Psalms - Week 1
- Jerry and Hope
- Jan 5
- 7 min read
INTRODUCTION
Well guys, as we step into this new year, most people are thinking about goals and resolutions. But as we kick off this new series, Life Compass, Psalm 1 reminds us of something deeper. It’s not just about what you want in life—it’s about the path you choose.
You see, good intentions do not guarantee a good destination. A compass matters more than enthusiasm. If you are running 90 miles an hour in the wrong direction, you are just getting lost faster! Psalm 1 acts like a compass for our lives, asking us to consider and answer this question:
Which way are you walking?
Now, before we dive into the verses, I want to give you some background on this incredible book. The book of Psalms was known to the Jews as Sepher Telhillim, which means the "Book of Praises." It was the hymnbook for temple worship, usually set to stringed instruments.
It is actually divided into five sections or "books" that mirror the first five books of the
Bible (the Torah):
Division 1 (Psalm 1 to 41): Relates to Genesis and the theme of creation.
Division 2 (Psalm 42 to 72): Relates to Exodus and the theme of redemption.
Division 3 (Psalm 73 to 89): Relates to Leviticus and the emphasis on worship.
Division 4 (Psalm 90 to 106): Relates to Numbers and the wanderings of God's people.
Division 5 (Psalm 107 to 150): Relates to Deuteronomy and the focus on God’s Word.
We’ve got a variety of authors—King David wrote about 73 of them, but we also have songs from Asaph (a worship leader), the sons of Korah, Solomon, and even a prayer of Moses (Psalm 90). These songs cover every human emotion: joy, depression, fear, and praise which is why we have themed this series as “Navigating the seasons of the soul”
Psalm 1 specifically is a "Wisdom Psalm." Since Psalm 1 acts as a "gateway" to the rest of the Psalms, it sets the stage for a specific style of writing called Wisdom Literature. Like the book of Proverbs, these psalms aren't just prayers or songs of praise; they are "teaching tools" designed to instruct us on how to live skillfully in God's world.
Scholars generally agree on a core group of Wisdom Psalms, often categorized by their themes: Today we have a handout for those who want to study a little deeper.
The Big Idea Today: Life is a choice between the way of the world and the way of the Word.
1. TWO PATHS TO WALK — THE WAY OF THE WORLD OR THE WAY OF THE WORD
Psalm 1:1-2 - The DRIFT vs WISDOM
[1] Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; [2] but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
"Blessed" isn't just about being "happy." It carries the idea of a deep, steady well-being—God’s favor resting on a life. And notice the progression of the "world's way" in verse 1. It’s the "anatomy of a drift." Walk- Stand- Sit…
Walking in the counsel: It starts with listening. You start adopting a lens before you adopt a lifestyle. "Counsel" is just the voices you trust.
Standing in the way: Now you’re lingering. We’ve all seen this in the neighborhood, right? You go out to check the mail, possibly on your side by side, and you see a neighbor who’s always got a complaint or a bit of gossip. You start by just "walking" past. Then you stop to listen—now you’re "standing" at the edge of the driveway.
Sitting in the seat: Next thing you know, you’ve pulled up a lawn chair or turned off the motor and you’re "sitting" right there in the middle of it! Sitting means identity and belonging. Scoffers are the final stage—cynicism. They don't just ignore God; they mock Him.
That’s how sin usually works. It doesn’t tackle you in the parking lot. It invites you to “just consider,” then “just stay,” then “just settle.”
Scoffers aren’t just people who struggle—they’re people who mock what’s holy. They don’t just ignore God; they sneer at God’s people and God’s ways.
But verse 2 gives us the "Wise Way." The blessed person delights in the Law of the Lord.
They meditate on it. In Hebrew, that word literally means to "mutter"—it's like a cow chewing the cud, turning it over and over. "Day and night" means God’s wisdom becomes the rhythm of your life, not just a Sunday morning appointment.
This is the contrast: the blessed person isn’t just avoiding bad influence—he’s replacing it with something better.
“Law” (torah) here means instruction, God’s revealed truth—His Word and His ways.
“Delight” means God’s Word isn’t merely tolerated—it’s wanted. Loved. Treasured.
“Meditates” is more than reading. It’s chewing—slow, repeated, internal. Like turning a phrase over until it sinks in.
Application:
Audit the "counsel" in your ear—are you listening to voices that lead to life or to cynicism?
