper

Reading the Bible without meditating on it is like eating without chewing.

Thinking About It.
March 20, 2003 My Daily Bread
By Dave Brannon

According to one little boy, “Thinking is when you mouth stays shut and your head keeps talking to itself.”

The way your head talks to itself tells a lot about how we are doing morally and spiritually. To guard our mind and keep out the influences that hinder our walk with God is to use our mind in the way He desires.

The Bible gives us clear guidelines, spelling out the kings of things we should think about. For example, Psalm 1:2 and Psalm 119:97 tells us to meditate on God’s Word day and night. That should be our first priority in the thinking department.

But we have a life to live, and we can’t spend all of our waking moments meditating on Scripture. Yet even when we are thinking about the mundane aspects of life, we need guidance. Paul told us that we should think about thing that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8) In our daily activities, those words should govern what is on our mind.

When our head “talks to itself,” it needs to say, “Keep the impure and ungodly thoughts out of here!” When we are thinking that way, we will know what to do, how to behave, where to go, and what to say.

Let us think about what is good,
What is right and pure and true;
May God’s Word control our thoughts
In everything we do. FITZHUGH

Right thinking leads to right living!

What Is Reality?
October 10,2000 My Daily Bread
By Mark De Haan

The cartoon depicted a frustrated father changing a flat tire in the rain. His two children we peering out the car window. In response to their complaining, he said, “Don’t you understand? This is life. This is what is happening. We can’t switch to another channel!”

Television and reality, does the former distort the latter? After 10 years of research, media analyst Kenneth Curtis measured TV’ impact on society. He concluded that the omnipresent, flickering screen constantly tries to tell us what behavior and attitudes are desirable. He described the effect of TV as a subtle process that has become a significant force in defining reality.

It is true, we had better be careful about what we watch. The networks are not committed to portraying Christian values. Many things that are presented as acceptable are in fact dangerous. Further more, watching TV makes us passive observers rather than active participants in solving life’s problems. The violence, sex, and materialism on TV can make us insensitive to our calling as Christians to be salt and light in a sinful world.

Only as we meditate on God’s Word can we have the right perspective. To avoid a distorted view of life, we must allow God’s truth to define reality.

Our thoughts are shaped by what we see,
And thoughts affect our soul;
So if we’d profit from TV,
We must be in control DJD

Has this study on Verse 2 of Psalm 1 been a blessing to you?

I would like to hear your comments.

DAN WILSON
Ephesians 4 Teacher
ephesians4teacher@gmail.com

PSALM 1

Psalm 1:1-6

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. 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 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. (NASB)


1. Blessed, happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable, is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly, following their advice, their plans and purposes, nor stands, submissive and inactive in the path where sinners walk, not sit down, to relax and rest where the scornful and the mockers gather.

2. But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law, the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God he habitually meditates, ponders and studies by day by night

3. And he shall be like a tree firmly planted and tended by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper and come to maturity.

4. Not so the wicked, those disobedient and living without God are not so. But they are like the chaff, worthless, dead, without substance, which the wind drives away.

5. Therefore the wicked, those disobedient and living without God shall not stand justified in the judgment, not sinners in the congregation of the righteous, those who are upright and in right standing with God.

6. For the Lord knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly, those living outside of God’s will shall perish, end in ruin and come to nought. (The Amplified Bible)

Psalm 1:1

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. 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.

“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!”

The Psalm starts out with the word “blessed.”

Blessed comes from the Hebrew word “esher” that conveys a deep sense of well being. It also speaks of the inner contentment in the life of the man or woman who is right or “straight” with God. The man who practices righteousness will be a blessed man.

The word “happy” is a good rendition of blessed, provided one keeps in mind that the condition of “bliss” in not merely a feeling. Even when the righteous do not feel happy, they are still considered “blessed” from God’s perspective. He bestows this gift on them. Neither negative feelings nor adverse conditions can take His blessing away.

Ray Pritchard writes that in biblical terms to be blessed means to be rightly related to God so that your life if fulfilled and you experience deep personal satisfaction. It is important to know that this sort of happiness is not related to our circumstances. And it doesn’t come simply by seeking for it. You find happiness not by seeking it by doing certain things, and not doing other things. The blessing comes as a side benefit of the choices we make. A wise man said that happiness is like a cat. Seek it and it will run from you. But go about your business steadily day by day and soon it comes and curls up at your feet. How true. The most miserable people on New Year’s Eve at those who seek happiness by hopping from one part to another and from one bare to another. True happiness and lasting contentment simply cannot be found that way.

Just as a side note, how blessed and blessed is the man appears more than once in the Old Testament. You might call them the “Beatitudes of the Old Testament.”

I have listed them here for you and you can look them up:

Psalm 32:2
Psalm 34:8
Psalm 40:4
Psalm 84:5, 12
Psalm 94:12
Psalm 112:1
Psalm 127:5
Proverbs 3:13
Proverbs 8:34
Proverbs 28:14
Isaiah 56:2
Jeremiah 17:7

The next part of Psalm 1:1 says that this blessed person “does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or ungodly.”

