and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
Not so the wicked.
They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Well, let's pray.
Father, thank you for your word
and we thank you for these psalms.
Real, true life experiences of people
as they cry out to you.
Expressing what is upon their heart.
Turning their devotion and attention to you.
And Father, we pray
that as we read through
and think about this psalm together,
as we meditate upon your word,
that it would draw us to delight in you more and more.
it would cause us to be full of joy,
contentment,
rest,
and at peace with you.
Father, by your Spirit,
speak truth into our lives.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
So,
are you a happy person?
Do you think you're happy?
Well, let me ask it another way.
What do you need in your life
to make you happy?
What if you could have it
at the click of a finger
in your life right now
and would make you happy?
What would you want?
Would it be more money
so that you can afford
that super holiday?
Would it be better health
so that you don't have to deal
with constant nagging pain?
Maybe it would be
to have someone in your life,
a husband or a spouse
or wife,
so that you're no longer alone.
Maybe you just look
for stability in work
so that you're free from worry
and everything about the future
is sorted.
What if you could have it
would make you happy?
Well, Psalm 1 not only tells us
that we can be truly happy,
it tells us how
we can find true happiness.
Look at verse 1.
It starts with this introduction,
blessed is the one.
Blessed is the person.
Blessed simply means
to be happy.
It doesn't mean that we're always
jumping up and down
with excitement.
It doesn't mean that we have
a permanent smile
edged on our face.
To be blessed,
to be happy,
is to experience
a joyful contentment
in life
whatever
our circumstances.
Let me just go through
that definition again.
To be blessed,
to be happy,
is to experience
a joyful contentment
in life
whatever
our experiences.
So where can we find
this true happiness?
Well, Psalm 1 introduces us
to two paths
or two ways
in which we can live.
First there is the path
that leads to happiness
and that's described
in verses 1 to 3.
Then we'll see
an opposite path,
a path that leads
to sorrow
which is described
in verses 4 and 5.
And then these two ways
are contrasted
in verse 6.
So let's read verse 6.
For the Lord
watches over the way
of the righteous
but the way
of the wicked
will perish.
As we go through the psalm
we'll see there's a way
that prospers
and a way
that perishes.
A path
that brings
true happiness
and a path
that brings
unending sorrow.
So let's together
have a look
at these two paths
in our pursuit
of happiness.
first
the path
of happiness
delighting
in God's
word.
The path
of happiness
is marked
or is found
by delighting
in the word
of God.
So look at verse 1
again at the beginning.
Blessed
or happy
is the one.
Why are they happy?
Why are they
so joyfully
content
in life?
because
verse 2
his delight
is in the law
of the Lord.
The law
refers to
the scriptures
God's spoken
word
to us.
So the happy
person
is joyfully
content
because
they are
delighting
or they find
delight
in God's word.
everything
they need
for life
is found
in God's
word to us.
God's word
is fulfilling.
It is
satisfying.
It is
refreshing.
It's like a
tonic.
It tastes
good.
Have a look
at Psalm
19
briefly.
Just flick
over to
Psalm
19.
Psalm
19.
Verse 7
Here is a
description
of the
delight
in God's
word.
How it
brings joy
and contentment.
How we are
to delight
in it.
Let's pick
it up
in verse 7.
The law
of the
Lord is
perfect
reviving
the soul.
The statutes
of the
Lord are
trustworthy
making
wise
the simple.
The precepts
of the
Lord are
right giving
joy to
the heart.
The commands
of the
Lord are
radiant giving
light to
the eyes.
The fear
of the
Lord is
pure enduring
forever.
The ordinances
of the
Lord are
sure altogether
righteous.
They are
more precious
than gold
than much
pure gold.
They are
sweeter than
honey than
honey from
the comb.
By them
is your
servant warned.
In keeping
them
there is
great
reward.
Back to
Psalm 1.
So you
see God's
word satisfies
and fulfills
its refreshing.
It's like
drinking in a
tonic.
It tastes
good.
Now if we're
to delight
in God's
word
that means
we must
listen to
it
intently.
Look at the
rest of
verse 2
of Psalm
1.
His
delight is
in the
law of
the
Lord
and on
his
law
he
meditates
day and
night.
Now
modern
meditation
as I'm
sure you've
probably
heard is
often
associated
with
emptying
your mind.
Take
everything
out of
your mind
and just
have an
emptiness
a space
and be
quiet.
But
meditation
as far
as the
Bible
is concerned
is not
about
emptying
our
minds
but
rather
filling
our
minds
with
God's
word.
Meditation
means we
are to
be soaked
in
scripture.
We are
to think
upon it,
reflect
on it,
talk about
it to
each other
and apply
it,
work it
into our
lives.
Meditation
is an
activity
of thinking
through
God's
word.
And
there's
good reason
for this
meditation
of
thinking
and
reading
through
God's
word.
Because
the
person
who
meditates
on it,
look at
verse 3,
they are
like a
tree
planted
by
streams
of
water
which
yields
its
fruit
in
season
and
whose
leaf
does
not
wither.
Now
we're
used to
in this
country
rain,
lots
of it,
too
much
of it.
But
that's
not the
climate
of
Sam
1.
It's
written
in a
place
where
there's
a
desert
and
trees
struggle
to
grow,
where
plants
die
because
there
isn't
enough
water.
So
in a
barren
land,
a tree
that is
planted
beside
the
stream
will
not
only
survive,
it
is
going
to
thrive.
It
like
stands
out
amongst
everything
else.
It
sends
its
roots
deep
down,
drawing
life
into
its
branches.
It
will
be,
verse 3,
fruitful.
It
will bring
forth
a harvest
in season.
And in
the same
way as
we delight
in,
as we
meditate
upon
God's
word,
as we
send
our
roots
deep
down
into
the
waters
of
life,
we
will
be
fruitful
because
God's
word
is
life.
In
fact,
look at
the end
of
verse 3.
Whatever
they do
prospers.
Now
this
fruitful
prosperous
life does
not mean
or does
not guarantee
that we'll
walk through
life full
of health
and full
of wealth.
Lots
of people,
lots of
teachers
of the
Bible,
which I
think are
completely
wrong,
will tell
you that,
well,
follow this
and everything
will go
well for
you.
Nothing
will go
wrong.
Well,
this is
not a
promise
for success
instead of
suffering.
That's not
the kind
of fruit
or prosperity
that is
being
promised.
In fact,
if you
read through
the Psalms
very quickly,
you will
discover
that as
we journey
and walk
through life,
we will
go through
all kinds
of troubles
and hardships
and difficulties.
They are
unavoidable.
So,
what's
being
promised
to us?
Well,
the kind
of fruit,
the kind
of prosperity
that we're
being promised
is the
fruit that
comes as
we are
being
nourished
by God's
word.
Fruit
that will
give us
joyful
contentment
whatever our
circumstances
are in
life.
The kind
of fruit
it will
produce is
freedom
from our
guilt and
shame.
Forgiveness
of all our
sin and
failure.
Grace
when we
feel weak
and low.
Joy
in times
of struggle
and suffering.
Assurance
when we're
afraid and
in doubt.
Confidence
that God
is working
all things
for good
as we
sang earlier.
Absolute
conviction
that nothing
can separate
us from
God's love.
peace in
times of
trouble and
trials.
Comfort
when we
lose a
loved one.
Hope
when we
are facing
death.
Eternal
life
when Christ
comes again.
All of
this wonderful
fruit in
abundance.
This is
what we
are promised
as we
meditate
on God's
word.
Joyful
contentment
whatever
circumstance
of life
we face.
True
happiness
is found
as we
delight
in God's
word.
So that
is the
path of
happiness.
But then
in contrast
we are
shown the
path of
sorrow
which is
a rejection
of God's
word.
That's the
path of
sorrow marked
out by
rejection
of his
word.
You see
the happy
person
delights
in God's
word.
Verse
four
not so
the
wicked.
Look at
the contrast
between the
path of
happiness
and the
path of
sorrow.
Go back
to verse
one.
