Psalm 1
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.
4 But not the wicked!
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.
Psalm 1
Dear God, my wife and I were talking about the poetry of the Book of Psalms last night, and she mentioned that Psalm 1 is a nice straightforward one that is a good entry point into appreciating the poetic imagery the words paint. So I looked at the Catholic passages of the day and then Bible Gateway’s verse of the day, and since none of those really spoke to me I thought I would double back and see what I might get out of Psalm 1 today.
So this psalm is in two parts. The first stanza, which is physically separated from the second in the New Living Translation, talks about the good person. The second talks about the wicked.
When it comes to the good person, it reminds me once again of the saying that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. I would extend that to the five things we allow to speak into our lives the most. So it could be people. My wife is the person I spend the most time with. Then there are coworkers. I don’t spend constant time with them, but I get time with them four days a week, and we share a bit with each other throughout the day. Then there are my friends. But before friends, there is the media I consume because I can’t think of any friends I spend more than an hour or so a week with, and that is only if we have lunch that week. Outside of that, it’s possibly a text here or there.
So if I am planting myself somewhere, am I a tree planted by water, am I a tree in a rainy climate that is away from the stream but still getting some nourishment, or am I planted where there is no rain and I am dependent upon the accidental rain that might drift by me to nourish me? As it relates to this passage, I believe I keep myself from getting counsel and input from the wicked, the sinners, and the mockers. But I don’t know that I’m planted by a river. I think I am probably in the area that gets pretty consistent rain, but my roots are not always getting the water they need.
Father, help me to see how I might improve where my tree is planted. How I might improve the inputs I allow into my life, the average of which influences who I am. Help me to be the positive source of your nourishment for others around me. Use me however you will. I want to be a fully nourished tree so that my life might be glorifying to you and you alone.
I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,
Amen
Emails to God 