The Hebrew word for “walk is “halak” which denotes physical locomotion but is often used as a metaphor to picture one’s conduct or how one lives his or her life.

For example, the phrase “walking with or before God” speaks of a close relationship to God. This positive use describes such men as Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and David, all of whom were pleasing to God and all of whom experience the blessedness of God.

The Hebrew verb is in the qal perfect tense where perfect depicts one’s walk or conduct as a whole, without necessarily any reflection on the duration of that conduct. The perfect can also speak of behavior that was started in the past and has continued into the present or which is started in the present and continues into the future.

He does not walk in the “counsel of the wicked”

The Hebrew word of counsel is “etsah” which means a viewpoint or way of thinking, a state of mind that affects the decisions that we make. It means don’t listen to their advice especially in the moral/ethical realm, telling you how you should conduct your life. The first way to avoid evil is to refuse to be influenced by the ungodly.

My question to you is, Who influences you? Are you letting the world’s way of thinking influence you”

Gil comments that “not to walk” herein is not to hearken to their counsel, to give into it, agree with it, pursue it, and act according to it, and happy is the man who, though he may fall in the way of it, and may have bad counsel given him by ungodly me, yet does not consent to it, take it, and act upon it.

What does the counsel of the wicked, or ungodly, look like?

Pastor Steve Cole offers five guidelines to discerning the counsel of the wicked versus the wisdom of God:

(1) The counsel of the wicked denies the sufficiency of Scripture for dealing with the problems of the soul.

The Bible claims to be adequate to equip the believer for every good word and to produce in us true happiness by dealing with the problems of the soul. It provides answers for problems of guilt, anxiety, depression, anger, bitterness and relational conflicts. Christian psychology brings the world’s wisdom to bear on these problems, thus implying that the Bible is not sufficient and often stating “solutions” opposed to what the Bible prescribes.

(2) The counsel of the wicked exalts the pride of man and takes away from the glory of God.

The Bible humbles the pride of man and exalts the glory of God. The world’s wisdom builds the self and minimizes the need for absolute trust in God, whether for salvation or for daily living.

(3) The counsel of the wicked denies or minimizes the need for the cross of Christ by asserting either the basic goodness of man or by downplaying the extent and impact of the fall.

The Bible teaches that we are utterly wicked and self-seeking. None of us could or would seek God if left to ourselves. The cross humbles human pride and exalts Christ alone.

(4) The counsel of the wicked denies God’s moral absolutes and substitutes relative human “goodness.”

God is absolutely righteous and His standards of holiness as revealed in His Word are absolute. Worldly wisdom rationalizes away God’s absolutes as being too “idealistic” or “harsh” and substitutes some human standard, such as “love.” In other words, human wisdom makes a god in its own likeness, rather than submitting to the true God.

(5) The counsel of the wicked focuses on pleasing self rather than on pleasing God and others.

The world’s wisdom does not promote self-denial and love for God and others as of first importance. Often the world’s wisdom provides “help” for a person, relief from the symptoms of his problem, without leading him to confess sin, depend on God, and live obedience to God. The world’s wisdom counsels you to live first of all for yourself. In “Christian” form, it tells you that if you don’t love yourself, you can’t love God and others.
The Hebrew word for “ungodly” (KJV), while other translations use “wicked” is “rasha”

The narrow meaning of “rasha” lies in the concept of “wrongdoing,” or “being in the wrong.”

The word “rasha” seems to have a double meaning, “wrong, wickedness,” and “to condemn as guilty.” This masculine noun is used in parallel with almost every Hebrew word for sin, evil, and iniquity. The word functions also as an adjective to designate in concrete terms the actions and conduct of a type of person.

It is a legal term. The person who has sinned against the law is guilty. This a category of people who have done wrong, are still living in sin, and are intent on continuing with wrongdoing.

Wicked people were guilty of violation of the social rights of others, for they were violent, oppressive, greedy, engaged in plotting against and trapping poor people, and quite willing to murder to gain their ends. In a word, they threatened the community. They were dishonest in business and in the courtroom. The inner lives of the wicked correspond to their actions. They are vicious, haughty, treacherous, vile, polluted, and unstable. I am sure we could come up with a few names of people that fit into this category both in the Bible and in the world today.

The wicked, ungodly, conduct their lives as if God does not exist and with no regard for Him.

Scripture gives us some clues about the nature of the wicked person:

Psalm 10:4: “The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, ‘There is no God.’”

Psalm 10:13: “Why has the wicked spurned God? He has said to himself, ‘Thou wilt not require it.’”

Psalm 11:5: “The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates.”

Psalm 17:7: “Wondrously show Thy lovingkindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at Thy right hand from those who rise up against them.”

Psalm 37:21: “The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives.”

Psalm 119:110: “The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I have not gone astray from Thy precepts.”

The Bible is full of examples, both in the Old and New Testaments, of people who were wicked. Not a nice group of people.

What kind of advice or counsel would you expect to get from this group of people? I can guarantee you that it would not be godly counsel.

Blessed is the man who does not follow the counsel of the wicked.

Next up is “does not stand in the path of sinners.”

