Greetings pilgrims,
Why I sing the Psalms.
About 25 years ago, I rode my Hayabusa down the highway near my home, reciting the first Psalm. Suddenly, it hit me like a freight train. My crying was more like screaming as the tears ran down my face. The Psalm was not about me. It was about Christ. He was the righteous man. I think all of the Psalms are, in one way or another, messianic. I was never the same after that. Even if not entirely about Christ, which I tend to think they are, it is a unique experience to get to know the heart of the Lord Jesus in a way much deeper than in the New Testament alone. Only in the Psalms can you be sure you're singing to Christ about Christ and with Christ.
It always intrigues me how people write books about how to find Christ in the Old Testament. I read several books on that subject but was never satisfied. Then it hit me that it was not Christ that was hard to find in the Old Testament, but it was the Father who was absent for the most part. Perhaps the creation was an exception to that, although the Bible, in many places, says that the man with boots on the ground was the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who created all things by his Almighty power. Consider the Father's role in those times He spoke. Where was He? He was in heaven–Jesus was on Earth.
Let me remind you of just a few passages.
Jude 1:5 (NIV)
Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
Colossians 1:15–17 (ESV)
The Preeminence of Christ
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities
—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
John 1:1–3 (KJV 1900)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
1 Corinthians 8:6 (KJV 1900)
6 But to us, there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him;
and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
Who then was it that rebuked Job?
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
2 “Who is this that darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?
3 “Now gird up your loins like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding,
5 Who set its measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the line on it?
6 “On what were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars sang together
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
--Job 38:1–7 (NASB95)
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CHAPTER 1
Song of the Righteous Man
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.
—PSALM 1:1–2
Today we live in a world full of choices. If you go into a computer store, for example, you can purchase a computer and outfit it with numerous features and options. You can tailor-fit the product to meet your specific needs and demands. Another example of today’s seemingly endless choices is the Internet. Millions of Internet surfers have dozens, if not hundreds, of different websites that they have bookmarked in their browsers that give them numerous choices for reading, entertainment, education, and productivity. In this world of many choices, however, Psalm 1 presents a far different picture. Rather than give us multiple choices, the psalmist offers only two: the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. We often hear that the world is not black and white and that there are many gray areas, but the psalmist entertains no such ideas. He presents the two ways and, in a sense, introduces a conflict between them and the people who choose them throughout the rest of the Psalter.
The first psalm is one of the few in Book 1 that indicates no author (the same is true for Psalm 2). Nevertheless, it serves as the “foyer” to the “mansion” of the Psalter. Its words represent the attitude with which and method of how the reader should approach the rest of the Psalter. It functions much like the closing words of the book of Ecclesiastes: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all” (Eccl. 12:13). The first psalm gives a description of two ways: righteousness and wickedness. As we take a closer look, we will learn about the two ways and, more specifically, the way of the righteous man. An important question is, who is the righteous man?
The Two Ways
In verse 1, the psalm begins with a description of the blessed man:
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.
The psalmist tells us that a person can be blessed as he steers clear of ungodliness and wickedness. In his famous book The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis characterizes the road to hell as a gradual decline rather than a cliff face, and similarly, the psalmist presents a gradual descent into evil. Notice that the blessed man does not walk, stand, or sit with the wicked, sinners, or scoffers. In other words, a person’s engagement with the wicked begins as he walks with them, becomes more involved as he stands with them, and finally results in a close relationship as he sits down with them.
Imagine you are walking along the road with someone who strikes up a conversation with you. You are intrigued, so you stop to consider the substance of the conversation. You want to contemplate the ideas under consideration, so you sit down with your companion, perhaps to share a meal. This illustrates the progression of the way of the wicked. Over the years I have heard confessions from a number of people both within the church and in the broader media who testify that they never thought they would be neck-deep in the sin they were in. They began in a seemingly innocent manner, only to find themselves later drowning in their sin. One public example of this is convicted and executed serial murderer Ted Bundy. In terms of the psalm, he walked with the wicked through dalliances with p0rnography and ended up sitting with the scoffers through serial murder and rape. The blessed man, then, steers clear of evil, but this is only half the equation.
