For our first assignment we were asked to read Psalm 1 and then write out any questions or comments that we had.  My comments are interjected within the passages.

Psalm 1

¹ Blessed is the man
       who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
       or stand in the way of sinners
       or sit in the seat of mockers.

I did look up some of the inferences of the first verse just to make sure I wasn’t misunderstanding anything.  Do I knowingly listen to the advice of a person who I know is wicked?  And when we use the word wicked I don’t think we’re talking about your average sinner, but someone who is consciously and maliciously evil in their intent. And like them is my character of the same ilk? Do I partake in slandering someone and making false accusations?

Honestly, there was a time when I would have had to say yes to all 3 of these condemnations.

² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
       and on his law he meditates day and night.

Do I meditate on God’s law day and night? Do I meditate on it at all would be a more appropriate question. But the real kicker is do I delight in it? For me to delight in something, is too find joy in it, too love it and that means there is something intrinsically beautiful about it. What was it that David saw in the law of God that made him delight in it?

³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
       which yields its fruit in season
       and whose leaf does not wither.
       Whatever he does prospers.

I could easily visualize the image of the tree and what it represents but the stickler for me is with the last sentence. What did David mean by prosper? Are we talking the end result of a righteous mans life, or are we talking about the normal day to day dealings in his life?

⁴ Not so the wicked!
       They are like chaff
       that the wind blows away.

Not only is there is no foundation to hold them in place, there is nothing about them of any real substance.

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

Wow, if I read this with Revelation 20:12-15 in mind then the judgement only occurs to those whose names are already in the book of life.  How very different than what Hollywood portrays. There is no judgement for the damned for they have already been judged.  It’s still an intimidating thought to be judged even if you are one of the saved. I’ve always imagined that judgement will be our opportunity to see our lives played out thru Gods lens. What abominations we will see ourselves as when that time comes.

⁶ For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
       but the way of the wicked will perish.

This is my God, a god who watches over me. Not some impersonal god who created me and then stepped out of my life.

It will be interesting to see where the class goes with this Psalm.