The Hebrew word for “stand” is “qum.” The root word refers essentially to the physical action of “rising up.” It is used of figurative rising or standing.

This means to avoid being in the places where sinners congregate to do their thing. If you are serious about keeping yourself morally and ethically pure and holy, don’t put yourself in a path that will surely bring temptation. Avoid doing as they do.

Steve Cole comments that the path of sinners refers to their way of life and behavior. To stand in the path of sinners means involvement with sinners in their sinful behavior. The word “sinners” comes from a Hebrew word meaning to miss the mark. It refers to deviating from the standard of God as revealed in His Word. If we run with worldly people in their godless way of life, we will be wrongly influence by them. That is why a new Christian needs to cut off close relationships with many former friends. They will draw you back into the old way of life. You may not think so, but “Do not be deceived”!

On the other hand, we are not supposed to cut ourselves off completely from sinners. Otherwise, you would have to go out of the world. Rather, your objective changes. Whereas before you associated with sinners as one of them to join in their evil deeds, now you associate with them as sinner saved by grace to seek to bring them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

Next is “sit in the seat of scoffers/mockers.”

The Hebrew word of “sit” is “yashab” which has a sense of to sit, dwell, remain, abide and emphasizes a thoroughly settled state or condition. One has settled down and is comfortable and content with the world with its patterns. In the present context this verb pictures the idea of becoming comfortable with sin and of progression from casual influence of ungodly people to collusion with them in their scorn

“Seat” comes from the Hebrew word “moshab” which means a place where a thing, in this case a person, is settled or established.

“Scoffers” come from the Hebrew word “luwts” which means to deride, speak in a scornfully derisive or to boast as to express utter contempt. The activity of the scornful is condemned as an abomination to people. The scoffer is one who shows contempt by mocking, sneering, or scorning.

The seat of scoffers refers to the assembly or place where such men gather to reinforce their godless philosophy. Birds of a feather flock together. Those who scoff at God love to get together to reinforce their prejudices. To sit in their seat means to belong to such a crowd. Take note: How truly happy is the person who does not sit in the seat of scoffer!

Guzik writes that the scornful love to sit and criticize the people of God and the things of God. The righteous man will not sit in that seat! When others are putting down Christians, it is easy to sit with them and criticize them. It is easy because there are many things to criticize among Christians. But it is wrong, because we are then sitting in the seat of the scornful. Instead, we should be proud to follow Jesus Christ.

Steven Cole comments that scoffer have rejected God and His Word. They now seek to justify themselves by openly deriding that which they have rejected. Scoffers thing they know more than God. They’re too smart to believe in the Bible. Many scoffers come from church backgrounds, but have cast it off as too “repressive.” Although they always hide under an intellectual smoke screen, invariably scoffers have cast off the Bible because they want to be their own god so that they can follow their own lusts. They don’t want God interfering in their sinful lifestyles.

Walk, stand, and sit picture a process of spiritual “retrogression” which is the ever present danger if we are not growing in grace by taking in God’s Word. The point is that believers never stand still in their Christian walk and the psalmist portrays the potential spiritual declension by three degrees of degeneration, describing out habit of conduct, walk, stand, sit, and three degrees of evil influence, counsel of the wicked, path of sinners, and the seat of scoffers. In short, the psalmist warns us how we are prone to wander as the hymn writer says, “turning aside little by little.

Even imperceptibly becoming increasing entangles in the web of sin. We need to remember that the writer of Hebrews warns of the deadliness of sin: “But encourage one another day after day, as longs as it is called ‘Today,’ lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13

This came from Kenneth Copeland’s devotional, “Faith to Faith:

Aug 25 - Choose Friends Wisely

"I wrote you in my [previous] letter not to associate (closely and habitually) with unchaste (impure) people."
(1 Corinthians 5:9)

The company you keep has such an influence on your spiritual life. Fellowshiping with godly people will help speed you on to victory, while fellowshiping with those who are ungodly will drag you down to defeat.

That's why the Bible has some things to say about your friends. That's why it tells you to separate yourself from the world. Because evil companions will corrupt you.

Now, I'm not talking about ministry. Jesus Himself ministered to sinners. You have to mix with them to preach to them and pray for them. What I'm talking about here are the people you choose for friends.

If you want to walk in the things of the Lord, don't choose friends who walk in the things of the devil, people who talk and act ungodly, who don't give God any place in their lives. They'll pull you down. As you rub shoulders with them, you'll expose yourself to temptation. You'll get so familiar with sin it will start to appear less repulsive to you. Sooner or later, you'll fall into it.

So choose your friends wisely. Fellowship with those who call on the Name of the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Tim. 2:22). Expose yourself to their love and peace. Let their faith rub off on you!

Scripture Study: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

© 1992 Eagle Mountain International Church aka Kenneth Copeland Publications All rights reserved.
Kenneth Copeland Ministries


Our Daily Bread.

Icebergs

July 15, 2002 — by Haddon W. Robinson

To improve efficiency, a company hired a consultant, who called a meeting of all shop personnel. Stressing the need to listen to experts, he said, “Imagine you’re on the Titanic, and it’s sinking. You climb into a lifeboat. Which direction would you row?”

