Psalm 1 gives us some excellent wisdom from God that we can only fully understand through the Revelation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. Let’s walk through Psalm 1 in light of this awesome revelation and its absolute relevance for believers and warning for the ungodly today.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Psalm 1:1

Don’t Go There

Jesus hung out with the worst sinners and was even accused of being a drunk and glutton by the religious leaders. He also went into the synagogues to read the Scriptures and teach. Much of Jesus’ teachings angered the religious leaders then. And, they still do today. The scornful are simply those who neglect God which is pride.

I believe that listening to the cares of the world through the news and other media and meditating on those things as truth instead of just some facts that need to be changed through prayer is ungodly counsel. Watching murder, sexual immorality, etc. is standing in the way of sinners. Walking by sight instead of by faith sums up Psalm 1:1.

Psalm 1:2 tells us exactly how to avoid this deadly combination!

Delight and Meditate Intentionally

But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalm 1:2

I read in Matthew 5 that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled. I saw where Jesus opened the eyes of the disciples to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). You just can’t go wrong reading the Bible even when it takes discipline.

Ask!

I asked God to give me a hunger and thirst for His righteousness, to know Him and His Word better. He is faithful. Why wouldn’t He give us all things? He has! He even tells us to ask!

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Matthew 21:22

And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Luke 11:9

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

John 14:13-14

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

John 15:7

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

John 15:16

Why Ask?

I love this: “That your joy may be full.” God wants your joy to be full!!!

And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

John 16:23-24

At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

John 16:26-27

Ask in Faith

James gives us some instructions on why we might ask and not receive. Jesus is quoted telling us this, but we seem to miss this part because of man’s religious teachings. Matthew records Jesus saying as we read above, “believing, ye shall receive.” Please read What is Unbelief to find out more.

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

James 1:6

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

James 4:2

Yes, James is talking to believers! Too many believers are operating in doubt and unbelief and blaming God because they simply don’t follow the wisdom written in Psalm 1. They are asking for what God has already provided through the full gospel that is not being taught! Discipleship training is critical along with Bible study. Christians should NOT be suffering from the same things the ungodly are suffering from!

Keeping is Meditating

Meditating on God’s goodness is pleasing in His sight and is the true definition of fearing Him (Malachi 3:16). These people are not, “blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. (Matthew 23:24)” Jesus is so cool!

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

1 John 3:22

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

1 John 5:14-15

The Law of the Lord

Jesus fulfilled all of the laws of the Old Testament. The law revealed to me that I was a sinner, and I had/have no ability in my own strength to keep it. Then Jesus really drove it home and put the final nails in the coffin of trying to obtain righteous standing with God through keeping the law! It is not possible for any man other than the perfect Son of God! What pride and arrogance for anyone to go back to trying to keep ANY of the law(s) to “earn” anything from God when He has so freely given Himself for us.

The End of the Commandment

Paul says the end of the commandment is charity (agape). He goes on to say that going back to teaching righteousness or right standing with God through the law is vain jangling. Paul explains that the law is good for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, etc. I was comparing myself to others and thinking I was okay. I needed the law to see that I was NOT okay!

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

1 Timothy 1:5-11

Simply Repent!

If you are in Christ, you have already been made God’s righteousness. If anything in the above list jumps out at you, simply repent. To repent is to pray, “Father, I turn from fill in the blank and turn to Your ways and Your thoughts.” Then, continue to seek Him and His ways and His thoughts. He promises to be found by you! If you are not sure that you are in Christ, visit How to Have Life Eternal.

Jesus Fulfilled the Law

And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Luke 24:44

Jesus fulfilled all the law, and all the Old Testament was pointing to Jesus. Psalm 1 was written looking forward to Jesus. Jesus says that to love one another is the new command three times in John 14-16. Jesus nailed the law of the Old Testament to the cross by fulfilling the law ushering in the perfect law of liberty!

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

James 1:25

Delight Yourself in the Lord

That is the law that Christians delight in and meditate on day and night. Christians don’t have to guess or wonder. We can discipline ourselves to read, study, and meditate on God’s Word day and night. We are always thinking. Why not think about God? We can learn to hold every thought captive to our Lord. It does take practice, discipline, and intentionality! But the rewards are life and that more abundant-now in this age and the age to come.

Rivers of Water

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psalm 1:3

There is no such thing as a prosperity gospel. This is straight out of the mouth of God and ALL of His promises are yes and amen! Prosperity is just a natural fruit of knowing God and His Son, Jesus! Nothing can keep you from walking this out except you! Do you believe God or are you stuck in doubt and unbelief? Meditating on God’s Word day and night will destroy doubt and unbelief if you are willing to only believe.