Identify one area of your life where you have "stood" too long in a pattern that doesn't honor God.
Replace ten minutes of mindless scrolling with ten minutes of "chewing" on a verse.
You are always being shaped by something. The question isn’t if you are being formed—but by what.
As we step into a new year, the question isn’t, “What do I want to change?”The better question is, “What path am I walking?”
Because life is a choice between the way of the world and the way of the Word—and the path you choose will shape the person you become.
2. TWO RESULTS TO EXPECT — STABILITY OR FRAGILITY
Psalm 1:3-4 - The inevitable outcome of each path.
[3] He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. [4] The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
The psalmist shows us that every direction leads somewhere. When you choose the way of the Word, you are like a tree planted. This is not a wild tree that got lucky; it was intentionally placed where nourishment is constant.
Because we are planted by the stream—we have a constant life source. This is vital when the drought comes. We all go through seasons where the "rain" stops—maybe it's a health scare, family tension, or just a season where you feel dry inside. If your roots are only in your circumstances, you'll wither. But if your roots are in the stream, you stay green even when the ground is dry.
Notice it yields fruit "in its season." Don't get frustrated if you don't see instant results.
Spiritual growth isn't a microwave; it's a garden. You yield fruit when God says it's time, not when you demand it.
Leaf does not wither — not a promise you never struggle, but you don’t spiritually dry up and die.
“Prospers” here is not “you get rich.” It’s more like: your life works the way it was designed to work under God. There is spiritual durability and meaningful impact.
Look at verse 4. The wicked are like chaff. Chaff is the dead, weightless husk of the grain. If you aren't rooted, you have no weight. When the "wind" of culture or a personal storm blows through, you’re easily carried away. The world promises freedom, but it delivers what is easily broken.
How Do We Apply This?
Position yourself: Are you "planting" your habits near the stream of the Word?
Practice patience: Do not get discouraged if you don't see "instant" fruit; it comes in its season.
Check your roots: When life gets dry, what are you drawing from?
What you root your life in determines how you weather the storms.
The Word of God doesn’t remove hardship—but it gives you strength to stand when hardship comes. When the winds blow—and they will—the question isn’t if your life will be shaken, but what will still be standing when the storm passes.
Drought doesn't kill the tree; it only reveals where the roots are.
3. TWO DESTINIES REVEALED — KNOWN BY GOD OR LOST WITHOUT HIM
Psalm 1:5-6 - The final accountability of wisdom.
[5] Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; [6] for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Wisdom literature always forces us to look beyond the moment. This theme of choosing the right path is everywhere in the Bible. It parallels God's instructions to Joshua to meditate on the Word so he would be prosperous (Joshua 1:6-9). It echoes the blessings and curses we read about in Deuteronomy 28.
Verse 5 is sobering. It says the wicked "will not stand." They will have no footing, no defense, and no stability when eternity presses in. Not because God is unfair, but because their lives were built without weight or truth. They won't stand in the "congregation of the righteous"—the final gathering of God's people.
But look at verse 6. "The Lord knows the way of the righteous." This is relational, covenant language. It means He watches over, tends, and guards your path. Even when you feel alone or the path is hard, God knows your steps.
The way of the wicked "will perish." It’s a dead-end road. Separation from God is eventually separation from Life itself.
This psalm isn’t asking, “Are you religious?” It’s asking, “Which direction is your life actually heading?”
How Do We Apply This?
Take comfort: The same God who knows the stars by name knows your steps.
Evaluate your current direction: If you keep walking this way for five years, where will you be?
You don't choose the destination; you choose the path. The path chooses the destination.
GOSPEL CONNECTION AND CONCLUSION
Psalm 1 confronts us with a sobering truth: Every life is moving somewhere. Every path has an end.
None of us have perfectly walked the way of the Word perfectly. But Jesus did.
He delighted fully in the will of the Father
He stood firm under temptation
He bore fruit in every season
He took the judgment we deserved for choosing the wrong path
Through Christ, we are not just shown the right way—we are placed on it by grace.
As this new year begins, Psalm 1 invites us to do more than set goals—it calls us to set direction.
What voices will shape you?
What will you delight in?
Where are your roots growing?
Life is a choice between the way of the world and the way of the Word...and the good news is this: God’s way doesn’t just lead to life—it leads to flourishing.
“Blessed is the one who walks in the way of the Lord.”
Let’s set our compass—and walk it together.