Then he asked, “What if you had the ship’s navigator with you? Now which way would you go? You’d row the way the navigator told you to, right?”

There were murmurs of agreement until one fellow in the back piped up, “Well, I don’t know. He’s already hit one iceberg!”

The book of Proverbs urges us to get advice from the wise (1:2-7). Wisdom in the Bible is the “skill for living.” The Hebrew word translated “wisdom” is the same word that’s translated “skill” in reference to the detailed work of Bezalel and Aholiab in constructing the tabernacle (Exodus 31:1-11). God gave them and others skill for artwork, building, weaving, and carving.
Today, wise men and women have a valuable skill—”the skill for living.” Don’t take your lead from others until you take a look at their lives. If they have crashed into a lot of icebergs, they may cause your life to sink as well.

The “blessed” person delights in God’s Word, “not in the counsel of the ungodly” (Psalm 1:1-2)—HWR

When you're in need of wisdom,
Be careful to whom you go;
Make certain they are godly,
And that God's Word they know. —Fitzhugh

Take your direction from those who follow God's Word.

Who do you go to for counsel?

Who do you hang around with?

Who do you sit down with?

We will pick up with verses 2 and 3 next time.

I would like to hear you comments. Please email your comments to Dan Wilson at ephesians4teacher@gmail.com

INTRODUCTION TO THE PSALMS

Because of the length of the introduction, and other technical reasons, the introduction if on Google documents. Copy and paste the link to view the material:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/162igzhoCjzRccWmwCYKNZpms86zj3x-Ob8aFCcys-b0/edit?hl=en_US#

This is the first time I have used Google Documents, so I really don't what I am doing. Try it anyway.

Email me at ephesians4teacher.blogspot.com if you are experiencing difficutly in view the material

Thanks,

DAN WILSON

Psalm 41:1-13
For the choir director.
A Psalm of David.

How blessed is he who considers the helpless;
The Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble.

[2] The Lord will protect him, and keep him alive,
And he shall be called blessed upon the earth;
And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies.

[3] The Lord will sustain him upon his sickbed;
In his illness, Thou dost restore him to health.

[4] As for me, I said, "O Lord, be gracious to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee."

[5] My enemies speak evil against me, "When will he die, and his name perish?"

[6] And when he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood;
His heart gathers wickedness to itself;
When he goes outside, he tells it.

[7] All who hate me whisper together against me;
Against me they devise my hurt, saying,

[8] "A wicked thing is poured out upon him,
That when he lies down, he will not rise up again."

[9] Even my close friend, in whom I trusted,
Who ate my bread,
Has lifted up his heel against me.

[10] But Thou, O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up,
That I may repay them.

[11] By this I know that Thou art pleased with me,
Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.

[12] As for me, Thou dost uphold me in my integrity,
And Thou dost set me in Thy presence forever.

[13] Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.
Amen, and Amen.


Psalm 41

Open It

* 1. Who are the weak in our society?
2. What do you most appreciate when you are feeling sick or abandoned?
3. When have you ever felt homesick, very lonely, or utterly alone?

Explore It

4. How should people view the weak? (41:1)
5. How does the Lord treat weak people? (41:1-3)
* 6. What blessings does God give to the weak? (41:1-3)
7. What motivated David to write this prayer? (41:1-13)
8. How did David voice his confidence in the Lord? (41:1-3)
9. What did David believe to be the reason for his illness? (41:4)
10. What request did David ask of the Lord? (41:4-6)
11. How did David’s enemies torment him? (41:5-9)
12. What rumors did David’s enemies spread? (41:6-8)
* 13. What were David’s adversaries guilty of doing? (41:6-9)
14. How was David’s reputation slandered? (41:6-9)
15. In addition to his enemies, who else betrayed David? (41:9)
16. Why did David want to be healed of his sickness? (41:10)
17. How did the Lord treat David differently than his friends and enemies? (41:10-12)
* 18. How did David know he was favored by God? (41:11)
19. Why did God protect David? (41:12)
20. What did David do in anticipation of God’s healing and deliverance? (41:13)

Get It

21. Why is it so difficult to be alone?
22. Judging from this psalm, how did David feel when his close friend turned against him?
23. When have you felt betrayed by a friend?
24. How are weak people treated by others?
25. How does God want us to treat weak people?
* 26. Why does the Lord allow us to go through difficult experiences?
27. Where do you usually turn when you feel helpless or abandoned?
28. What can we learn from David’s example about handling sickness or abandonment?
29. What connection did David see between his sin and his sickness?
30. How is our sin related to what God allows us to experience?
31. How does God encourage you to repent?
* 32. How can we know if God is pleased with us?
33. What good people, places, and things has the Lord allowed you to enjoy?
34. What difficult situations are you facing?
35. In what area of life do you feel the need to plea for God’s mercy?

Apply It

36. What can you do to take comfort in God the next time you feel lonely or abandoned?
* 37. What can you do to rely on God in handling the challenges you face this next week?
38. How can you remember to pray for God’s mercy each time you pray?

AFFIRMATIONS

TODAY I AM:

Blessed and delivered in time of trouble because I considered the poor.

