That You May Believe Study Guide

Week 1 - January 3rd, 2021

Psalm 1:1-2

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; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Context: These are the opening lines of the book of Psalms, a collection of hymns sung by God’s people for millennia. These words serve to describe how this book will function. The Book of Psalms is also the first commentary on the Bible, stemming from the meditations of their authors on YHWH, His work, and His words.

Meaning: The “blessed” man is a man whose life is set apart from the life of the wicked in thought (counsel), word (scoffers), and deed (sinners). Instead of a focus on self, His focus and delight is fulfilled in meditating on the words of YHWH, seeking to align His life ever-closer to the Law of God.

Life Application: The opening stanza of Psalms has informed Christians and Jews alike for generations. These words tell us that the whole Bible shares on meta-genre: It is written as meditation literature. We are to read the words of scripture regularly, and with dedication to their meaning and bearing on our lives. If we read scripture properly we will read it both slowly and obediently. The more we read, the more we understand; the more we understand, the more we will obey.

For Further Study: The Greek equivalent of the word “blessed” appears famously and frequently in Jesus’ instructions to His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). What connections can you find between the teachings of Jesus and the teachings of this Psalm?