Session 1
Psalm 1:1-6
Memory Verse: Psalm 1:1-2
We live in a world full of choices. Sometimes we have so many choices that we can’t make up our minds. Other times, we complain that we don’t have enough choices. That’s when we try to create more choices for ourselves. Throughout our lives, we learn that we have to live with the consequences that accompany them.
When it comes to making the most important decisions in life, we need God’s wisdom. Left to our-selves, we run the risk of making foolish choices. His wisdom enables us to see things His way so we can do things His way. As you study this first session from the Psalms, consider how you make choic-es—and how you can allow God to be the primary Guide in that equation. And reflect on how you can best help the adults in your Bible study learn to pursue God’s wisdom so they can lead fruitful lives.
Researchers claim that our brains make thousands of decisions each day. Most of us start our day deciding what we are going to do. When we make decisions to do certain things, we are deciding to not do other things. Some decisions are not too important while others have lasting consequences. Psalm 1 indicates that one of the most life-changing decisions we can make each day is to delight in God’s Word and meditate on it throughout the day. (PSG, p. 8)
When studying the book of Psalms, scholars often classify each psalm into one of seven categories. Each category reflects the unique traits of the psalms within it. For example, Psalm 1 falls into the “wis-dom” category—and for a good reason. It expresses the spiritual happiness of God’s people who make the wise choice of devoting themselves to Him exclusively. In the psalm, their wise choice stands in distinct contrast to the foolish decision to ignore Him and to refuse to take Him seriously.
Because Psalm 1 points to the difference between wise and foolish choices about living for God, it has a connection with other Old Testament books. For instance, Moses gave similar instruction to God’s people as they made their way into the promised land (Deut. 30:11-20). He couched his instruc-tion about making the wise choice to walk with God in terms of blessing and cursing. Likewise, the same encouragement offered in Psalm 1 can also be seen in passages like Proverbs 2:12-22 and Jere-miah 17:5-8.
Incidentally, the writer of Psalm 1 had in mind the need for individuals to determine that they would live for God. The writer of Psalm 2 urged kings to make the same choice for the sake of their king-doms
(Ps. 2:10-12). The wisdom of absolute surrender is a common theme throughout the Psalms.
The New Testament also reflects the importance and priority of living for God that are offered in
Psalm 1. For example, Paul warned believers about the positive and negative influences of relation-ships on a believer’s character (1 Cor. 15:33). Jesus concluded the Sermon on the Mount with instruc-tions about making wise choices as His disciples. He punctuated the need to choose wisely when He mentioned the options people had between two gates, two trees, and two foundations (Matt. 7:13-27).
In a way, Psalm 1 serves as the introduction to the entire collection of psalms. It opens the door to understanding how believers are called to live as God’s people in the world. At the heart of such a life-style lies a decision. We can choose to embrace Him and His ways, or we can decide to take a path that doesn’t include Him. Our choice about God will have a lasting effect on our spiritual happiness. It will also determine the outcome of our lives, both on earth and in eternity.
Nobody knows the identity of the person who wrote this psalm. However, we can rest assured in the reality that God guided the writer. As a result, we have been given an opportunity to live out God’s wis-dom by choosing to devote ourselves to Him. And we have been warned if we decide to take a different path.
Read Psalm 1. Take note of how it compares those who prioritize God’s Word in their lives with those who do not. According to the psalm, what does a blessed life look like?
EXPLORE THE TEXT
1 How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! 2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he medi-tates on it day and night.
(v. 1) How happy: This expression has also been translated as “blessed” (ESV, NIV, KJV) or “Oh, the joys” (NLT). It conveys the happy result of choosing to nourish a fruitful relationship with God. Even though the English translations may be different, all of them underscore the same fulfilling result of making such a wise choice.
When Jesus began His instruction in the Sermon on the Mount, He used a similar expression. With the Beatitudes, He affirmed the spiritual blessing of true happiness that accompanies a believer’s de-cision to follow Him (Matt. 5:3-12).
(v. 1) The one: Choosing to follow God reflects the consistent devotion His people. Whether they walk, stand, or sit, they never lose sight of their responsibility to live according to God’s ways. Moses incorporated similar postures into his instruction to parents about teaching their children to follow God (Deut. 6:6-7).
In the context of this verse, the image of walking implied seeking someone’s advice, while standing meant fostering a lifestyle that’s influenced by others on the same path. Similarly, sitting in one’s com-pany signaled a willingness to embrace their perspectives and values.
