The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 1:6,
"The Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction."
The psalmist here recognizes two kinds of people, and only two kinds: the righteous and the wicked. Not three or four or whatever, and there is no "in between". The Scriptures consistently support this approach in looking at mankind. We exist in either the camp of the righteous or the camp of the wicked.
I note here that both the righteous and the wicked have their own, differing "ways." The "ways" do not make them one kind or other, rather, those ways reflect which they are.
Here in this psalm we read that the wicked are like chaff that the wind blows away, referring to the looming judgment they will face from God himself at the end of the age, "the wicked will not stand in the judgment", verse 5. I suspect it may also refer to the uselessness of their lives in not fulfilling the purpose for which God created mankind in the first place. We also read the wicked have no standing among the other group, the "righteous", in that the wicked do not belong among the righteous - something that we will see in the resurrection.
In this psalm we read of the "ways" of the righteous. They do not "walk in step with the wicked" or "stand in the way sinners take" or "sit in the company of mockers". The righteous delight in the "law of the Lord", a reference to the Scriptures as they existed at the time of the writing of this psalm - they meditate (ruminate!) on the Scriptures "day and night", verse 2.
Some of the blessings of the righteous are enumerated here. "That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers." Verse 3. We also read in verse 6 that "the Lord watches over the way of the righteous."
The righteous do not become what they are by meditating in Scripture continually, verse 2. That activity is a reflection they have become one of the righteous. We become one of the righteous by embracing Jesus Christ in faith, "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Romans 3:21-22.
Since the righteous delight in the law of Lord, the Scriptures, and that delight is reflected in their meditating in it, ruminating in it, it indicates which camp we are in.
So, what camp are you in?
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"The Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction."
The psalmist here recognizes two kinds of people, and only two kinds: the righteous and the wicked. Not three or four or whatever, and there is no "in between". The Scriptures consistently support this approach in looking at mankind. We exist in either the camp of the righteous or the camp of the wicked.
I note here that both the righteous and the wicked have their own, differing "ways." The "ways" do not make them one kind or other, rather, those ways reflect which they are.
Here in this psalm we read that the wicked are like chaff that the wind blows away, referring to the looming judgment they will face from God himself at the end of the age, "the wicked will not stand in the judgment", verse 5. I suspect it may also refer to the uselessness of their lives in not fulfilling the purpose for which God created mankind in the first place. We also read the wicked have no standing among the other group, the "righteous", in that the wicked do not belong among the righteous - something that we will see in the resurrection.
In this psalm we read of the "ways" of the righteous. They do not "walk in step with the wicked" or "stand in the way sinners take" or "sit in the company of mockers". The righteous delight in the "law of the Lord", a reference to the Scriptures as they existed at the time of the writing of this psalm - they meditate (ruminate!) on the Scriptures "day and night", verse 2.
Some of the blessings of the righteous are enumerated here. "That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers." Verse 3. We also read in verse 6 that "the Lord watches over the way of the righteous."
The righteous do not become what they are by meditating in Scripture continually, verse 2. That activity is a reflection they have become one of the righteous. We become one of the righteous by embracing Jesus Christ in faith, "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Romans 3:21-22.
Since the righteous delight in the law of Lord, the Scriptures, and that delight is reflected in their meditating in it, ruminating in it, it indicates which camp we are in.
So, what camp are you in?
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment