Pondering the Psalms (Psalm 1, Part 2)

My friend Frank and I have an agreement, a covenant, which we have followed for several years. We read the same chapter in God’s Word each day for a week and then drop each other a short email about what we have learned. We then move to the next chapter the next week. I describe our modest online Bible study here. You might want to try this with a friend or relative.

We’ve now embarked on a journey of reading through the book of Psalms! So this week we’re reading Psalm 1 each day for a week, then on to Psalm 2, etc. Whew! I’ll post a few comments on our Psalm of the week that I pray will be an encouragement to you.

Let’s think about this first verse a bit more this morning.

1. Please notice that the blessed life involves some negatives. Now, Christians are known to be negative, but these are godly negatives! In our verse the believer is to choose not to walk in step with the wicked, not to stand in the way that sinners take, and not to sit in the company of those who mock God’s truth.

2. “Walking in step with the wicked” is quite different than being a friend of sinners, isn’t it? God has given me a passion to be a friend of sinners like Jesus was. I am not to isolate myself from those who don’t know Him, but to develop genuine relationships with those who need Christ. “Walking in step with” implies agreement and conformity to the values and priorities of this lost world. And that we are not supposed to do!

Today’s Challenge: In what ways — some incredibly subtle — are you and I tempted to conform to the ways of this world? Repent of that conformity and walk in His truth today!