The Blessed Man of Psalm 1

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.     These are the opening verses of Psalm 1. This Psalm is sort of the introduction to the whole Book of Psalms. It sets the stage for the ongoing discussion of what the righteous man is like, what he does, what he thinks about, and what he avoids.     This psalm kicks off by telling us what a truly blessed life doesn't look like. It’s an important warning: watch where you’re walking, who you’re listening to, and what you're settling into. There's a kind of slide that can happen: • ̈ First, you just walk alongside the wrong crowd. • ̈ Then you stop and linger where trouble hangs out. • ̈ Before you know it, you’re sitting down, totally comfortable with scoƬng and cynicism. It’s subtle. And that’s the danger. The path away from God rarely feels dramatic—it’s usually slow and sneaky.     Then we have the flip side. The person who’s truly blessed loves the things God says. They’re not just checking the Bible off a reading list. They delight in it. They chew on it, mull it over, carry it in their minds during quiet moments or busy days. They spend time meditating on the word of God. God’s Word becomes like a favorite song stuck in your head. It becomes a guide for our lives.     This kind of person, someone who chooses God's wisdom over the world's noise, is like a strong tree planted near water (Psalm 1:3). Even when life gets tough, their soul doesn’t dry up. Their life shows purpose and their faith continues to grow, season after season. The person who has God’s word at the center of their life is able to truly prosper in what they do. It may not look like what the world considers success, but it is a life that is pleasing to God.     In today's world, it's easy to be swept along by whatever’s trending. But Psalm 1 reminds us that where we walk, stand, and sit—who we listen to and what we value—shapes our life more than we think. So here's a simple challenge. Take a moment today to ask yourself, “What voices am I letting shape me?” And maybe crack open your Bible—not just to read it, but to let it shape you into the person God wants you to be.

- Dale J. Babinsky preaches for the Great Smoky Mountains Church of Christ in Pigeon Forge, TN. He may be contacted through the congregation's website - https://gsmchurchofchrist.com/