Only Believe

In Mark 5:36, Jesus told Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe.” Jairus had come to Jesus because his daughter was dying. Someone met them on the way to Jairus’ house to tell them that his daughter was already dead. Jesus told Jairus to ONLY believe. I love verse 40 because even though the unbelievers “laughed Jesus to scorn,” He put them (unbelievers) out. He shut out the unbelief! Jesus only allowed three disciples to even go with Him to the house, and then He shut out all unbelief. Jesus shut out people who were in doubt, fear, and unbelief!

I knew I was doubleminded!

When I read James’ epistle, I knew I was doubleminded.

A doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways.

James 1:8

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.

James 4:8

So, what did I do? I cried out to God and asked Him to help me because I didn’t know how to be different. It was obvious that He was in fact helping and teaching me. I just kept seeking.

All things are possible

And then I read how Jesus didn’t rebuke the father of the child with the “foul spirit” for asking Jesus to help his unbelief.

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Mark 9:23-24

Imagine my joy when I realized that was all I had to do was to ask Jesus to help my unbelief! I did. He is faithful and no respecter of persons. What He will do for one of His children, He will do for all. There is no telling what God is just waiting for us to just ask Him for so that He can finally bless us! We are blessed to be a blessing to others. That is why Jesus says that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Prayer and Fasting

While we are already in this story, I used to think Jesus was telling the disciples that this kind of demon can only come out by prayer and fasting. Some of my mentors have said that this verse is talking about this kind of unbelief. I agree with both. No demon in hell can stand against the name of Jesus spoken by a believer who fasts and prays!

And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Mark 9:29

The Ungodly

The ungodly are not planted by the rivers of water. God causes the rain to fall on the wicked and the just, but the prosperity of the ungodly is being held for the righteous. They are being drawn or blown any way that feels good. The way of the ungodly shall perish because sin leads to death. Jesus is not condemning the world. He says in John 3:17 that He came to save the world and not to condemn it. But, if the ungodly choose to deny such great salvation, they stay in the condemnation of the god of this world, the devil. Jesus said that they are condemned already.

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalm 1:4-6

Counsel of the Ungodly

We tend to think of “ungodly” as vile horrible things that are obviously evil. But think about the news, television programs, books, and even social media that are being consumed by our families and neighbors and even by us. Now compare those things with the following verse:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Philippians 4:8

Do you seek after God? Is He in ALL of your thoughts?

The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Psalm 10:4

Please don’t let the enemy use this to condemn you! I watch secular movies and listen to secular music, but I don’t allow these to permeate my belief system. God has taught me so much through these, and they can actually be used to lead people to Jesus. I just don’t spend much time in the things of the world. If you can’t talk with God about what you are consuming, I highly recommend putting it down at least until you can enjoy it with Him.

Psalm 1 Emphasizes Being Blessed By Choosing What to Think!

I want to give one example of the mental chaos that can happen by just thinking about one subject that is in the news today. There are conflicting views about the vaccine and a lot of emotions attached to whether or not to get it. There are a lot of feelings of fear, guilt, shame, and even condemnation over not getting the vaccine, and now for the ones who have already gotten it. What mental torture and anguish have been produced and the potential grows every day for increased regret for all views and opinions! STOP IT!

Two Verses to Meditate on Night and Day

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

Psalm 91:10

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Isaiah 54:17

Miracles and healings are happening EVERY day!

You are not going to see or hear about God moving in this wicked world by listening to the ungodly counsel we call the media!

Even godly teachers and preachers can be very good, but they are not God. I love iron sharpening iron. But NOTHING should substitute time spent reading, meditating, and praying about the unadulterated Word of God!!!

My website, youwillwantto.com is such a blessing to me, but don’t take what I write and think and say about God’s Word to be good enough for you! I am wrong more often than I want to be! Even when I hear God right about an issue in my life, that is a Word for me that we can’t presume is for you. How many people have drowned trying to walk on someone else’s Word from God?

Taste and See

The pure, unadulterated Word of God is intended to be our daily bread! Just a few months ago when I was very busy with Bible College and ministry (very, very good things), I stopped reading my Bible every day and was only listening to my teachers and other great ministers. They are awesome, and I heard a lot of scriptures in their teachings. BUT I started floundering! It was sad and sickening. YouWillWantTo meditate on God’s goodness day and night!