Many are familiar with the “beattitudes” in Jesus’ sermon on the mount. They include:
• “Blessed (or happy) are the poor in spirit – those who realize their need for God – for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.”
• “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
• “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
• “Blessed are those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.”
Psalm 1 also sounds like a beatitude.
“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. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 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. 4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."(NIV)
Last year Will Smith played the lead role in the movie, “Pursuit of Happiness.” It’s based on the true story of Chris Gardner, a salesman struggling to make a better life for him and his young son, played by Will’s son, Jaden.
You recognize the title of the movie comes from the Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
At the beginning of the movie Chris Gardner wonders if the key word is “pursuit.” Maybe happiness is a lifelong pursuit but never really attained. Do we put too much emphasis on chasing happiness?
Malcolm Muggeridge (journalist, author) said, “I can say that I never knew what joy was like until I gave up pursuing happiness… For [this discovery] I am beholden to Jesus.”
Edith Wharton (author) said, “If we’d only stop trying to be happy, we could have a pretty good time.”
Martin Luther said, “Those who are not looking for happiness are the most likely to find it, because those who are searching forget that the surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others.”
It seems they’re all saying that we won’t gain happiness when our constant focus is insuring that God and others please us.
A. W. Tozer said, “No man should desire to be happy who is not at the same time holy. He should spend his efforts in seeking to know and do the will of God, leaving to Christ the matter of how happy he should be.”
Whether you are holy, and therefore happy, depends on where you sink your roots. It depends on where you draw your values, aims and nourishment. The Bible says we’ll be happy when life is rooted in pleasing God.
Psalm 1:1-2 offers that the key to holiness and happiness is being careful of who and what influences our mind, shapes our soul, feeds our spirit.
Notice the progression in verse 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.”
You’re going to be in trouble if you walk the wrong path, stop and linger there with ungodly people, then take a seat and stay. You’re putting down roots in the wrong soil and you’re going to grow the wrong fruit
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked …”
In the Bible the “wicked” are godless people of low moral condition with no respect for God. They live for themselves but are always dissatisfied and restless. Isa 57:20-21 “…the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest… God says, ‘There is no peace for the wicked.’"
After a family dinner one Sunday afternoon my dad and uncles were sitting around the living room talking politics. Uncle Walter kept dozing off and dad would tickle his ear with a napkin corner. They all enjoyed watching him awaken and swat at his ear as if being bothered by a fly. Finally, when Walter awoke somewhat irritated, another uncle said, “You know, Walter, the Bible says there’s no rest for the wicked.” Uncle Walter responded, “I know. But they don’t have to keep me up with’em.”
Do you want God’s blessing? Do you want real happiness? Don’t walk in the counsel of those who disregard God. Their so-called “wisdom” will lead on a path away from God, away from holiness, away from lasting joy.
Blessed is the man who does not… stand in the way of sinners…
After walking with them, it’s easy to take an interest in ways of those who indulge in open sin without shame. You start to hang out with them and begin to act like that crowd.
Blessed is the man who does not…sit in the seat of mockers.
Now you’ve become really comfortable and prolong your fellowship with those who ridicule what’s right, holy, true and good. For these people godliness, virginity, sobriety, love for your spouse – these are all a joke. And you’re spending a lot of time in their company, sinking your roots, taking your nurture from them. What kind of fruit do you expect to grow?
This is not about avoiding sinful people. We are called to invest our lives in such people.
But It’s about who influences whom. Look at this picture. I’m sure it’s familiar. You have a device like this in your house. You realize it’s actually two devices. It contains a thermostat and a thermometer. What’s the difference? The thermostat controls the temperature. You set it at the temperature you want and it starts and stops the furnace or air conditioner at the right times to maintain that temperature. The thermometer doesn’t control anything. It simply reflects its environment.
So are you like the thermometer or the thermostat? Do you just reflect the spiritual environment around you, or do you make a difference?
I hope you have friendships with people who need Christ, not so you’ll become like them, but to influence them so they can walk, stand and sit with godly people, and find Christ.
Psalm 1:1 makes us ask, do the ideas, philosophies and values of sinful people around me change me, or does my love of God change them? In other words, are you sinking your roots into the word of the ungodly or into the Word of God?
While the path of the ungodly leads to destruction and pain, the path of God leads to holiness and happiness.
So verse 2 points to a key habit of one seeking real happiness: “His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (NIV).
That doesn’t mean you become so obsessive/compulsive about keeping your nose in the Bible that you can’t function in the real world. We used to hear the warning, “Don’t be so heavenly-minded that you’re of no earthly good.” Actually it seems to me that the more common problem is that Christians become so earthly-minded that they’re of no heavenly good.” Most of us could well afford to have our noses in the Word of God a lot more.
The Psalmist is saying there is joy in understanding the mind and desires of God. There is joy to be gained as we consistently apply His will and values to our decisions and directions.
Listen to Psalm 119:9-16 (NLT) “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules… 11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 12 …teach me your principles... 14 I have rejoiced in your decrees as much as in riches. 15 I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. 16 I will delight in your principles and not forget your word.”
God promises good things for the person who consistently lives according to His Word.
“Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Josh 1:8)
In Psalm 1:3 God’s blessing is pictured with a metaphor: “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.” (NIV)
The person who puts roots down deep into God – His Word, His will – becomes holy and happy.
To make the point the Psalmist called upon a familiar image. Streams and irrigation canals were common and fruit trees were planted along their banks.
Think with me about the qualities of a tree planted by a reliable water source:
1. It is stable and solid. Because it’s firmly rooted, it’s not easily damaged by high winds.
Contrast this with verse 4 where you see a different metaphor for those who ignore God. They are like chaff. It has no stability. It’s carried away by the slightest breeze. And it serves no useful purpose. It can’t produce anything. It simply blows away, decays and is gone.
So ask yourself, “Am I putting my roots deep into God?”
2. It is productive and dependable. It bears its fruit in season and doesn’t disappoint those who have reasonable hopes and expectations. That fruit consists of all the good and godly qualities and gifts by which we add blessing to others.
So ask yourself, “Am I consistently bearing good fruit to bless those who count on me?”
3. It perseveres and has staying power. Because this tree is healthy, its green leaves which represent faith – don’t wither.
Are you refreshing your faith from a reliable “water” source?
Jesus said, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink..." (John 7:37-38, NIV).
“Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. The water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14, NIV).
Like the tree planted by a stream, you have staying power through seasons of drought and you can persevere even when the environment is hostile to you spiritual health.
So ask yourself, “Am I refreshing and growing my faith in the living water of Christ?”
You can spend all your time, energy and money pursuing happiness – only to always see it elude your grasp. But if you put that time and energy into pursuing holiness, happiness will be your reward.
How do you pursue that holiness? Do the opposite of what turns you to chaff. Sink your roots firmly into godliness.
• Walk in the counsel and wisdom of people who are close to God.
• Stand – stop and fellowship with people who seek to live like Christ.
• Sit with those who respect God, His Word, His will, His priorities. You do this through conversations, reading, study, prayer and worship.
