Ps 138:1-8, David was focused on the most important person

Review: Overview of Psalms graphically


Psalm 138:1 (ESV) — 1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;


• What or why would he mention non-existent gods?
• The phrase "gods" are not always non-existent deities, sometimes in scripture it refers to Judges and Rulers, people who think of themselves as "gods"
• It could be in reference to the idols around him -- in which case he is really speaking to the worshippers
Psalm 97:7 (ESV) — 7 All worshipers of images are put to shame,
who make their boast in worthless idols;
worship him, all you gods!
• What is David communicating with whole heart, and why is that important to him?
• People try to worship God with a half-heart or even no heart (all show)
• David is known for his  whole heart
• [Look up words] The words mean entire or total center of being
• APPLICATION: For David, anything less than everything was not worship. In my opinion, it is dangerous to walk with God half-hearted.  It certainly will result in missed blessings in life


Psalm 138:2 (ESV) — 2 I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.


• What is the key word(s) in this verse?
• Name is mentioned twice
• Word is mentioned once, but also twice if you add verse 3 "answered"
• [Look up] Hebrew Sem means name--standing, reputation, and fame
• APPLICATION: God doesn't need to defend himself. But to a world looking for answers our witness is supposed to communicate his name to the world. We are of his family. We carry his name. Do we even think about that in our daily actions?


Psalm 138:3 (ESV) — 3 On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased.


• This concept of immediate answered prayer is repeated in scripture, but so is the concept of persevering prayer
Daniel 9:23 (ESV) — 23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.
Daniel 10:12–14 (ESV) — 12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”
• Two examples of immediate prayer are in Daniel. Our hermeneutic about historical accounts applies here. Just because God does something in one or two situations, does not mean it is a biblical principle. We are required to go didactic passages for teaching. What does Jesus tell us?
Luke 11:5–13 (ESV) — 5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Colossians 4:2 (ESV) — 2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
• APPLICATION: God answers prayers. Maybe not in our timetable, but God does answer prayers. We don't accept all the answers


Psalm 138:4–5 (ESV) — 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
5 and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.


• Obviously this is not true today except in isolated settings. Queen of Sheba is one example. Ravi Zacharias talks about many leaders who believe in God
• Someday, every knew will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
• The only theological questions is whether David is using a hyperbole
• Remember the Psalms are true in the sense that they perfectly express the heart of the worshipper
• All knees will bow, but nowhere else in scripture does it say that they will sing
• I think this is David's wish. He loves God so much, he wants every leader to hear about him
• APPLICATION: Do we have that same wish?


Psalm 138:7 (ESV) — 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.


• [Look up word] This is similar to Psalm 23, but different. What is David saying?
• The word is saw-rah and means enmity, distress, anxiety
• People are against David, either physically or in some psychological or emotional way
• What is David's confidence?
• David's life will be preserved -- God will protect him (7b)
• God will fight David's battle (7c)
• God will "save" David. He will be victorious (7d)
• APPLICATION: All of us know that fear in the pit of our stomach. Phil 4:6 says to "Cast all your anxiety on him, for he cares about you." When Satan attacks, we need to cast the fear and worry onto God. Sometimes continually.


Psalm 138:8 (ESV) —
8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.


• So interestingly, the words "his purpose" does not occur in the passage
• [Look up] So instead let's look at fulfill
• It means to perfect, accomplish, bring to an end. But what is the object? ME
• God has an end, a purpose, for each of us
• How can we help and how can we hinder God in what he wants to do for us?
• BTW, this thought is supported in the NT by didactic passages
• We can support by listening
• We can hinder by entangling ourselves
Hebrews 12:1–2 (ESV) — 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
• APPLICATION: Do we see our lives like David saw his? Or do we think we are in charge?

Ps 23, True peace is found in a DEEP relationship with our savior

• Review:  Psalm 23 follows Psalm 22, "The Psalm of the Cross"
• There are no green pastures and no still waters.  The beginning echoes Jesus' words on the cross when he became sin for all mankind, "My God, my God, what hast thou forsaken me?"
• On the other side of the cross is peace (Constable)


Psalm 23:1–3 (ESV) — 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.


