Ps. Craig Mobey
This message is a Bible study on Psalm 1:1. Enjoy the richness of the Word of God.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV)
“1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.”
Introduction
As a people, we prefer to be blessed rather than not blessed. And it makes sense, indeed the Greek word in Psalm 1:1 for “blessed” is “’esher” which means “happiness.”
But at the same time, suffering and trials are part of our daily reality. Therefore, we have an unseeming situation where happiness, as well as suffering and trials, coexist. This means that we must either reframe our understanding of “happiness” or remove the suffering and trials.
Happiness is not so much the absence of suffering and trials, but instead the presence of a rich, full, and meaningful life. It follows then, that you are blessed, not when you experience an absence of suffering and trials, but when you experience a rich, full, and meaningful life despite suffering and trials.
And a rich, full, and meaningful life can only be because of God’s blessings. This is the part that I think many people misunderstand as they chase down money, status, recognition and other worldly things that are not of eternal value.
Let’s study the Word with this thought in mind … be careful with who you walk, be careful how you stand and be careful where you sit.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked
Would it be fair to say that when we think about “walk – stand – sit”; that each of them requires less energy and movement that the previous? In other words, is this a downward spiral?
A marching platoon moves in step with another. Think of a platoon marching forward, left…right…left…right. All in step with one another. The point is not to say that marching or army is wicked, it is to say that in this march, the platoon – over and above individuals – is what is recognizable. When a platoon approaches, the enemy does not recognize Harold, John, Cyril, and Joe, they recognize the advancing platoon. Therefore, Harold, John, Cyril, and Joe are seen as part of the platoon.
This is how the wicked – the ungodly move – all the ungodly are a unit because of their ungodly morals, deeds, cruelty, general wickedness, and guilt.
And the Psalmist is saying: Don’t walk with them lest you be associated with them, do like them, or walk like they walk. Do not be indistinguishable in the crowd of ungodly people. Rather, as a practising Christian, stand out; do not walk in step with the ungodly.
or stand in the way that sinners take
At face value, standing in someone’s way means that you are an obstruction to them. The other sense is that when you stand in the way of someone, it means that you stand like they stand. In this sense, you stand for what they stand for.
Now read the above excerpt again, “stand in the way that sinners take.” Logically, a sinner is someone who sins, so the issue shifts to what sin is.
Stay with me here…in 2022, a post-modern; post-foundation era of social constructivism, sin seems to be whatever someone or a group says sin is. Social constructivism also defines for itself, what “truth” is. So, we face multiple and varying definitions of both “sin” and “truth.”
And here is the underlying problem with social constructivism as it relates to sin. The Bible says that sin is contravening or transgressing or disobeying God’s Law and rebelling against God.
This means that social constructivism must explain sin away or do something with the Word of God to justify their ends, morals, deeds and so forth. They do this by 1 of 3 choices, and these 3 choices are also your warning signal that things are not well as they relate to sin.
Since the Word of God contains all, we need to live a Godly life, properly relate to God as well as teachings, such as salvation, sin, grace and love; and the Word of God is complete and unchanging, I must briefly explain each of the 3 choices – all if which result in compromising the Word; and therefore what the Word says about sin:
- Choice #1. The Bible, in general, is antiquated and is not relevant to the world of 2022.
Rebuttal. The Bible is clear that God and His Word do not change. If the Word cannot change, then the variable as matters relate to 2022 is not the Word. If the Word could change, it would also be unreliable and unGodly since the Word is subject to human reasoning, limitations, and applications.
Furthermore, if this choice were viable, the Word would constantly be questioned; possibly discarded, since and an unchanging God’s Word would never be relevant to any ever-changing society.
It means that no minister can stand on the pulpit and say, “thus sayeth the Lord to us, today” without compromising the message. It also means that there is no assurance that any sermon, past, present or future is a faithful exposition of Scripture for its present audience (an exegetical principle); indeed, there would be little point in proclaiming an antiquated or irrelevant Word.
- Choice #2. Not all the Bible is written to us or meant for us; for example, we are not the church at Corinth or part of the Exodus out of Egypt.
Rebuttal. This boils down to what is known as “cherry picking.” Cherry picking is to hand pick those verses from the Bible to support an idea or position that you are trying to make while at the same time, ignoring the verses you don’t like or disagree with.
