The book of Psalms ends with all creation blessing God. The first line of Psalms 146, 147, 148, 149, and 150—“Praise the Lord!”— captures the theme well. However, the Psalm begins with a poem about the blessed man (Psalm 1:1) and the Lord’s eternal rewards for that man’s righteous life. That righteous life is set within the context of a world to be judged (Psalm 1:5-6) and is contrasted with the lives of “the wicked” (vv. 1, 4, 5-6), also called “scoffers” (v.1) and “sinners” (vv.1, 5). In contrast with the wicked, the blessed man avoids worldliness. He doesn’t “walk in the counsel of the wicked,” or “stand in the way of sinners” or “sit in the seat of scoffers” (v.1). Instead of walking, standing, or sitting with such people, “day and night” he prayerfully thinks (“meditates”) about God’s covenant history, instructions, and promises (“his law”; v.2). He sits with his Bible open; he stands in awe of God’s revelation; he walks in God’s ways. And because of this he grows by God’s grace and is “blessed” by God.
How do we escape the judgment of the wicked, walk in righteousness, and grow in God’s grace? We men join the man of Psalm 1 by meditating on the Man, the Lord’s Anointed Son (Psalm 2:2, 7, 12). Psalm 1 and 2 are often called the Gateway to the Psalms because they open to us the book’s two main themes: namely that as God’s covenant people we are to 1) “take refuge” in God’s coming king (Psalm 2:12) and 2) “delight in the law of the Lord” (Psalm 1:2). In Jesus Christ, we receive all the blessings of Psalm 1’s blessed man. If we abide in Him, we bear fruit. When we stand strong on the Day of Judgment, we will not wither way, because God knows us (Psalm 1:6). In Jesus, we have been granted eternal life.
Join the blessed man. Take up your Bible. Read it. Devour it. Think about what it says. Pray about its plan and promises. Marvel at God’s gracious plan of salvation in Jesus Christ.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