Blessed
or happy
is the
one who
does not
walk in
the counsel
of the
wicked,
does not
stand in
the way
of sinners,
does not
sit in
the seat
of mockers.
that's the
happy
one.
But the
person whose
life ends
in sorrow,
in contrast,
again look at
verse one,
does walk
in the
counsel of
the wicked.
They do
stand in
the way of
the sinners.
They do
sit in
the seat
of mockers.
Can you
see the
progression
that's
unfolding?
They start
by walking
in their
counsel.
They listen
to what
others have
to say.
Then they
stop and
stand in
the way of
sinners.
They begin
to reflect
on it and
engage with
it.
And then
finally they
sit down
with the
mockers.
It's what
begins to
shape and
direct their
life and
how they
live.
It's a
dangerous
progression.
Walking,
standing,
and then
sitting.
You see,
when we
stop listening
to the
word,
it's because
we've started
listening to
the world.
And it
can so
easily happen
to each
one of us.
We start
listening to
the counsel
of the
world.
What does
the world
tell me?
And then
we begin
to think
like the
world
thinks.
And then
in time
over
progression,
we start
to behave
as the
world.
You see,
the big
message of
the world
is simply
this,
that there
is no
God.
In fact,
it's you
who are
God.
We're all
little
gods.
So listen
to yourself.
You know
what you
want.
You know
what's best
for yourself.
So do
what pleases
you and
do what
delights in
you.
And that
is the
basis of
this
mindfulness
or meditation
that is so
popular.
other.
It's
about
giving to
yourself
everything
that pleases
you.
And if
it makes
you happy,
you do
it.
It doesn't
matter the
consequences
to anybody
else.
Whatever
you do,
do not
listen to
God.
Listen to
your own
voice.
Listen to
the voice
of the
world.
You are
God.
So do
what you
want and
what pleases
you.
it seems
very little
has changed
from the
garden of
Eden when
the devil
came to
Adam and
Eve and
said after
God had
very clearly
spoken to
them,
Satan says
did God
really say?
It's an
undermining of
what God
has said.
In fact,
what does
he say?
You will
be like
God.
It seems
so attractive
but in
the end
it will
come to
sorrow.
Again,
look at the
contrast in
verse 4.
Not so
the wicked.
In other
words,
they are not
like the
fruitful tree
of verse 3.
They're not
like the tree
planted by
streams of
water which
yields its
fruit.
Instead,
verse 4,
they are
like chaff
that the
wind blows
away.
Chaff is
that waste
that surrounds
the grain,
the kernel
of the grain.
It's of
no value.
If you
were to
go shopping
down to
Dunn's or
to Super
Value and
you're looking
for your
favourite
cereal,
you won't
find anything
called
chaffabix
or chaff
flakes.
Not very
exciting and
won't taste
very nice.
The chaff
is the
waste.
It
produces
nothing
that lasts.
Its only
value is
to be
thrown out,
to be put
on a fire
and burned.
And it's
a terrible
picture of
one who
listens to
the world
rather than
the word.
It's a life
that ends
in fruitlessness
and all
they produce
is worthless,
nothing.
Now you
might think
well that's
not actually
true.
Because I
know lots
of people
who don't
listen to
the word
and they
listen to
the world
and they
do their
own thing
and when
I look
at their
life they
seem to
prosper.
Everything
they do
seems to
be successful.
And that's
a theme that
runs through
the Psalms.
If you look
at it Psalm 72
I think is
one.
If you read
through Psalm 72
that's the
theme.
It's saying
I looked
and the
wicked
prosper.
And the
innocent
well they
seem to
suffer.
The one
who seeks
to do
God's
will
ends up
in more
trouble.
It seems
like the
wicked
get away
with it.
And that's
the struggle
and the
tension
in life.
But
when they
stand before
God as
judge,
when we
all stand
before God
and have
to give
an account
for our
life,
well their
life will
be like
chaff.
There will
be nothing.
In fact,
it will be
an eternal
judgment.
Look at
verse 5.
Therefore,
the wicked,
those who
do not
listen to
God's
word,
will not
stand in
the judgment,
nor sinners
in the
assembly
of the
righteous.