• We had sheep growing up.  They are weak, defenseless, and very foolish.  They believe the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.  They only seem interested in filling their stomachs.  They don't like discipline.  And they don't like going back into the protective confines of the pasture.  In other words, they really don't know what is best for them
• What is another word for shepherd? 
• Pastor.  It doesn't have to be in a strict sense of the english word today.  Elders are referred to as shepherds and Pastors as well
• But we need to remember, that our real Pastor is the Lord
• Why does David mean when he says he will not be in want?
• Philippians 4:10–12 (ESV) — 10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
• The problem is that we "are in want."  Why? 
• Because what we want is not what our Shepherd knows is good for us
• Interesting, it is not "I do not want," it is "I shall not want"
• Psalm 34:10 (ESV) — 10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
• Why the phrases "makes me" and "leads me"?  Because we really don't know what is best for us
• Sometimes the making and the leading can be painful
• Psalm 32:8–9 (ESV) — 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.
• God takes us to two places,  green pastures, and still waters.  What is the point of the adjectives?
• Green pastures, they are rich in the true nourishment that our souls need
• Still waters, they are peaceful.  Most of us don't know true quietness, life is too busy.  But stillness is required to hear the voice of God
• APPLICATION: QT is one place for stillness, but when was the last time you really to away and just spent extended time quietly alone with God
• Do you see the progression in these verses? (Note: emblematic parallelism)
• Makes me lie down.  Get us to stop and go after true nourishment
• Leads me to still waters.  Leads us to the place where we can listen
• Restores my soul.  True nourishment and God's word restores our soul
• Finally, He leads me in paths of righteous for his name sake.  What do we learn?
• God wants to direct us.  Twice, we are told that he leads us.  I wonder how well we recognize his leading
• There are "paths" of righteousness.  There are more than one path
• The paths are characterized by righteousness, which means, right-ness before God
• The paths will honor Him, ie, for his name's sake
• APPLICATION: Do we look for God to fill us with what we really need?  Or do we look to God for our perceived fullness?  


Psalm 23:4 (ESV) — 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.


• What is the valley of the shadow of death?
• One thought: it is a shadow because death can't kill us
• Another thought: it is anything that has great fear associated
• In this case, it may have been a battle that David was going into, especially as you continue to read the psalm
• Hebrew word means deep shadow or gloom or darkness (NOTE: Look up word)
• What does verse four not say?
• It doesn't say that God will keep you from the valley
• It doesn't say there won't be evil
• It doesn't say "I will fear no evil (period)," it says "I will fear no evil (comma ), for you are with me"
• Our courage is based on our faith not on our inner strength
• Human courage is based on inner strength
• It doesn't say that our comfort will be in death (as the verse is often quoted)
• Two things comfort, what are they and what do they represent?
• The rod tends to be for correction or also ruler-ship.  We believe God is sovereign -- that is a key component of our faith
• The staff tends to be for help or protection (boundaries)
• APPLICATION: Is our faith in the right things?  Do we trust for right happenings or happiness?  Or do we trust God who knows what we are going through and will bring us through and use it for our good?


Psalm 23:5 (ESV) — 5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.


• When you think of someone preparing a table, what images come to your mind?  Atmosphere?
• It is not hurried
• There is time to eat and fellowship
• There is peace and rest in our times of eating spiritual food with our savior
• Why might the meal be hurried?
• Because his enemies are not far away; they can see him eating
• For our practical purposes, he is in a battle, he should hurriedly eat his meal and get back out into the battle.  But God wants to prepare the meal, and for David to take his time
• APPLICATION: How often we rush into our day, because we are in such a hurry, and we have no time for a quiet time, our spiritual meal with the Lord ...
• Perfumed oil was poured on the head of distinguished guests at great banquets.  It was also said to be refreshing and soothing
• Additionally, it was common to overfill the cup to show abundance.  In the UAE, in one of the emirates, the Sultan has installed the roads with brooks and sprinklers.  But in the Middle East, water is like gold, so watering the medians is an expression of wealth and abundance
• In other words, God not only prepares the table for us, he provides an abundant meal, if we would but partake of the meal


Psalm 23:6 (ESV) — 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.


• Goodness is the Hebrew word tob meaning good.  It is the same word used in Genesis, when God says that his creation was very good
• Mercy (or love) is the Hebrew word checed or hesed meaning goodness, kindness, loving kindness, faithfulness.  There is some historical root that despite our failures, God is committed to his covenant.  And that is where we see mercy, because it is love independent of our actions
• So, the battle is raging, fear is all around, but God prepares this great spiritual meal for us.  And as David steps forth to meet the day, his response is … what?
• God is good, he will provide good things
• God is merciful, he loves us (despite our failings)
• God is with me (his goodness and mercy is following), even though I might die
• And I know my future.  It is not a morbid thought but one of great comfort: I have a home with the Lord

Ps 78, Heartfelt responses to life and God

Psalm 78:1–4 (ESV) — 1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2 I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3 things that we have heard and known,
that our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.