Notice verse 2: “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” The blessed man, or as verse 6 describes him, the righteous man, takes great delight in the law of Yahweh. Keep in mind that in this context the word law means “instruction,” or “teaching.” Not only does the righteous man delight in the instruction of the Lord but he also constantly sets it before his mind, relentlessly meditating upon it. Not only does he meditate upon it but he also makes it the subject of prayer.
The Lord’s instruction and the righteous man’s meditation upon it yield fruit, as we see in verse 3:
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
The psalmist uses a simile, a comparison of two unlike things (a man and a tree), to describe the prosperity of the righteous man. We must note two things about the prosperity of the righteous man. First, it is the consequence of and not the reward for his delight in the Lord. When a tree is nourished, it naturally produces fruit. Likewise, when the righteous man is nourished by the Lord’s instruction, the natural consequence is the fruit of righteousness.
Second, we must not understand the prosperity of the righteous man in some sort of crass, materialistic fashion—the psalmist is not writing about the health and wealth gospel or an abundance of wealth or material possessions such as cars, money, and large mansions. Rather, this prosperity must be understood in the light of the rest of Scripture, which I will explain later in the chapter. We need to understand, however, that the psalmist’s use of the simile of the fruitful tree suggests that meditation upon God’s instruction does not necessarily produce immediate results.
Rather, just as a tree must be planted and grow for a time before it yields fruit, so also the righteous man’s prayerful meditation upon the law of the Lord eventually yields a bounty. As one author writes:
The habit of prayer, this incessant meditation on God’s Law, is not supposed to be something immediately useful. Trees do not bear fruit right away. They first must eat amply of the earth and drink deeply of its water. Such nourishment must serve first to build up the tree. The fruit will come later on, when it is supposed to. The life of Christian prayer and meditation knows nothing of instant holiness; it is all a matter of perseverance and patience. Some trees do not even begin to bear fruit for many years.1
In contrast, the psalmist tells us in verse 4 that because the wicked hate the instruction of the Lord, they are blown about like chaff—the leftover bits of the harvest.
So, then, what awaits the wicked, those who hate the law of God? The psalmist writes: “Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous” (v. 5). The psalmist looks to the future, to the final judgment, and explains that those who hate God will not stand in the judgment. Nor will the wicked be found in the midst of the congregation of the righteous, the people of God. Verse 6 presents a contrast: “For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” This means that the Lord knows the destiny of the righteous; therefore, He protects them and brings them to that destination. At the final judgment He acknowledges them as His people, whereas the wicked, the psalmist tells us, will perish.
Who Is the Righteous Man?
As we reflect upon what the psalmist has written, we see that he clearly presents the two ways—the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. He showcases the characteristics of both the righteous and the wicked man. However, as I asked at the beginning of the chapter, who is the righteous man? Do we too quickly read the psalm and think that we are the righteous man? Perhaps in the effort to be egalitarian and “improve” the Bible and its patriarchal views, many translations render the opening verse, “Blessed are those …” which is a distortion of what the text says. To translate the passage in this manner changes the rest of the message. How? In this way: both the Hebrew and Greek words used for man are not the generic terms that denote human beings. Rather, there is one particular man in view. Who is he? The second psalm gives a further hint.
We often make the mistake of identifying only some of the psalms as messianic, such as 2; 22, and 110. Instead, we must identify all of the psalms as messianic—they all point us to Christ. Jesus told His disciples on the road to Emmaus: “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” (Luke 24:44). This means that Jesus is the righteous and blessed man. Not only does the broader witness of Scripture confirm this but also the immediate context.
