Psalm 1 (NKJV) 1Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. 4The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
One heading for this Psalm was, “How to be happy and blessed in life.” I am looking for Psalms of Blessing or Praise. We live in a dark world. Satanic influence is all around us. Listen to the radio you hear vile evil unless you are listening to a Christian station. The news has very little good to say. I am, for the next week or more focusing on the Psalms of Praise. When you walk in the dark you turn on the light to help guide your way. We walk in a world of spiritual darkness. We need the Light of God to show us the way. We do not need to walk alone in the darkness of sin and degradation. The psalmist writes we can be blessed. But we must make a choice. Do we stand in the path of sinners or walk in the counsel of the ungodly?Who do we listen to, the prophets of Satan or the proclaimer of God. Most people do not just jump into the fire satanic evil. It is a slow step by step progression. As the psalmist says in verse one it begins in just walking by the evil, then standing, and finally sitting with the evil. Satan works slowly and meticulously moving each of his potential followers into the death trap of Hell.The blessing of life comes from God. The one who is devoted to God finds delight in being with Him. The follower of God thinks about Him as he walks through the day. He allows God to guide his path. God is the love of His life. His life is rooted in God. He allows the love of God to flow through His life. The prosperity of the follower of Christ comes not from the world but from God.
We live in an upside-down world. So many professing Christians are like the ungodly. Their spiritual roots are shallow. They are withering away. Their spiritual roots are starving for the God of salvation but only finding the darkness of satanic influence. The winds of darkness drive them to a world of pervasive evil.God knows the way of the righteous. God’s hand is on those who choose Him. Darkness may surround the righteous, but the Light of Christ is guiding each step taken.
Spend your day praising God. Praise God in each step you take, for each person you meet. Praise God in the good that comes your way. Paise Him when others hurt you when the darkness of evil surrounds you. Praise Him for His love and His salvation. Praise God from the mountain top. Praise God when you find yourself in the “Valley of the shadow of death.” Know God will never desert you. He will never leave you. As the psalmist writes in Psalm 23, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”Today focus on God and not your circumstances. Know even in the darkness of the world you can praise God.