Preserved by the LORD and kept alive.

Blessed upon the earth: and not delivered unto the will of mine enemies .

Strengthen upon my bed of languishing.

Shown mercy and my soul is healed; for I am confessing my sins .

Upholds in mine integrity .

Blessing the LORD.

Psalm 40:1-17
For the choir director.
A Psalm of David.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me, and heard my cry.

[2] He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay;
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.

[3] And He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.

[4] How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust,
And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

[5] Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which Thou hast done,
And Thy thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with Thee;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.

[6] Sacrifice and meal offering Thou hast not desired;
My ears Thou hast opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering Thou hast not required.

[7] Then I said, "Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me;

[8] I delight to do Thy will, O my God;
Thy Law is within my heart."

[9] I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation;
Behold, I will not restrain my lips,
O Lord, Thou knowest.

[10] I have not hidden Thy righteousness within my heart;
I have spoken of Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation;
I have not concealed Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth from the great congregation.

[11] Thou, O Lord, wilt not withhold Thy compassion from me;
Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth will continually preserve me.

[12] For evils beyond number have surrounded me;
My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head;
And my heart has failed me.

[13] Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
Make haste, O Lord, to help me.

[14] Let those be ashamed and humiliated together
Who seek my life to destroy it?
Let those be turned back and dishonored
Who delight in my hurt.

[15] Let those be appalled because of their shame
Who say to me, "Aha, aha!"

[16] Let all who seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee;
Let those who love Thy salvation say continually, "The Lord be magnified!"

[17] Since I am afflicted and needy,
Let the Lord be mindful of me;
Thou art my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.

Psalm 40

Open It

1. What, to you, is the most vivid example of hypocrisy?
* 2. When do you hate to wait?

Explore It

3. What mental picture did David use to describe God’s deliverance in the past? (40:1-2)
4. For what did David praise the Lord in the introduction of the psalm? (40:1-5)
5. What is the main theme of this psalm? (40:1-17)
6. What did David’s experience of God’s help in the past motivate him to do? (40:3)
7. How should we respond to God’s deliverance? (40:3)
8. What specific instructions does the psalm give to God’s people? (40:4)
9. In what way did David feel inadequate? (40:5)
* 10. What does God want from us even more than sacrifices and offerings? (40:6-7)
* 11. What testimony did David give about his own relationship with the Lord? (40:6-10)
12. What was David’s main desire? (40:8)
* 13. How did David equip himself to do God’s will? (40:8)
14. How was David involved in proclaiming God’s goodness to others? (40:9-10)
15. What was David’s request? (40:11-17)
16. What did David believe to be the cause of his distress? (40:12)
17. How was David’s difficult situation worsened? (40:14-15)
18. What did David ask the Lord to do to his enemies? (40:14-15)
19. How did David ask the Lord to treat those who seek Him? (40:16)

Get It

20. What are the dangers of letting church attendance become overly routine or perfunctory?
* 21. How can we guard against the temptation to focus more on outward appearances than inward attitudes?
22. What does remembering God’s faithfulness in the past prompt you to do?
23. What would be our modern-day equivalent to the sacrifices and offerings of the Old Testament?
24. What does God really want from us?
25. How can we guard against an insincere attitude and hypocrisy?
* 26. How can you equip yourself to do the Lord’s will?
27. How can we store God’s Word in our hearts?
28. How can you be involved in telling others about God’s goodness?
* 29. What can you do to share your experience of God’s faithfulness with those who do not know the Lord?

Apply It

* 30. What steps can you take this next week to store God’s Word in your heart?
31. What offering of praise can you give to God today?
32. In the next few days, who is one person you could tell about God’s faithfulness to you?

AFFIRMATIONS

TODAY I AM:

Waiting patiently on the Lord.

Singing a new song, a song of praise.

Blessed because I have made the Lord my trust.

Proclaiming glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation.

Not hiding Your righteousness within my heart.

Speaking of Your faithfulness and Your salvation.

Not concealing Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

Saying continually, The Lord be magnified.

Psalm 39:1-13
For the choir director, for Jeduthun.
A Psalm of David.

I said, "I will guard my ways,
That I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle,
While the wicked are in my presence."

[2] I was dumb and silent,
I refrained even from good;
And my sorrow grew worse.

[3] My heart was hot within me;
While I was musing the fire burned;
Then I spoke with my tongue:

[4] "Lord, make me to know my end,
And what is the extent of my days,
Let me know how transient I am.

[5] "Behold, Thou hast made my days as handbreadths,
And my lifetime as nothing in Thy sight,
Surely every man at his best is a mere breath.

Selah.

[6] "Surely every man walks about as a phantom;
Surely they make an uproar for nothing;
He amasses riches, and does not know who will gather them.

[7] "And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in Thee.

[8] "Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Make me not the reproach of the foolish.

[9] "I have become dumb, I do not open my mouth,
Because it is Thou who hast done it.

[10] "Remove Thy plague from me;
Because of the opposition of Thy hand, I am perishing.

[11] "With reproofs Thou dost chasten a man for iniquity;
Thou dost consume as a moth what is precious to him;
Surely every man is a mere breath.
Selah.