(v. 1) Wicked . . . sinners . . . mockers: The psalmist refined the devotion of God’s people by pointing out who they should avoid as they followed Him. They would not seek the advice of a wicked person who had a reputation for wrongdoing. Neither would they allow themselves to be influenced by sinners who perpetually missed the spiritual mark and consistently offended God with their thoughts, words, and actions. Furthermore, they would not give any consideration to the impure notions promoted by mock-ers who ridiculed God’s ways, laughed at His people, or poked fun at their loyalty to Him.
(v. 2) Delight: The Hebrew word (chephets) called to mind the complete satisfaction of a person’s deepest longings. Accordingly, anyone who delight in the Lord long for nothing more than an intimate relationship with Him. The writer of Psalm 107 used the same word as he described the glee that filled the heart of a seafarer who had been caught in a storm. To his delight, God graciously led him to the harbor that he had been longing to see (Ps. 107:30).
(v. 2) The Lord’s instruction: For God’s people in the Old Testament era, the Lord’s instruction came by way of the Scriptures available to them. His directions enabled them to embrace His ways and to live them out every day. Of course, believers today enjoy the benefit of the Old and New Testaments as we seek His instruction. We treasure of God’s Word because of it brings delight to us as we grow spiritually in Him.
(v. 2) Meditates: The Hebrew word (hagah) brought into view the picture of God’s people muttering the words of a Bible passage to themselves. They whispered the words in an effort to ponder them, grasp them, interpret them, and absorb them so they could put them to work as they served Him. They made meditating on God’s Word a lifelong priority. As a result, His Word would get into them. Their thoughts, words, and actions would be influenced by Scripture.
After Moses died, the Lord called Joshua to lead His people across the Jordan River to the promised land. He instructed Joshua to devote himself to practice the spiritual discipline of meditating on His Word (Josh. 1:8). He went on to assure Joshua that embracing such an important spiritual discipline would enable Him to lead the Israelites effectively. Learning to meditate on His Word still holds benefits for us today.
EXPLORE THE TEXT
3 He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 4 The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.
(v. 3) Flowing streams: In an arid climate, the image of flowing streams would bring confidence to God’s people. The consistent supply of life-enriching water would nourish the roots of the tree and guarantee a bountiful harvest. Further, the tree’s leaves would never waste away or wither. Instead, it would exhibit all of the traits of strength and growth. The same assurance could be applied to God’s people who follow Him.
(v. 3) Prospers: The Hebrew word for prospers (tsalach) refers to a successful endeavor. God’s peo-ple could count on Him to help them be productive (2 Chron. 26:5; Prov. 28:13). Joseph was successful in Egypt because He walked with God (Gen. 39:2-3). Joshua also followed the Lord and led Israel to the promised land
(Josh. 1:8).
(v. 4) Wicked: The Hebrew term (rasha) portrayed a person who made wrongdoing a way of life. Without any regret or shame, a wicked person’s behavior may have been attractive to others, but God’s people should view it as repugnant.
Proverbs 4:14-15 and 13:20 serve as a warning to those tempted to embrace wickedness. Likewise, Peter reminded New Testament believers that they had turned from wicked behavior and given their lives to Christ
(1 Pet. 4:13).
(v. 4) Chaff: In ancient Israel, farmers went to their fields and gathered the grain at harvest time. Af-ter the harvest, they had to separate the kernels of grain from husks and other debris that known as chaff. The husks served as something like shells that protected the grain kernels during the growing season.
However, chaff was useless after the harvest. As it dried, it fell away from the grain. The picture pro-vided a sobering description of what happened to people who devote themselves to wickedness.
(v. 4) Wind: The outcome of uselessness for the wicked became even more pronounced with the picture of winnowing. Farmers would use a tool similar to a pitchfork to throw grain in the air. The heavy kernels would fall back on the threshing floor, while the wind would blow the chaff away. Later, the farmers burned the empty shells because they served no purpose. For that reason, chaff often illustrat-ed spiritual worthlessness (Ps. 35:5; Isa. 17:13; Hos. 13:3; Matt. 3:12).
Spend time praying Scripture using Psalm 1:3-4. Read the verse, then respond to these ques-tions:
Talk with God about the distinction between the righteous and the wicked. Ask Him to empower you to be a tree that flourishes rather than chaff that disappears.