Interpreters from the earliest days, both Jewish and Christian, have noted that Psalms 1 and 2 are supposed to be taken together as one literary unit. Psalm 1 begins by talking about the blessing that falls upon the blessed man (v. 1), and Psalm 2 ends with the blessing that falls upon all who take refuge in the Messiah (v. 12). Psalm 2 is clearly about the Messiah, the Anointed of God. If we put these two psalms together, then (remember, there were no chapter divisions in the Bible—they were added long after the Bible was written), the psalmist informs us that the Messiah, Jesus, is the blessed and righteous man.
Think of it! Can Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, or any other Old Testament saint lay claim to the title that he is the righteous man? How is anyone righteous? The answer comes from the earliest chapters of the Bible when God declared Abraham righteous by faith in the promise of the Redeemer to come—because of his faith in Jesus (Gen. 15:6). Christ was the One who did not walk, stand, or sit in the counsel, path, or seat of the wicked. Christ delighted Himself in the law of His heavenly Father; not only was He completely obedient to it but he also meditated upon it day and night. Jesus told His disciples: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (John 4:34).
We frequently see Jesus withdrawing from the crowds and His disciples so that He could pray and meditate upon the instruction of His Father. Indeed, Jesus is like a tree that is planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in season. It is crucial that we see this because if we miss it, we will fail to see the source of our salvation, life, and sanctification. We cannot and will not become righteous by meditating upon the instruction of the Lord. We are, in and of ourselves, incapable of being righteous—we have no righteousness of which to speak. To come to the Word of God apart from the mediatorial work of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit is to try to feed ourselves when we do not have a mouth. What does the psalmist say? Blessed are all those who take refuge in the Messiah (2:12).
We must, therefore, look to Christ by faith alone, as not only will Christ, the one righteous man, save us from our sins but He will also fill us with the Holy Spirit and enable us to be like that tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season. Only in Christ, by the power of the Spirit, can we approach the instruction of the Lord and delight in it. Only in Christ, the righteous man, can we produce fruit like the tree planted by streams of water. Recall Jesus’ words in John 15:4–5: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” Therefore, beloved, look to Christ by faith, meditate upon His Word, and pray to Christ that He would manifest His righteousness in you.
Remember, as the tree requires time to produce fruit, our sanctification will not be instantaneous. Rather, sometimes we will struggle with our sins for a while. However, we must begin by confessing our sinfulness, whatever it might be, and patiently wait on Christ to conform us to His image. At the same time, we must fill our hearts with His Word and meditate upon it day and night. We must not walk in the counsel of the wicked, stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of scoffers. Apart from Christ, we will undoubtedly begin the descent into such sinful conduct. Therefore, we must constantly seek refuge in Him.
Conclusion
I close this chapter with a portrait that will help us see Psalm 1 in the light of Christ. In the garden-temple of Eden, the first Adam stood in the presence of God, his Father, in the midst of a grove of fruit-bearing trees. In subsequent temples, the high priest would stand in the presence of God, his Father, as he was flanked by the temple menorah, a lighted almond tree, and later golden palm trees that were etched into the walls of the temple.
Psalm 92:12–15 likens the righteous people of God, like Psalm 1, to trees, but more specifically to palm trees:
The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Here, the psalmist paints a prophetic picture of the future that looks just like the prophetic architecture and accoutrements of the tabernacle and temple. What was that prophetic portrait?
To what does Jesus liken the godly person but a fruitful tree? In Luke 6:43–44 He says, “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.” This imagery reappears in the closing chapters of the Bible and symbolizes none other than Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, the last Adam, who stands in the midst of His heavenly Father surrounded by the saints, the righteous people of God, those who are planted by the river of life and yield the fruit of the Spirit in season. Rejoice that Jesus Christ is the blessed and righteous man and that He—by His life, death, resurrection, and ascension—makes us what we have been declared by faith alone in Him: a righteous and fruit-bearing people.
J. V. Fesko, Songs of a Suffering King: The Grand Christ Hymn of Psalms 1–8 (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2014), 13–22.