[12] "Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with Thee,
A sojourner like all my fathers.

[13] "Turn Thy gaze away from me, that I may smile again,
Before I depart and am no more."


Psalm 39

Open It

* 1. What is one thing you want to do before you die?
2. For what reasons do we keep secrets?
3. When have you ever accidently revealed a secret, and what happened?

Explore It

4. What was David determined to do but failed to do? (39:1-3)
5. Why could David no longer suppress his despair? (39:1-3)
6. Why had David determined not to speak of his anguish? (39:1-3, 9)
7. What central prayer request unifies this psalm? (39:1-13)
* 8. What motivated David to write this poem? (39:1-13)
9. What effect did David’s attempt to suppress his anguish have on him? (39:2-3)
10. What did David want to know about his own future? (39:4)
11. What did David ask God to do? (39:4)
* 12. What had David learned about the brevity of life? (39:4-6)
13. What prayer did David offer to the Lord? (39:4-6)
14. What attitude did David have about himself in relation to the Lord? (39:4-6, 12)
15. In whom did David place his only hope? (39:7)
* 16. What simple request did David present before the Lord? (39:7-11)
17. What did David expect to happen if the Lord did not deliver him? (39:8)
18. What did David believe was the reason for his illness? (39:9)
19. How did David feel about the Lord’s hand in his life? (39:10)
20. According to David, why does God rebuke people? (39:11)
21. What is one way the Lord chooses to discipline people? (39:11)
22. How did David demonstrate his humility in this prayer? (39:12-13)

Get It

23. When is it good to keep secrets? When is it bad?
24. What does David’s determination to guard against speaking rebellious words in the hearing of his enemies reveal about his character?
25. How should we speak about God or one another in the presence of unbelievers?
26. How do you think you could change your attitude or behavior to insure you always honor the reputation of the Lord and other believers?
27. What can we learn about humility from David’s example in this psalm?
28. How can you cultivate the spirit of humility in your life?
* 29. Why do people procrastinate?
* 30. What important goals have you put off too long?
31. When have you vented your emotions to the Lord in prayer, and how did it make you feel?
32. When have you felt chastised by the Lord?
33. Why do you think God chooses to discipline us?
34. How should we respond to feelings of guilt?
35. What has recently caused you to feel guilty?

Apply It

36. What could you do this week to honor the name of the Lord in what you do or say at work? at home?
* 37. What first step could you take toward an important goal or priority this week?
38. How do you want to pray the next time you feel guilty or abandoned by God?

AFFIRMATIONS

TODAY I AM:

Taking heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue.

Keeping my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

Made known my end, and the measure of my days, what it is.

Made know how frail I am.

Having my hope in the Lord.

Delivered from all my transgressions.

Not the reproach of the foolish.

Heard of the Lord.

Spared, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.

Psalm 38:1-22

A Psalm of David, for a memorial.

O Lord, rebuke me not in Thy wrath;
And chasten me not in Thy burning anger.

[2] For Thine arrows have sunk deep into me,
And Thy hand has pressed down on me.

[3] There is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine indignation;
There is no health in my bones because of my sin.

[4] For my iniquities are gone over my head;
As a heavy burden they weigh too much for me.

[5] My wounds grow foul and fester.
Because of my folly,

[6] I am bent over and greatly bowed down;
I go mourning all day long.

[7] For my loins are filled with burning;
And there is no soundness in my flesh.

[8] I am benumbed and badly crushed;
I groan because of the agitation of my heart.

[9] Lord, all my desire is before Thee;
And my sighing is not hidden from Thee.

[10] My heart throbs, my strength fails me;
And the light of my eyes, even that has gone from me.

[11] My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague;
And my kinsmen stand afar off.

[12] Those who seek my life lay snares for me;
And those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction,
And they devise treachery all day long.

[13] But I, like a deaf man, do not hear;
And I am like a dumb man who does not open his mouth.

[14] Yes, I am like a man who does not hear,
And in whose mouth are no arguments.

[15] For I hope in Thee, O Lord;
Thou wilt answer, O Lord my God.

[16] For I said, "May they not rejoice over me,
Who, when my foot slips, would magnify themselves against me."

[17] For I am ready to fall,
And my sorrow is continually before me.

[18] For I confess my iniquity;
I am full of anxiety because of my sin.

[19] But my enemies are vigorous and strong;
And many are those who hate me wrongfully.

[20] And those who repay evil for good,
They oppose me, because I follow what is good.

[21] Do not forsake me, O Lord;
O my God, do not be far from me!

[22] Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!


Psalm 38

Open It

1. How do your friends and family treat you when you are sick?
* 2. How would you feel if all of your friends deserted you when you were sick?
3. What was the nicest thing someone did for you when you were ill?