During the session, invite adults to pray this Scripture, as well. You and the adults in your group can also take advantage of the Explore the Bible Prayer Guide. This QR code also appears on page 15 of the Personal Study Guide.
EXPLORE THE TEXT
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the right-eous. 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
(v. 5) Therefore: This word provided a critical transition. It tied to what the psalmist had already said about being devoted to God, while also pointing to the only fitting conclusion that could be drawn from what he had said. God’s people who walked with Him could look forward to their future with confidence. The same assurance could not be given to everyone who refused to make Him their highest priority. Their future looked fearfully bleak.
(v. 5) Stand up: Once more, the psalmist incorporated a person’s posture as he wrote about what the future held for anyone who rejected God and chose a life of wicked behavior. The picture of some-one standing up implied a sense of accomplishment and pride. Accordingly, wicked people could pa-rade their so-called prosperity and stand arrogantly in their selfish pride as they embraced evil. Howev-er, the day would come when they would not be able to stand so tall. In fact, they would not be able to stand at all (see Isa. 2:11).
(v. 5) Judgment: The knees of wicked people buckle when they find themselves in the presence of God. He will always have the last word over sinful behavior. The Hebrew word for judgment (mispat) brought to mind a courtroom scene in which a person would appear before a judge.
The scene served as a fitting way to describe God’s role as sovereign Judge. He could render His judgment to wicked people in their lifetime, or His judgment could be delayed until they faced Him after they died. In one way or the other, those committed to wickedness can count on being judged the pres-ence of God (Mal. 2:17-3:5).
(v. 5) Assembly of the righteous: Individuals who gave themselves to sinful behavior could count on being excluded from the fellowship of God’s people who devoted themselves to Him. The psalmist iden-tified such people as sinners. They came to be identified that way because they missed the mark spirit-ually. However, they refused to turn to God.
Like Abraham, they could have placed their faith in God and been made righteous (Gen. 15:6). They could have begun their spiritual journey with Him and enjoyed the company of others who shared their faith. Instead, they rejected Him and remained in their sin. According to the New Testament, their awful fate included eternal death and separation from God in hell (Rev. 20:15).
The psalmist concluded with a simple, but profound, explanation of what happens when His people follow Him seriously. He asserted that they could count on God to watch over them. They would never have to wonder if He would care for them, guide them, strengthen them, protect them, and nourish them along the way.
Many Scriptures echo the psalmist’s assertion. They offer bedrock assurance about God’s care of those who make serving Him their priority. Read the following verses and record how they demonstrate God’s work on behalf of His people:
(v. 6) The way of the wicked: The outcome of wicked people is incredibly sad. The Hebrew word (abad) conveyed the dreadful thought of perishing, being lost, failing, and disappearing. Because wick-ed people ignore God, they set themselves on a path toward destruction. Bible passages like Psalm 112:10; Proverbs 14:12; Matthew 7:13; and 2 Peter 3:12 underscore the painful truth about their tragic outcome. The wicked will lose everything they tried to gain.
Review these points from Apply the Text on page 15 of the Personal Study Guide:
Lead the group to read Psalm 1:1-2 chorally, encouraging the group to memorize these verses and to reflect on how they should influence their lives.
Direct attention back to Pack Item 8 (Handout: Praying Scriptures in Psalms). Encourage adults to continue praying through Psalm 1:3-4 during the week ahead.
Lead a brief discussion on the first set of questions on page 15 of the PSG. Encourage adults to sug-gest ways the group can make Bible study a priority during the week.
Call on a volunteer to close in prayer, thanking God for the wisdom found in his Word that allows be-lievers to lead fruitful lives.
AFTER THE SESSION
Reinforce the session by texting or emailing the group and encouraging them to utilize Pack Item 8 (Handout: Praying Scriptures in Psalms) for praying Scripture. Let them know that you are praying for them and suggest they share any prayer requests they might have with you. Urge them to reflect regu-larly on the contrast between the life and final end of the righteous and that of the wicked. Add a prayer that God’s Word will be prioritized in the life of each person in the group.
The Holy Bible is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. (See Psalm 119:140; 2 Peter 1:19-21.)
Use other Scripture to help understand a Bible passage.
The psalmist wasn’t the only one to emphasize the importance of life choices. Compare Psalm 1 with Deuteronomy 30:19-20 and Matthew 7:24-27. How are these passages similar? What common themes are found in all three passages? Write a summary statement of the teaching found in all three passages.