Psalms 1:2
Sweet Delight
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
The man, who is blessed by God, does not listen to advise or suggestions from the world, is not pulled into a life of sin by the counsel he receives, and does not scoff at the things of God. He avoids those things like the plague.
The second verse of Psalms 1 shows the godly man's alternative to those things. "But" tells us that he does receive advice, but from an alternative source. God has not left him with a desperate need for good counsel. He has given him His torah, His infallible law for living in eternal and blessed happiness.
The godly man understands the value of God's law and delights in it. The Hebrew word chephets, translated as delights, conveys a powerful sense of emotion. The word of God is pure pleasure to the godly man. He can never get enough of it.
"The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." They are valuable, proven instructions that can be trusted absolutely. The godly man never doubts the certainty and faithfulness of God. He is at peace with Him and trusts in His word.
With such a treasure in his hands, the godly man is excited about God's word. Thus he loves to hear God's word preached. He will take every opportunity to hear its exposition, because he wants to plant it in his heart. He studies God's word, because he needs to understand it. His thoughts, his heart, his desires are all wrapped up in the word of God. He knows it from memory, and it becomes part of him, so that it begins to govern the way he lives. "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:25)
The man, who walks continually in the way of the godly, is an obedient man. Filled with the word of God, he knows no other way to live. Is it easy? No_ the flesh is still trying to lure him into the way of the sinner. Even Paul struggled, saying, "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." (Romans 7:22-25) Jesus is our ultimate deliverer. He will rescue us when we fail to be perfect.
Jesus is the Word. The godly man knows that He is the only way to the Father and he meditates on Him day and night. He was the demonstration of God's love, the revelation of everything that was written in His word, and the proof that there will be a resurrection of the dead. He is our hope. The godly man meditates on Him and trusts in His counsel.
He not only meditates on the word; he feeds on it. It is all the hope of eternity, and he needs it. "As a newborn babe, he desires the sincere milk of the word, that he may grow thereby." It is the energizing power that helps the godly person grow. He finds his strength therein and cannot live without it.
Hagah is Hebrew for meditate and means to think on or to speak. The godly man's enthusiasm for the word and the Word overflows. He must tell others; so he teaches. Perhaps he writes psalms or praise songs containing the word of God or explaining it. He will speak to you one on one or proclaim the word of God to crowds of thousands. It makes no difference to him as long as he can tell someone, anyone, about the one thing that fills his life and gives him pleasure day and night.
Before The Throne:
Thank God that He has provided godly counsel for you. Praise Him for the work of the Holy Spirit who gives you understanding of His word. Thank Him for sending His Word, in whom was the life, which was the light of men. Promise Him that you will study to show yourself approved and that you will begin to share His word with others.
For Further Study:
(v.2) ** But his. Psa 40:8; 112:1; 119:11,35,47,48,72,92; Job 23:12; Jer 15:16; Rom 7:22; 1John 5:3; ** meditate. Psa 104:34; 119:11,15,97-99; Jos 1:8; 1Tim 4:15; ** day. Psa 88:1; Luk 2:37; 18:7; 1Thess 2:9; 2Tim 1:3;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
The man, who is blessed by God, does not listen to advise or suggestions from the world, is not pulled into a life of sin by the counsel he receives, and does not scoff at the things of God. He avoids those things like the plague.
The second verse of Psalms 1 shows the godly man's alternative to those things. "But" tells us that he does receive advice, but from an alternative source. God has not left him with a desperate need for good counsel. He has given him His torah, His infallible law for living in eternal and blessed happiness.
The godly man understands the value of God's law and delights in it. The Hebrew word chephets, translated as delights, conveys a powerful sense of emotion. The word of God is pure pleasure to the godly man. He can never get enough of it.
"The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." They are valuable, proven instructions that can be trusted absolutely. The godly man never doubts the certainty and faithfulness of God. He is at peace with Him and trusts in His word.
With such a treasure in his hands, the godly man is excited about God's word. Thus he loves to hear God's word preached. He will take every opportunity to hear its exposition, because he wants to plant it in his heart. He studies God's word, because he needs to understand it. His thoughts, his heart, his desires are all wrapped up in the word of God. He knows it from memory, and it becomes part of him, so that it begins to govern the way he lives. "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:25)
The man, who walks continually in the way of the godly, is an obedient man. Filled with the word of God, he knows no other way to live. Is it easy? No_ the flesh is still trying to lure him into the way of the sinner. Even Paul struggled, saying, "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." (Romans 7:22-25) Jesus is our ultimate deliverer. He will rescue us when we fail to be perfect.
Jesus is the Word. The godly man knows that He is the only way to the Father and he meditates on Him day and night. He was the demonstration of God's love, the revelation of everything that was written in His word, and the proof that there will be a resurrection of the dead. He is our hope. The godly man meditates on Him and trusts in His counsel.
He not only meditates on the word; he feeds on it. It is all the hope of eternity, and he needs it. "As a newborn babe, he desires the sincere milk of the word, that he may grow thereby." It is the energizing power that helps the godly person grow. He finds his strength therein and cannot live without it.
Hagah is Hebrew for meditate and means to think on or to speak. The godly man's enthusiasm for the word and the Word overflows. He must tell others; so he teaches. Perhaps he writes psalms or praise songs containing the word of God or explaining it. He will speak to you one on one or proclaim the word of God to crowds of thousands. It makes no difference to him as long as he can tell someone, anyone, about the one thing that fills his life and gives him pleasure day and night.
Before The Throne:
Thank God that He has provided godly counsel for you. Praise Him for the work of the Holy Spirit who gives you understanding of His word. Thank Him for sending His Word, in whom was the life, which was the light of men. Promise Him that you will study to show yourself approved and that you will begin to share His word with others.
For Further Study:
(v.2) ** But his. Psa 40:8; 112:1; 119:11,35,47,48,72,92; Job 23:12; Jer 15:16; Rom 7:22; 1John 5:3; ** meditate. Psa 104:34; 119:11,15,97-99; Jos 1:8; 1Tim 4:15; ** day. Psa 88:1; Luk 2:37; 18:7; 1Thess 2:9; 2Tim 1:3;
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