A Psalm You Should Live By

There is a scene that always strikes me and reminds me of a favorite Psalm.

I’ve seen it many times on my travels. You can see it on many arid plains around the world. As the barren landscape stretches before you, the grass is brown and rocky ground is plentiful. In the distance, you see a ribbon of trees meandering through a shallow valley.

It can only mean one thing, there is water there. There may be a river or a stream. It might be flowing or intermittent, but the frequent presence of water makes the life of a tree possible.

The Psalm

There is a strong parallel in the first Psalm to that very scene.

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.

       He is like a tree

planted by streams of water

       that yields its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not wither.

                        In all that he does, he prospers.  (Psalm 1:1–3 [ESV])

The Water

The water that helps us be like that tree is the delight in the law of the Lord. It is more than mere respect for God’s Word but it is the very thing that brings joy to a life. When we delight in the Word, we find that it is natural to reflect and meditate on it throughout the days of our lives. We begin to see how God works in the world and we experience his presence and power in a new way.

Our lives might be situated in a hot desert wind or a dry lonely barrenness but that water, his Word, brings life and vitality to our existence.

The presence of God in our lives, that he communicates through his word and in our experiences with him sustain us when things around us are rocky and difficult. While we may not escape the difficulties of life, we can still thrive. Our lives are fruitful and fulfilling.

Delighting

How do you practice delight?

When you begin to read the Bible, it is sometimes hard to maintain the daily habit. That is why it is frequently called a spiritual discipline. It is part of what we do to maintain our spiritual health.

But when you spend enough time and when you discipline yourself for long enough you discover the discipline becomes a delight. I enjoy my daily time in the Word. I still have days of struggle but, overall, I eagerly anticipate this time and find it never fails to encourage and strengthen me.

Two Ways

I always recommend reading the Bible in two ways.

First, read the Bible for content. For me, that means reading systematically and somewhat quickly through from Genesis to Revelation several times a year. When you read the Bible quickly, it is easier to pick up the context and assimilate the content into your life.

Second, read the Bible for understanding. What I mean is that you spend time really studying and discerning what each word of the text means and how it applies to your life. Obviously, this takes a great deal of time. Unless you have several hours a day to devote to this type of reading, it will take you years to get through the Bible in this way. And that’s okay.

Final Word

When you read, allow the Spirit of God to change you. Remember the powerful words of Paul’s letter to Timothy:  

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17 [ESV])

God’s word is not there to confirm your biases or prove your point of view. It is there to transform you into a whole and complete follower of Jesus. For everyone of us, that means we must change. It means we must abandon some of our dearly held beliefs and revise our viewpoints.

That is hard, but it is supremely rewarding!

I pray that you will learn to delight in the Word of God as you grow daily as a follower of Jesus.