“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).
These verses hold much richness, and I believe that among other things, they give us guidelines for how to read the Psalms.
I thought for a long time that I had stay away completely from contact with the wicked, sinners, or those who blaspheme. I thought that I was none of those things, and that happiness and security could be found in keeping that remoteness. In the end, we are often taught that everything in the world is bad and dangerous, and we have to stay away from it completely. However, the truth of the matter is that we are immersed in the world. The truth is that we are all sinners.
The truth is that we will inevitably come in contact with this kind of people, if we are not like that, too. So, it is not so much a question of being out of the world, but as Jesus said, that we be kept from evil (John 17:15).
Perhaps we will hear advice from bad people but let us not follow it. Perhaps we will go down the path of sinners but let us not stop along the way. Perhaps we will be friends with those who blaspheme but let us not cultivate blasphemy. In contrast to all this, let us dedicate ourselves to delighting in the law of God and meditating on it day and night. Not in total seclusion and isolation, but as a safe anchor, a firm rock, and our true supporter.
The tree is out in the open. It has gone through storms, disregard, and neglect. It has given much without receiving anything; however, it remains upright, seeks to go upwards, and constantly reminds us that there is something bigger and more lasting around us. The secret is in delighting in God’s law; it is being fed and nourished by the Water of Life.
In time, we will bear fruit, our leaves will not wither, and everything we do will prosper.
You can delight in the Lord today and listen to this song on the 2017 Youth CD.
