Located just 500 miles northeast of Vancouver, the Fraser River in British Columbia divides into two streams. One flows eastward to the Atlantic Ocean. The other runs westward to the Pacific Ocean. Dubbed as the Great Divide, just six inches after the fork in the river, each new conduit is unchangeably fixed.
So it is in life. Along the way there are certain decisions that have the power to forever alter our course. Psalm 1 presents such a scenario as we consider two very different ways to live. The psalmist contrasts the known, steady path that leads to eternal life with the enticing, wicked path that promises much while delivering little.
The word “blessed” speaks of one’s condition before the Lord. Perhaps you recall that Jesus chose the same concept to introduce each of the beatitudes in His Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:1-12). Some Bible translations reduce the notion to “happiness.” While the term is not less than our personal gladness, it encompasses much more. To be “blessed” references the joy and peace God’s favor and approval brings to our lives. Numerous feelings often accompany these blessings, but they are not limited by our emotions or the lack thereof. A Christian can live knowing that God’s blessings are upon his life.
But how?
What is the key to unlocking the assurance that we live with God’s favor? Thankfully, Psalm 1 speaks both negatively and positively in order to guide us. The former outlines what we must not do in order to enjoy God’s favor while the latter emphasizes what we must do to live a blessed life.
So, what are we to avoid? First, the psalmist reveals that we must not walk in the counsel of the wicked (Psa. 1:1a). The lesson here is about influence. Because there is a thin line between reaching the world and becoming like the world, believers must be selective about who speaks into their lives. Far too many Christians naively crack the door to a host of wicked influences.
We daydream about the celebrity lifestyle. We laugh at blasphemous jokes. We seek out the popular rather than the principled. We entertain ourselves with movies and series that mock God. Then, before we know it, we are walking according to the rhythm of the world without noticing. With hearts that are slowly dulled, we begin to drift away from the Lord.
Second, we must not stand in the path of sinners (Psa. 1:1b). The image of a “path” communicates one’s lifestyle. Notice the progression. When we cede influence to those who are carnal, sooner or later we join their ranks. Consequently, we normalize sinful habits. We justify and promote carnality. We begin to prize feelings over the truth of God’s Word. We might even celebrate our compromised faith as a new path forward in a modern world. Far too many take their stand for all the wrong things.
No matter the spin put on it, deconstructing the faith is no different than abandoning the faith. A blessed man, though, sees through all the rhetoric and propaganda, refusing to be driven by the wayward impulses of the world. He guards his life and testimony, declining to stand where God would not.
Third, we should not sit in the seat of scoffers (Psa. 1:1c). These are those who mock the God of Scripture and anyone who dares to follow Him. Again, we can easily see the hateful continuity. Once we begin to live like the wicked, soon, we are so comfortable that we openly chide the faithful. Scoffers dismiss biblical Christianity as fanatical, label clear doctrine as narrow and bigoted, and dismiss supernatural acts as uneducated and unscientific. The blessed Christian will avoid hecklers like these. He is uncomfortable sitting by idly while detractors belittle his faith, blaspheme his God, and ridicule his church family.
Now, moving to the positive, what must we do to invite God’s favor? The psalmist’s instruction is twofold. Our chief commitment is to love God’s law (Psa. 1:2a). While the term “law” can refer to the first five books of the Bible, here it references all of Scripture. We are told to cherish the Word by making it our greatest delight. Reading the Bible must not be a drudgery for serious believers.
Next, we should meditate day and night upon what the Bible says (Psa. 1:2b). Contrary to Eastern mysticism which prioritizes emptying your mind in order to meditate, the biblical emphasis is just the opposite. We are to fill our thoughts with Scripture, pondering what it means, contemplating its application, and hiding it in our hearts. Resisting the influence of hell requires submitting the directives of God’s Word.
Only one man ever lived up to these priorities perfectly. Thus, if we choose to embrace these ideals, we must do so in the righteousness of Jesus alone. With God’s Son as our Savior, we are free to resist sin and embrace Scripture without fear of failure. We do so with gratitude for salvation, not in the pursuit of earning our redemption.
And what is the result of these commitments? You “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 (Psa. 1:3).” In other words, God will bless your life more than you can ever imagine.
Adam B. Dooley
May 8, 2025