Planted by Grace to Prosper in Grace

Summer of Good News – Week 3

 Psalm 1                                                                                                                Week of June 17, 2018

 ¹ Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of

sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. ² But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his

law he meditates day and night.

 1.                  Right at the very beginning, the writer of these temple worship themes and council focuses on who is and who isn’t blessed (counted righteous) according to God’s standards. What are some of the contrast between those who are ‘blessed’ and those who are not? What does ‘council of the wicked’ mean? The ‘way of sinners’? The ‘seat of mockers’? What does the person who is ‘blessed’ do? How does that affect Him?

 ³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf

does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

 2.                  This looks like a life well lived! From where does the blessing of being fruitful come? When you think of ‘streams of living water’ what comes to mind? What is the connection between ‘Delighting in God’s Word’ and ‘streams of living water’? Have you put God’s word to the test? If you have, how have you fared? Does this mean that we, having delighted in God’s Word, will never fail in our endeavors?  Can you take comfort that even if we have a ‘fail’ in life (and we all have many failures), God will enable us to overcome through faith in His Son Jesus? How dos Jesus’ overcoming suffering, death and the grave give you hope?

 ⁴ Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. ⁵ Therefore the wicked

will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. ⁶ For the Lord

watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

 3.                  Again, the contrast between those who love God’s Word and those who do not is given. The results are not pretty. Have you seen evidence of the ‘way of the wicked’ robbing life from people? Why do you think that God will not allow those who disregard His Word to ultimately succeed in the ‘judgment’ or ‘assembly of the righteous’?  What warning now is given by this Psalm? Have you given yourself over to God’s Word of forgiveness found in Jesus for eternal life? See Acts 4:12; John 3:16  Give God thanks for providing a way for everyone, especially those who believe, to receive eternal life and peace with God.

 Check back next week for Summer of Good News –  Week 4