Ps 1 - The Tree and Water

vs 1. How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

We see in the first verse of the first Psalm, ambassadors of the spiritual land of death and darkness. From their place of darkness and foolishness, they offer words to guide others even as they scoff at words of light and life. Nothing has changed since this Psalm was written.

We do not need to look far in any direction around us---the media, academia, the Government, our relatives and acquaintances---before we hear the chorus: "We want nothing to do with your God because we do not like his words. We have other, more sin-friendly, words to live by"

vs 2. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

God's word is often referred to as His law because it is the road our hearts are to travel---We enter this Salvation Road by obeying the gospel. Then we obey the street signs of love on the journey down the road. And we must mind the guardrails!

A great significance of verse two following verse one is that God's people must first say "no" to the world's ways before they say "yes" to God's way. It's called confession and repentance.

vs. 3 He will be like a tree {firmly} planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

Water is always a picture of the word. Trees represent mankind. Christ was sent into the fallen world to become the everlasting tree----the Word Made Flesh--- in whom the word of God freely flowed and bore fruit. The moment a believer is saved, he becomes a living branch in Christ the Vine.

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither {can} you unless you abide in Me. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and {so} prove to be My disciples." John 15:4-8

The life and light of God's word lasts forever, all else is of the world and withers away with the world.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and {also} its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:16-17

vs. 4-5 The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

Bread comes from wheat, so it should be no surprise that wheat is yet another symbol of God's word. When Jesus comes to judge the world, those that are in Him will have been born of His word---the seed remaining in them while producing fruit. Those in whom the word is not rooted because of unbelief, will be carried off like chaff to hell.

"And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come {as} Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment {as to} what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me." John 12:45-48

And those who are standing and walking in righteousness,---the true branches of the Vine,---will be as the trees planted by the river of God that flows from His heavenly throne through a street of gold.

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(c) 1992 by Pat Marvenko Smith Revelation Illustrated