• Does anyone else have a different rendering for "parable" and "dark sayings?"
• This is synonymous parallelism which means one line says the same think as the other. Although line 2 of verse 3 does add the idea of "old" or "long ago." What is the meaning?
• Parable is masal in Hebrew and means saying or proverb mostly
• Dark sayings is hidah in Hebrew and means riddle or ambiguous saying
• What is the Asaph's points?
• Even the difficult things are passed on
• We might not understand it, but we don't completely ignore it
• APPLICATION: our life will have many difficult times that we might not understand


Psalm 78:5–8 (ESV) — 5 He established a testimony in Jacob
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
6 that the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
7 so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments;
8 and that they should not be like their fathers,
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
whose spirit was not faithful to God.


• What is the import of the passage?
• We need to remind the next generation
• We need to warn the next generation
• How do we apply this, because quite frankly, sometimes our children don't want to hear this message?
• Who is the negative example that is used? The Exodus generation
• What was the problem with the Exodus generation?
• They never learned to trust that God cared
• They only feared God's power


Psalm 78:9–16 (ESV) — 9 The Ephraimites, armed with the bow,
turned back on the day of battle.
10 They did not keep God’s covenant,
but refused to walk according to his law.
11 They forgot his works
and the wonders that he had shown them.
12 In the sight of their fathers he performed wonders
in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.
13 He divided the sea and let them pass through it,
and made the waters stand like a heap.
14 In the daytime he led them with a cloud,
and all the night with a fiery light.
15 He split rocks in the wilderness
and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.
16 He made streams come out of the rock
and caused waters to flow down like rivers.


• We have no idea when the situation with the Ephraimites happened. Who are the Ephraimites?
• They are a tribe of Israel, one of Joseph's son, and one of the larger tribes
• They are also are one of the larger tribes
• Jeroboam is the first king of the Northern Kingdom and comes from Ephraim, and may be the reason the NK is referred to as Ephraim
• What might have been Ephraim's sin, beside their turning back in the day of battle?
• They substituted other forms of worship
• They even said that the calves were images or reminders of the God who delivered them from Egypt -- but God calls it the "sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat"
• In other words, other religions who appear to have a "one God" worship are not an acceptable substitute for the worship of God
• There are not many ways to God
• The examples are 4 specific miracles
• The passing through the Red Sea
• The Pillar of Fire by nigh and cloud by day
• The splitting of rock for water (first time)
• The gushing of water from rock (second time)
• The latter two examples are examples where Israel was not willing to wait upon God


Psalm 78:21–31 (ESV) — 21 Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath;
a fire was kindled against Jacob;
his anger rose against Israel,
22 because they did not believe in God
and did not trust his saving power.
23 Yet he commanded the skies above
and opened the doors of heaven,
24 and he rained down on them manna to eat
and gave them the grain of heaven.
25 Man ate of the bread of the angels;
he sent them food in abundance.
26 He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,
and by his power he led out the south wind;
27 he rained meat on them like dust,
winged birds like the sand of the seas;
28 he let them fall in the midst of their camp,
all around their dwellings.
29 And they ate and were well filled,
for he gave them what they craved.
30 But before they had satisfied their craving,
while the food was still in their mouths,
31 the anger of God rose against them,
and he killed the strongest of them
and laid low the young men of Israel.


• What is the reason given for God's anger?
• His people did not believe in God
• His people did not trust his saving power
• It is hard to believe that people did not acknowledge the existence of God or God's incredible power. If so, where were they over the last year. So belief in God and trust in God is not acknowledgement of God's existence or power but something much more. What is it?
• I always come back to this passage to explain God's reaction:
Mark 4:35–41 (ESV) — 35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
• Jesus asks them where there faith was, yet they woke him and sought his assistance …?
• But they questioned his care?
• The other three gospels do not record this person's scream of help but other things
• I think this is the heart if trust
• Yes, God is powerful and can do whatever he wants. But will he do anything for my situation? And does he care for me to do anything for my situation? And finally, if I believe he really cares for me, can I then believe that his response (or seeming non-response) is the best thing?


