Blessed is the Man
Psalm 1:1-6
The influence of the first Psalm has been great for the better part of 3000 years. We are not sure when it was written, but it could go back to the times of David. Theologians are undecided if it is a separate psalm as well. Some hold it to be the introduction to the book as a whole and serves as a summary to the Psalms. Some versions have actually put Psalms 1 and 2 together as one psalm and attribute it to David. Those who hold that view see Psalms one as being the wisdom of the divinely chosen king. The king whom god chooses will follow the path of the wise and not of the wicked.
However, I think it best not to speculate too much on these matters. The first psalm is indeed a psalm in itself, whether it serves as an introduction to the book or not. And the wisdom of the first psalm would apply to the king as well as anyone else who would be godly. So I plan to treat this psalm more generically. As God’s inspired word, it applies to every human being.
The Psalm begins with the verb translated “blessed.” The Hebrew says “ashre haish asher "which gives a sense of poetic rhyming. The word “blessed” which is in the construct state with “man” is actually plural, although it is usually translated in English with the singular “blessed.” It could also be translated “most blessed.” The person who is God’s man or woman and conducts himself or herself in the path of true wisdom is indeed blessed.
It seems a bit odd that rather than starting with what the blessed man does that it starts with what the blessed man does NOT do. I would suppose that because we are all born sinners that what has to happen first is to turn away from the proclivity we have to sin. These evil practices must stop so that we can undertake what we should do. All who come to God have to be redeemed. We all go down the wrong road. If we are to find the true wisdom from God, we need to change the road we are on.
Some commentators see a downward progression of the man on the wrong road. At first, he is walking down the road and taking the advice of the ungodly. At some point, the destination is reached, but they are still standing. There is time to walk away. They are standing with other wicked persons. The last step is when they sit down and are settled in their disposition to do evil. They become scoffers of those who would do good. Not only this, they become guides to others going down the wrong road. This is indeed a dreadful curse. If someone who does not go down this road is most blessed, how cursed are those who come to the end of this road! Who can turn us from the path of destruction?
The only way to escape this curse is by the grace of God who sends His own guides to confront those who are on the wrong way as they ravel down the road. These prophets call out to the sinners to turn from the evil way and turn to the road of blessing. Ultimately it is Jesus Himself who calls us to repent and believe the good news. He has sent apostles and preachers after Him to proclaim the news. The good news actually begins with the admonition to get off the road to destruction. So preaching the impending judgment of God upon sin and unrepentant sinners becomes the start of the good news. As Luther puts it, the gospel has to be preceded by the preaching of the Law.
Once one has gotten off the wrong road, the person who is most blessed has to be taught the right way. The Law of the LORD has to become their delight which motivates them to meditate on it day and night. The Hebrew word for Law is “Torah.” This word can be used in a technical sense referring to the ten commandments for example. It is also used for the name of the first five books in the Bible which do have a lot of legislation in them. But "Torah" can used in a general sense to refer to instruction proper. It is far more than a list of do’s and don’t do’s. That would be legalism. One could hardly find delight in that. So in this sense, the Christian equivalent is involved in study of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments. It should be a delight and not a burden. When one realizes the grace that has been bestowed on the chief of sinners (him or her) and that they have been saved from the road which leads to eternal destruction with its weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth, that person would want to know more about the One who saved them. Bible study is simply not an optional practice for the person on the road to blessing. It is both a blessing and the means of blessing.
The person who meditates delightfully on the Word of God is now compared to a tree planted by living waters. When one considers the tree that finds abundant water in the dry desert, that tree will grow large and be blessed with abundant leaves and fruit. It becomes the symbol of prosperity which all can see. But there is something else about a tree planted by such a stream. Flash floods occur in the tortured desert and have powerful destructive forces with them. Unless the tree is deeply rooted, that tree would be swept away in times of trouble. The tree luxuriating by the water does not need deep roots, as river soil tends to be rich. It does not take deep roots to get all the tree needs in that respect. Trees in the desert that are not near water have to have deep roots to get water and nutrient, but not the tree planted by the river. What the tree planted by the river of water really needs deep roots for is to prevent from being swept away in the flood.
The Christian, in like matter, can find a lot of rich and nourishing teaching at the surface. They can spring up bountifully, but as Jesus says, in dry times, the plant withers because its root system is blocked from water and nutrient by the rock it lies upon. Here the opposite metaphor is used, but the result is the same. Deep roots are needed if we go through times of difficulty and trial. We need these roots to keep from being swept away in despair. So we need to be strong in the Word and not just fat. For who does not face calamity at some time or another?
The psalm then goes on to describe the plight of the wicked. They are neither luxuriant or rooted. Instead of being fruitful and well-watered, they are dry and dead. They are easily blown away in the storm. The chaff is what is left after the wheat is extracted. The grain drops to the floor and the chaff is driven off into the wind. The comparison between the blessed and the cursed could not be greater. In the time of judgment, the wheat and the chaff will be separated. The blessed will be gathered together in the Lord’s garner while the dead dry chaff is blown away into the desert places. The sinners will not inhabit the congregation of the righteous. This is because the LORD knows who is who and shall judge accordingly.
The first Psalm is an example of what is called two-way theology. There is no middle option. One is either a blessed child of God or the cursed. There is no such thing as a halfway Christian. Jesus uses two way theology in His sermon on the Mount, especially in chapter 7 of Matthew. Some see the sermon as a whole as being an exposition of the first psalm. It starts with blessings and ends with the two houses. The two houses look the same but lay on different foundations. The flash flood comes and reveals the true nature of each. God knows what is true and what is fake. Since Jesus preached so harshly against the teaching of the Pharisees, it seems that they were the pretty house on the sand that would be destroyed.
In like matter, we must consider our own house. Is it based upon a good foundation. Paul would add, “Is it built with precious and enduring material.” Even as Jesus warns against the falling of the house, that its destruction was great, Paul says that our house will be tested. It will either stand before the LORD or burn up. At the very least, a poorly constructed life will result in losing one's blessing, even though they might still be saved. But being saved to this extent is shameful as it leaves one alive but naked of blessing. The whole purpose of taking the way of the LORD is to be a bountiful blessing. It is a terrific witness to God. It is God’s will that we prosper, even in times of storm. At the end of this life, He wants to welcome us with “Come ye blessed of the LORD.” But the LORD will not say the same to all who come before Him in the day of judgment. Some will be blown away into eternal judgment. They claimed they had good works. And indeed some of them might have been good. Chaff is the proof that a stalk of wheat produced grain. But the grain is separated from the stalk just as they will be separated from whatever “good works” they might have done. Their part is that of the chaff. We are not saved by good works, although all who are saved will do them.
The call comes out to us from the prophet Haggai: “Consider your ways.” What road are you on? Are you coming to the blessings of God or the cursed seat of skeptics and scoffers. The good news in this is even if you are not settled in the seat of the scoffers, there is still time to change your way. Do so before the death angel strikes you. God is not willing you perish. And if you say that I am already a church goer. I am included in the congregation of the righteousness. But they are not all member of the true church who have membership in some church or another. It is only by the grace of God any will stand in the judgment. The wisest thing one can do is not to trust in one’s own wisdom but rather in Jesus, the Wisdom of God who will save all who will come to Him in faith. Believe that Jesus died and suffered judgment for your scoffing, your sin, and your rebellion. He became a curse that you might by His grace attain to eternal blessing. This same Jesus who was crucified has risen and ascended. He is returning as judge of the living and the dead. Will you be found to be wheat of chaff in that day?