Explore It

4. What emotion overwhelmed David? (38:1-4)
* 5. In what way had David felt the hand of the Lord? (38:1-4)
* 6. What urgent request did David present to the Lord? (38:1-22)
7. What did David believe to be the cause of his illness? (38:5)
8. What were the physical and emotional effects of David’s illness? (38:5-8)
9. How did David demonstrate his dependence on the Lord, even in the worst of circumstances? (38:9)
10. What details did David reveal about his situation? (38:10-12)
11. Why was David deserted by his friends? (38:11)
12. How was David’s suffering increased? (38:11-20)
13. How was David treated by his adversaries? (38:12)
14. Why did David describe himself as a deaf man? (38:13-14)
15. Why did David refuse to answer his enemies? (38:13-16)
* 16. Whom did David expect to act on his behalf against his enemies? (38:15)
17. How did David feel about his condition? (38:17)
18. What did David confess to the Lord? (38:18)
19. Although David confessed sin against the Lord, in what way did he believe he was innocent? (38:19-20)
20. What renewed appeal concludes the psalm? (38:21-22)

Get It

21. What does this passage teach us about relating to God during difficult times?
22. What can we learn from David’s example about how to handle sickness or depression?
23. How have your friends or family helped you through difficult times?
24. When have you felt deserted by your friends or overwhelmed by a particular problem?
25. If God is more reliable than any person, why do we hesitate to turn to Him in our times of need?
* 26. What specific problem or challenge would you like to commit to the Lord?
27. How can you demonstrate your trust in God to help you through the challenges you face?
* 28. What hope does this psalm offer those of us who face sickness, depression, or other overwhelming circumstances?

Apply It

29. For what aspect of God’s reliability or faithfulness do you thank God today?
* 30. What steps could you take to depend on the Lord through the challenges you are now facing?
31. What could you do for a friend or relative who is struggling with sickness or depression to encourage or help him or her this week?

AFFIRMATIONS

TODAY I AM:

Not rebuked in God’s wrath; neither chastened in His hot displeasure.

Having all my desire before God; and my groaning is not hid from Him.

Hoping in the Lord; and I am heard by my God.

Declaring my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin,

Following the thing that is good.

Not forsaken by the Lord; He is not far from me.

Helped hastily by the Lord my salvation.

Psalm 37:1-40
A Psalm of David.

Do not fret because of evildoers,
Be not envious toward wrongdoers.

[2] For they will wither quickly like the grass,
And fade like the green herb.

[3] Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

[4] Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.

[5] Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

[6] And He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your judgment as the noonday.

[7] Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

[8] Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing.

[9] For evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.

[10] Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more;
And you will look carefully for his place, and he will not be there.

[11] But the humble will inherit the land,
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

[12] The wicked plots against the righteous,
And gnashes at him with his teeth.

[13] The Lord laughs at him;
For He sees his day is coming.

[14] The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow,
To cast down the afflicted and the needy,
To slay those who are upright in conduct.

[15] Their sword will enter their own heart,
And their bows will be broken.

[16] Better is the little of the righteous
Than the abundance of many wicked.

[17] For the arms of the wicked will be broken;
But the Lord sustains the righteous.

[18] The Lord knows the days of the blameless;
And their inheritance will be forever.

[19] They will not be ashamed in the time of evil;
And in the days of famine they will have abundance.

[20] But the wicked will perish;
And the enemies of the Lord will be like the glory of the pastures,
They vanish-- like smoke they vanish away.

[21] The wicked borrows and does not pay back,
But the righteous is gracious and gives.

[22] For those blessed by Him will inherit the land;
But those cursed by Him will be cut off.

[23] The steps of a man are established by the Lord;
And He delights in his way.

[24] When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong;
Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.

[25] I have been young, and now I am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Or his descendants begging bread.

[26] All day long he is gracious and lends;
And his descendants are a blessing.

[27] Depart from evil, and do good,
So you will abide forever.

[28] For the Lord loves justice,
And does not forsake His godly ones;
They are preserved forever;
But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

[29] The righteous will inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever.

[30] The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
And his tongue speaks justice.

[31] The law of his God is in his heart;
His steps do not slip.

[32] The wicked spies upon the righteous,
And seeks to kill him.

[33] The Lord will not leave him in his hand,
Or let him be condemned when he is judged.

[34] Wait for the Lord, and keep His way,
And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

[35] I have seen a violent, wicked man
Spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.

[36] Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more;
I sought for him, but he could not be found.

[37] Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright;
For the man of peace will have a posterity.

[38] But transgressors will be altogether destroyed;
The posterity of the wicked will be cut off.

[39] But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their strength in time of trouble.

[40] And the Lord helps them, and delivers them;
He delivers them from the wicked, and saves them,
Because they take refuge in Him.


Psalm 37

Open It

* 1. What are some of the dangers in trying to get rich?
2. What do you think are some of the blessings of not being rich?
3. Why do you think more people seek wealth than righteousness?