Psalm 78:32–39 (ESV) — 32 In spite of all this, they still sinned;
despite his wonders, they did not believe.
33 So he made their days vanish like a breath,
and their years in terror.
34 When he killed them, they sought him;
they repented and sought God earnestly.
35 They remembered that God was their rock,
the Most High God their redeemer.
36 But they flattered him with their mouths;
they lied to him with their tongues.
37 Their heart was not steadfast toward him;
they were not faithful to his covenant.
38 Yet he, being compassionate,
atoned for their iniquity
and did not destroy them;
he restrained his anger often
and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh,
a wind that passes and comes not again.


• What is one reason for why God does bring suffering (not the only reasoning)?
• To bring us back to him
• There are three responses when God is trying to bring us back to him. What are they?
• Ignore him, but then the pressure can increase
• Placate God by pretending to come back to him
• Truly, in a heartfelt repentance, come back to God


Psalm 78:67–72 (ESV) — 67 He rejected the tent of Joseph;
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 but he chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which he loves.
69 He built his sanctuary like the high heavens,
like the earth, which he has founded forever.
70 He chose David his servant
and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 from following the nursing ewes he brought him
to shepherd Jacob his people,
Israel his inheritance.
72 With upright heart he shepherded them
and guided them with his skillful hand.


• Why does he choose Judah over Joseph's tribe of Ephraim?
• Joseph was a great man. He was a godly example after he learned his lesson
• David was a man after God own's heart
• God is looking for a heart response of trust and faith
• APPLICATION: What does it take to develop that same response in our own life?

Ps 1, Staying on the path with a focus on the path

Psalm 1:1 (ESV) — 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;


• How is the man described, and what does it mean?
• Blessed, °ashre OT:835, "blessed; happy." All but 4 of the 44 biblical occurrences of this noun are in poetical passages, with 26 occurrences in the Psalms and 8 in Proverbs. // Basically, this word connotes the state of "prosperity" or "happiness" that comes when a superior bestows his favor (blessing) on one. In most passages, the one bestowing favor is God Himself: "Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord" (Deut 33:29). The state that the blessed one enjoys does not always appear to be "happy": "Behold, blessed [KJV, "happy"] is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: for he maketh sore, and bindeth up..." (Job 5:17-18). (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
• Why is the man happy? (Because he is not doing the following …)
• Walk, halak OT:1980, "to go, walk, behave." This verb appears in most Semitic languages (although it has a different meaning in Arabic). It is attested in all periods of Hebrew. Old Testament Hebrew attests it about 1,550 times, while the Aramaic uses it a few times. // Essentially, this root refers to movement without any suggestion of direction in the sense of going, whether of man Gen 9:23, beasts Gen 3:14, or inanimate objects Gen 2:14 — the first occurrence of the word. In cases other than men (where it means "to walk") halak may be translated "to go." It is used sometimes with a special emphasis on the end or goal of the action in mind; men are but flesh, "a wind that passeth [goes] away, and cometh not again" Ps 78:39. (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
• In counsel of the wicked
• Taking the counsel of the wicked on how to live life, where to go, what is okay to do, etc.
• Stand,  amad OT:5975, "to take one's stand; stand here or be there; stand still." Outside biblical Hebrew, where it occurs about 520 times and in all periods, this verb is attested only in Akkadian ("to stand, lean on"). A word spelled the same way appears in Arabic, but it means "to strive after." //
The basic meaning of this verb is "to stand upright." This is its meaning in Gen 18:8, its first biblical occurrence. It is what a soldier does while on watch 2 Sam 18:30. From this basic meaning comes the meaning "to be established, immovable, and standing upright" on a single spot; the soles of the priests' feet "rested" (stood still, unmoving) in the waters of the Jordan Josh 3:13. (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
• In the way of sinners
• Identifying or striving after (in the most basic meaning) or establishing oneself in the way of sinners.  Their lifestyle becomes my lifestyle.  There is little difference
• Sit, yashab OT:3427, "to dwell, sit, abide, inhabit, remain." The word occurs over 1,100 times throughout the Old Testament, and this root is widespread in other ancient Semitic languages.  // Yashab is first used in Gen 4:16, in its most common connotation of "to dwell": "Cain went out... and dwelt [NASB, "settled"; NIV, "lived"] in the land of Nod...." The word appears again in Gen 18:1: "He [Abraham] sat in the tent door." In Gen 22:5, yashab is translated: "Abide ye here [NIV, "stay here"] with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship...." The word has the sense of "to remain": "Remain a widow at thy father's house.." Gen 38:11, and it is used of God in a similar sense: "Thou, O Lord, remainest forever; thy throne from generation to generation." (Lam 5:19). The promise of restoration from captivity was: "And they shall build houses and inhabit them..." (Isa 65:21). (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
• In the seat of mockers
• Mocker, OT:3887 luwts — to scorn, to make mouths at, to talk arrogantly (from The Online Bible Thayer's Greek Lexicon and Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Copyright © 1993, Woodside Bible Fellowship, Ontario, Canada. Licensed from the Institute for Creation Research.)
• To actively make fun of those who believe in God.  To boast, or believe, that you are smarter because you don't believe in God.  To deride those who do as simple minded lower level life forms
• APPLICATION:  The opposite of happiness is pain and sadness.  It is essential to our own happiness that we do not fall into this progression: listening to the counsel of the wicked, standing up for the goals, ideals, or products of the wicked, and then mocking believers who are opposed to wickedness


