Reflections on Psalm 1

The song book opens into the first book (Psalms 1-41) covering the “golden age” of Israel’s united kingdom. In the first psalm we plant our feet in the ground of wisdom where we have contrast between the righteous (vv.1-3) and the wicked (vv.4-5) and in the end (v.6) the contrast is those whom the LORD knows, the righteous, and those whom He does not know, the wicked. Those who will walk fearing God in wisdom using the Psalms in worship must hold fast to God’s law. Here there is a strong connection to God’s law and to the worship of the God from whom the law comes.

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.” (Ps.19:7-9)

“The chief end of man is to know God and enjoy Him forever.”(Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q./A.1) The knowledge of God through His Words brings His creatures into the enjoyment of Him. Here is where the Psalmist begins, bringing us into the pathway of wisdom. The man who enjoys the grace and favor of the Lord makes his delight the wise instructions of God (v.2). He is the man who meditates or abides in the commands of the Lord. The disciples of Jesus were promised this blessed life in the same manner in John 15, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be full.”(vv.10-11). The way of joy for Christ was in the knowledge and obedience of His Father’s will and this is the way of His followers joy. True worship in communion with God is found when the body of Christ is abiding in His commands by thought, word and deed. But the worship of God in the knowledge and enjoyment of who He is will be false when His worshipers do not hold fast to His commands but rather walk after the way of the lawless. When the church is sitting in the easy chair of the world that scoffs at God, or walking in the fairways where the folly of evil men is exchanged, or standing shoulder to shoulder with those who have forgotten God for the exaltation of self, then there will be know wisdom and know worship of the true God in the land.

J.I.Packer describes the Puritans of old as the Red Wood trees of the forest, (A Quest for Godliness) just as the Psalmist is describing the wise man who walks in the knowledge and enjoyment of God in the way of His instructions. The man who lives in the knowledge and enjoyment of God is a fruitful man. His way is a prosperous way for the glory of God, for the fruit he bears is for his heavenly Father’s glory (Mt.5:16; Jn.15:8). When he comes with the saints to worship the living God he comes bearing fruit and is a blessing to all who draw near by faith. But those who bear the fruit of their wickedness do not know God nor are they known by God. They do not have the blessing of abiding in the presence of the living and true God. They are cast out of His presence and from the blessing of abiding with His people who dwell in the knowledge and enjoyment of God. God dwells with his own forever for his glory and their good. But the wicked know not the goodness of dwelling in the Lord’s presence who would be their exceeding joy (Ps.43:4). Rather they dwell with those who go down to an eternal death with the lawless. God has provided the way of righteousness in Jesus Christ. He delighted in His Father’s will, keeping the law of God in perfect obedience even to the point of death. Therefore, all who would believe in Him for their salvation would be called the righteousness of God, and their way becomes His way in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake and their blessed life in the worship of God forevermore.