Psalm 1:1-2
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
What of Today’s Verse…
The Blessed, or Happy, man is described negatively (Psa_1:1). There is a gradation in the attitude, the sphere of influence, and the condition of his companions. In attitude, we may begin by walking, advance to standing, and end by sitting. If we would avoid the sitting, let us guard against walking or standing. In the sphere of influence, the beginning of backsliding is when a man listens to counsel; he then drifts into the path trodden by sinners, and finally is hardened enough to sit where scornful talk surrounds him on every hand. The condition of evil companions. We should be repelled if we were to be plunged suddenly into contact with the scornful, but our moral interests may not be specially outraged by the counsel of the wicked. Indeed, the advice which wicked men give sometimes resembles closely what our heart suggests and our taste prefers. It is so specious, so apparently sensible and natural, that we are captivated by it. Only gradually do we slide from those who forget God to those who set His law at defiance or openly blaspheme Him.
Our motive in going amongst ungodly men must be carefully considered. If it is to help and save them, as our Lord did, no harm will come to us. But if we go into the way of sinners for our own amusement, need we be surprised if the bloom pass off the fruit, and the fine edge from the tool? Let us examine ourselves. Are we startled and shocked now, as we used to be, by an indecent illusion or a blasphemous word? Is there a coarsening process at work? Even where we are not injured by worldliness, we may suffer by contact with the low ideals of our fellow-Christians. Let us watch and pray; let us consider one another and exhort one another day by day, lest any be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb_3:13).
The Blessed, or Happy, man is also described positively (Psa_1:2). This delight comes as naturally as appetite for food, when the soul is in a healthy condition. Under the inspiration of that delight, we shall meditate on God’s Word continually, storing it in the heart, and reciting it when travelling, or in darkness.
Remember that the Lord knows the way you take. He is sensitive to every jolt and lurch, to the stony hills and the easy valley, to the foes that lie in wait. In His keeping you will never become as the light chaff, or the perishing way of the wicked written in the dust.
Let us Pray:
We commend ourselves, and those we love, to Thee, dear Lord. We put our hand in Thine, that Thou shalt lead us by the untrodden” way. Amen.
Words of Wisdom
Inner Peace
Centred in Spirit, I am at peace.
I am at peace when I remember how lovingly I am supported by Spirit. Sometimes I may get caught up in the drama of my own or someone else’s experiences and lose my sense of inner peace. Once I become aware that my mind has strayed from Spirit, all I need do is mindfully take a deep breath. As I focus my attention on my breathing, I become centred in Spirit.
“Spiritus,” the Latin origin of the word spirit, literally means “breath.” When I breathe deeply, I feel my body relax and I am calmed. As I breathe in and out, I become quiet and consciously aware of the Presence. I listen for the voice within that knows what is mine to do. I right my thinking. When my mind is centred on Spirit, I am at peace.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,–Galatians 5:22