Psalm 1:2 (ESV) — 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.


• The scripture is rarely just "don't do this," but also includes a prescription or alternate behavior.  So, in contrast to the man who might fall into the trap is the blessed man who does what?
• His delight is in the law
• He meditates on it day and night
• What does it mean for us or anyone for that matter, to delight in the law?
• OT:2656 hepes, delight.  The basic meaning is to feel great favor towards something. Its meaning differs from the parallel roots, hamad, hasaq, and rasa, in that they connote less emotional involvement. Hamad and hasaq are usually translated "desire," and rasa, "accept," favor being based on need, or judgment of approval. In the case of hapes, the object solicits favor by its own intrinsic qualities. The subject is easily attracted to it because it is desirable. (from Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Copyright © 1980 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)
• There is emotion attached to the time spent in the word
• How does one develop emotion to God's word?
• By testing it and seeing it faithful
• By commitment to it
• APPLICATION: Lastly, it says to meditate on it day and night -- how do we do that?
• Deuteronomy 6:6–9 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.  NIV
• Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. NIV
• Requires we are in the word on a regular basis
• A devotional journal is a nice way to help meditation.  Writing slows things down and forces you to think
• Scripture memory is a nice tool for meditating on a verse during an off moment


Psalm 1:3 (ESV) — 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.


• Obviously we have read this picture and imagined it many times.  Good hermeneutics requires a little bit of thought though before we see the application
• If it is a natural tree, then the comparison has a focus on three things
• Necessity of a source, source is the word
• Yielding of fruit as a result, since trees do not always yield fruit
• Prospers in his activities
• What doesn't fit with the natural tree?
• A natural tree always has leaves that wither
• Therefore this is a spiritual tree
• The water is clearly spiritual since we see non-natural results
• Also, now we can add in "in season."  While all trees have a season when they produce, we can make the conclusion that our spiritual tree also has seasons.  While our leaves may never whither we are planted by the stream, there are times (or seasons) in our life where we may not be very fruitful


Psalm 1:4 (ESV) — 4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.


• Again we have the comparison to the wicked (or at least it is assumed previously).  So, referring to the previous verse (or verses), what is not so with the wicked?
• Leaf not withering
• Producing fruit
• (spiritually) prospering in all they do
• Instead, they are like chaff, which means?
• They are not planted, they have no roots, no source, no sense of stability or even sense to life
• They are purposeless, there really is no goal or direction (the wind takes them wherever it is blowing)
• Reminds me of the election.  Independents shifted greatly.  People are all over the map looking for answers and not finding them
• Chaff has no value, it is what is leftover when you separate the grain from the husk or plant
• A couple more things about chaff
• It burns up easily
• It scatters, no semblance of unity or purpose


Psalm 1:5–6 (ESV) — 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.


• The three aspects of verse 1 seem to be repeated here
• The wicked will not stand in judgment (second item of verse 1)
• For all the wicked's arrogance, he will stand or identify with the wicked
• He will bend the knee
• They are not in the assembly -- no seat (third item of verse 1)
• Interjection: the Lord watches over the way of the righteous
• The way (counsel) of the wicked will perish  (first item of verse 1)
• Proverbs 14:12 (NIV) There is a way that seems right to a man,  but in the end it leads to death. 
• Proverbs 15:9 (NIV) The LORD detests the way of the wicked  but he loves those who pursue righteousness.