1Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2but their delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
3They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
4The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
~ Psalm 1
Many of the psalms can be categorized in different collections based on superscriptions that are found at the beginning of the psalm. You may be familiar with the most famous of these saying, “a psalm of David.” Most of the psalms have these superscriptions, but there are two the distinctly do not – psalm 1 and 2.
Psalms 1 and 2 introduce us to the psalter and give us a lens for how one is to interpret the rest of the psalms through. Psalm 1 begins by setting up this duality of wickedness and goodness that comes from following the Torah (translated law) of God that separates them from those who do not. Now the law as it appears here is interesting. In a book from my seminary days, Introduction to the Psalms by Nancy L. deClaisse-Walford, she suggests that we might translate the word as instruction rather than law as that would’ve been the understanding of the Jewish people with the Psalm with it’s clear reference to the Pentateuch (the first 5 books of the bible). This includes all of that which is life giving instruction from God and is celebrated rather that begrudgingly followed as we often think of laws today.
But that’s not God’s desire for us – it’s not for us to simply exist. The psalm goes on for the trees that sit by the stream and are fed by this water, not only do they keep living, but they prosper, they bear the good fruit. Beloved siblings in Christ, God’s desire for you is for you to have life and have it fully. Find those things that give you joy, where the love of God shines the brightest for you. Spend time in scripture. Find time to prayer. Be with God in the ways only you and God know that you need to keep feeding your whole self.
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