Explore It

4. What advice does this psalm give concerning evil people? (37:1-2)
5. Why should the righteous not envy the wicked? (37:1-2)
6. What comparison is the dominant theme of this psalm? (37:1-40)
* 7. What did David expect to happen to the wicked? (37:1-40)
8. What did David say people should do instead of worrying about the success of evildoers? (37:3-7)
* 9. What specific list of actions did David advise God’s people to take? (37:3-8, 27, 30-31, 34)
10. What are the consequences of worrying? (37:8)
* 11. What will be the results of trusting in the Lord? (37:3-40)
12. What reasons did David give to motivate his listeners to take his advice? (37:3-40)
13. What can God’s people expect? (37:10, 20, 35-36)
14. What does the psalm say about the meek? (37:11)
15. How are the wicked described? (37:12, 14)
16. Why does the Lord laugh at the wicked? (37:13)
17. How will the schemes of the wicked backfire? (37:15)
18. When is having “a little” better than being wealthy? (37:16-17)
19. How does God show His delight in people? (37:23-24)
20. What did David learn from his long life of experience? (37:25-26)
21. What blessings do the righteous enjoy? (37:27-31, 33-34, 39-40)

Get It

22. What can we learn from David’s observations of the wicked and the righteous?
23. What lessons have you learned from other mature Christians?
* 24. How is David’s comparison of the righteous and wicked in this psalm relevant to us today?
25. What does this passage teach us about envy of others?
26. What does this psalm teach us about worry?
* 27. What are the benefits of trusting in the Lord and seeking righteousness?
28. What is more important than trying to get rich or financially secure?
29. How can we guard against greed?
30. What blessings from the Lord do you enjoy?
31. What advice in this psalm about trusting God would you like to work on following?

Apply It

32. What concern of yours can you entrust to the Lord in prayer?
33. How can you make sure your priority lies in seeking to please God rather than in seeking wealth?
* 34. What is one thing you can do to entrust your life, family, and future to God?

AFFIRMATIONS

TODAY I AM:


Not fretting because of evildoers.

Not envious toward wrongdoers.

Trusting in the Lord and doing good.

Delighting myself in the Lord.

Commiting my way to the Lord.

Resting in the Lord and waiting patiently for Him

Not fretting because of him who prospers in his way and the man who carries out wicked schemes.

Ceasing from anger and forsaking wrath.

Not fretting.

Inheriting the land and delighting in abundant prosperity.

Being gracious and giving.

Inheriting the land and dwelling in it forever.

Uttering wisdom and speaking justice.

Waiting for the Lord and keeping His way.

Being exalted to inherit the land.

Psalm 36:1-12
For the choir director.
A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart;
There is no fear of God before his eyes.

[2] For it flatters him in his own eyes,
Concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it

.
[3] The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
He has ceased to be wise and to do good.

[4] He plans wickedness upon his bed;
He sets himself on a path that is not good;
He does not despise evil.

[5] Thy lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
Thy faithfulness reaches to the skies.

[6] Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God;
Thy judgments are like a great deep.
O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast.

[7] How precious is Thy lovingkindness, O God!
And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Thy wings.

[8] They drink their fill of the abundance of Thy house;
And Thou dost give them to drink of the river of Thy delights.

[9] For with Thee is the fountain of life;
In Thy light we see light.

[10] O continue Thy lovingkindness to those who know Thee,
And Thy righteousness to the upright in heart.

[11] Let not the foot of pride come upon me,
And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.

[12] There the doers of iniquity have fallen;
They have been thrust down and cannot rise.



Psalm 36

Open It

* 1. What do you think about when you first wake up in the morning or right before you go to sleep at night?
2. What time of day have you found to be the best time to pray?

Explore It

3. How did David describe the wicked? (36:1-4)
4. What is the main focus of this poem? (36:1-12)
5. In what way do the wicked flatter themselves? (36:2)
* 6. What attitude prevents the wicked from realizing their own sin? (36:2)
7. How does this psalm contrast the character of God with the wicked? (36:5-9)
8. How is God described in this psalm? (36:5-9)
9. How far does the love of God extend? (36:5)
10. What mental images did David use to describe God’s righteousness and justice? (36:6)
11. How did David see himself and the animals in relation to God? (36:6)
12. Who finds refuge in the Lord? (36:7)
13. How did David describe God’s people? (36:7-10)
* 14. How does the Lord provide for His people? (36:8-9)
15. Why did David describe God as a “fountain of life”? (36:9)
16. What did David want the Lord to provide for His people? (36:10)
* 17. What two-fold request did David present to the Lord? (36:10-11)
18. With what expectation of the future did David conclude the psalm? (36:12)
19. What does David’s conclusion reveal of his confidence in the Lord? (36:12)

Get It

20. Why do you think God is sometimes described as light?
21. What does David teach us in this psalm about God and His character?
22. What can we learn from this passage about how God provides for His people?
23. How have you experienced God’s provision or guidance?
24. What kind of relationship did David have with God?
* 25. How can we imitate David’s confidence when we present our requests to God in prayer?
* 26. Through the description of the wicked, what attitudes and behaviors does this psalm warn us to guard against?
27. How can Christians guard against a proud spirit?
28. Through the description of the righteous, what attitudes and behaviors does this psalm tell us to cultivate?
29. How can we cultivate humility?

Apply It

30. What steps could you take this week to guard against pride and cultivate humility?
* 31. What specific prayer request do you need to present to God with greater confidence?

AFFIRMATIONS

TODAY I AM:

Being preserved by the Lord.

Taking refuge in the shadow of His wings.

Drinking my fill of the abundance of His house.

Drinking of the river of His delights.

Seeing light in His light.