Psalm 1:1 The Blessed Man

Psalm One:

Psalm 1 is the Hebrew hymnbook.  Psalm 1 is the Preface Psalm.  It notifies us of the overall intent of the book.  Psalm 1 begins with a blessing and ends with a curse.  It is essentially a psalm of Christ, and shows the meditation of the godly.

Blessed = The original word is plural.  It is the same word Jesus used to open His Sermon on the Mount. It refers to multiple blessings or blessedness. One could say it this way; All things are well with that man who. It's simple translation is happy.  There are two Hebrew words for bless or blessed in OT Scripture.  One is barak and it used by God when He blesses someone.  The other is ashar and refers to man.  Barak is initiated from God and God can give His blessing even when man is undeserved.   On the other hand to be blessed (Ashar), man has to do something.  

The blessed man is described by what he does and does not do.

A. What He Does not Do: (1)

1.  All things are well with the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly.

• Walk = repeated steps in a specific direction.
• Counsel= advice, advisement, purpose.  Listen.
• Ungodly= morally wrong, wicked, sinful.

The blessed man's footsteps are ordered by the Word of God.  He is not persuaded by the wisdom of this world.  He does not listen to the cunning and wicked instruction of carnal men.  He does not seek the advice of those living a life not dedicated to Jesus Christ. It is a sign of the change that salvation brings to one's life when the outward walk is changed, and the ways of this world forsaken. The man who will be blessed falls out of step with the world and in step with the Word!

2.  All things are well with the man who does not standeth in the way of sinners.

• Standeth= to stand, abide, remain, continue, present.
• Way= road, course of life, mode of action.
• Sinners= criminal, or one accounted as guilty. One who misses a mark. One who fails to observe God's law. One who sins.

The first thing a blessed man is not to do is listen to the ungodly. The second thing he is not to do is participate in their sinful activities.

The word "standing" indicates a close association in sinful behavior. Here it means to not follow a moral path. Walking in the counsel of the ungodly involves the acceptance of advice; standing involves living in a sinful way. "Counsel" is the principle or the thinking and "way" is the practice or behaving in a sinful manner. The "way of sinners" means "the manner of life of sinners or their lifestyle."Mattoon's Treasures

3.  All things are well with the man who does not sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

• Sitteth= to sit down, to dwell, to remain.
• Seat= chair, dwelling, assembly.
• Scornful=  extreme contempt, mock. holding Scripture in contempt.

Notice the progression of sin.  It starts first with listening to the advice of the ungodly.  It progresses to participating in sinful activities and culminates in a lifestyle of sin. 

Sitting indicates a lifestyle.  A lifestyle so dedicated to sin that it is also involved in enticing others to join you.  It is when a person's life is completely identified, and at home with sinful actions.  It is when one calls right wrong and wrong right, and when one is mocking those who love and live for God.

The counsel refers to wrong principles; the way of sinners  refers to wrong practices; the seat of the scornful refers to wrong partnerships.

The blessed man is separated from the world in thought, deed, and associations.