To cherry pick, you must take a verse, chapter, entire Book, or entire author of a Book out of context or indeed – as some do – out of the Bible altogether. Cherry picking compromises the overall message and unity of the Bible.
To say that a particular portion of Scripture, such as Corinthians, is not written to me also asks the question of what then was written to me. “Right dividing” (2 Timothy 2:15) the Word is not to chop it up into “written to me” and “not written to me.” The New Testament was not finalized – it was still being written at the time when 2 Timothy was written. 2 Timothy speaks of the Word (singular) not the Words (plural). The Word is in unity with itself.
We rightly divide the Word when we try to understand what the author has said and not allow our own opinions or views to cloud the meaning of what is written. To rightly divide the Word is to handle all His Word properly and correctly.
It is God who assesses how we handle all His Word. Because Corinthians is not directly addressed to us, it does not mean that we can ignore the first part of 1 Corinthians 10:8 which reads, “We should not commit sexual immorality…” Likewise, the message of Deuteronomy 4:15-18, titled “Idolatry Forbidden” still stands – it is God-breathed and useful.
This position of cherry-picking also contradicts the Word, such as 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” All Scripture is God-breathed and useful…all.
We must keep in mind, that no amount of cherry-picking will change God’s unchanging position on sin.
- Choice #3. Scripture must be re-interpreted to arrive at a different (i.e., non-traditional or refreshed) result.
Rebuttal. If we are going to continuously re-interpret what already is, then we also agree that the source (which is the subject of interpretation) is constant, and the result of interpretation (changeable) is different. This is a self-defeating thing to do/argue since it is inconclusive.
Scripture means what Scripture means and we arrive at meaning, scientifically, through a process of exegesis, which means to “lead out of” through exposition and explanation.
To lead into Scripture is an eisegesis, which is non-analytical and subjective and, in this sense, includes re-interpreting and refreshing to arrive at a different result.
Think of it this way, exegesis is rightly dividing/handling the Word and eisegesis is mishandling the Word. Let me expand…
- An eisegesis has 3 steps: imagine (what idea do I want to present?), explore, and apply.
- An exegesis has 4 steps: observe (what does the passage say?), interpret, correlate, and apply.
You stand in the way of sinners when you contravene or transgress or disobey God’s Law or rebel against God with them. No amount of human reason, explanation, interpretation, or intellectual gymnastics can alter God’s unchanging definition of sin. If it could, we would not have needed Jesus to atone for our sin.
Sin is sin and will always be sin. It is not for any of us to redefine what God has declared to be sin.
It is, however, for us not to stand in the way of sinners!
or sit in the company of mockers,
Walking … standing … sitting. We are now at the bottom of the downward spiral and in this context, whereas walking and standing take effort, “sitting” has taken up a comfortable residence and requires the least effort as one is also comfortable.
Mockers, scoffers, scorners, and deriders stand under the same umbrella in that they are known by what they do:
- Insult.
- Make someone or something the subject of their laughter.
- Deceive, disappoint, and frustrate through a hollow effort or imitation.
- Imitate and be false.
Mocking is a higher grade and more determined wickedness. It is the final expression of an immoral and corrupt character as God and His Word, ways and people are treated with hatred and ridicule.
I like to think that if society or a person treats Christianity with some degree of respect, then there is hope. And of course, we will always have hope because of the Holy Spirit who is at work. But when someone sits with mockers, then we have a deep-set problem.
Conclusion
If walking with the wicked can be seen as accidental, and standing with sinners more voluntary in that someone might have been influenced or caught at the wrong place, sitting with mockers is a deliberate choice.
It’s a sad state of affairs, a tragedy when a citizen of heaven sits among the mockers; those who willingly and deliberately abuse biblical truths, Christian virtues, beliefs and how we practice our belief in God.
Psalm 1:1 is a signpost toward staying blessed; living a rich, full, and meaningful life. And this signpost is “written in the negative.” In other words, do not do this, this, and this! If you don’t do this, then blessedness results.
A blessed life is in part what you do as well as what you don’t do. The result is the same: a rich, full, and meaningful life through Christ Jesus, despite suffering and trials.
Psalm 1:1 challenges us to review with whom we walk, with whom we stand and with whom we sit. By our company, deeds, and speech we will be known, despite the label that is your name.
Be blessed!
Amen.