The image
that we
are given
in verse 4
of the
chaff being
blown away
reflects the
judgment
that is
pronounced
in verse 5.
Pre-technology
farmers would
have to sort
out the
grain from
the chaff.
They would
get their
winnowing fork,
as it was
called,
they would
dig it in,
throw it up
into the air,
the wind
would blow
through,
and it
would blow
all the
chaff,
all the
waste away,
and then
the heavy
grain would
fall to
the ground,
and they
would store
the grain
and the
chaff and
everything
would be
blown away,
gathered up,
and burned.
Well,
that's the
picture of
God's
judgment that
we have in
verse 5.
Those who
reject the
word,
those who
turn away
from God,
are like
chaff.
When they
stand before
God in
his judgment,
they will
not stand.
They will
have nothing
to stand
for.
It is like
the wind
of God's
judgment
will come
in and
blow them
away,
and they
will become
nothing,
they will
perish.
In fact,
end of
verse 5,
they will
not stand,
the sinners
will not
stand in
the assembly
of the
righteous.
The
assembly is
simply the
gathering of
God's
people.
It is
where we
get our
New
Testament
word for
church.
Church are
those who
belong to
God.
It is not
the building.
It is the
people of
God who
belong to
him today
and will
be with
him for
all eternity.
And at
the end
of it all
they will
not stand,
they will
not have a
place with
God's
people in
his eternal
kingdom.
Instead of
eternal
happiness,
it will be
eternal
judgment,
separation
from him.
So the
path of
sorrow is
marked by
rejecting this
life-giving
word and
listening to
the words.
So there we
have two
paths, the
path of
happiness and
the path of
sorrow.
And the
question is,
what path
am I going
to walk?
Now we
all know
which path
we want
to walk.
But the
truth is,
with a
little bit
of looking
inwardly,
we actually
know how
we all
walk.
So often
we are
not like
the person
in verse
one.
We do
walk,
in the
counsel of
the wicked.
We do
stand in
the way
of sinners.
And we
do sit
in the
seat of
mockers.
And so
often we
are not
like the
person of
verse two.
Our delight
is not in
God's word.
We never
seem to have
time to
meditate on
it.
We're so
busy doing
other things.
And it's
hard enough
for me to
do it once
a week,
never mind
meditating on
it day
and night.
And as
I reflect
on my
life a bit
more,
well,
it's really
not like
the tree
planted by
streams of
water.
Sometimes
I find it
is fruitless.
And the
leaves do
wither.
water.
So where
does that
actually
leave us?
Well,
look at how
the two
ways are
contrasted in
verse six.
The Lord
watches over
the way of
the righteous
or the
blessed,
the person
who delights
in God's
word,
but the
way of
the wicked
will perish.
it's like
verse six
is a
sting in
the tail.
The psalm
paints the
picture of
the person
we all
want to
be.
But as the
psalm
progresses and
as we
meditate and
reflect and
think upon
it,
we come to
the terrible
conclusion that
we're not
like this
person.
We fail
far too
often.
So is
there any
one of
us who
can actually
walk the
right path?
Well,
there is
one who
has walked
the right
path for
us.
The God
man,
Jesus
Christ.
Listen to
how John,
the author
in the New
Testament,
John's
Gospel
introduces
us to
Jesus.
This is at
the beginning
of his
Gospel.
He says,
in the
beginning
was the
Word,
and the
Word was
with God,
and the
Word was
God.
He was
with God
in the
beginning.
The Word
became flesh
and made
his dwelling
among us,
and from
the fullness
of his
grace,
we have
received one
blessing
after another.
The
Word
is living.
The
Word came
to us
in a
person,
the person
of Jesus
Christ,
and he
walked this
life and
lived our
life for
us.
Where we
rejected God's
Word,
Christ
delighted in
God's Word.
Where we
have disobeyed,
he obeyed the
Word fully and
completely.
He lived a
faithful and
fruitful life
for us.
He is
the person
of Psalm
1,
the blessed
man who
did not
walk in
the counsel
of the
wicked or
stand in
the way of
sinners or
sit in the
seat of
mockers,
but delighted
in the
Word.
But more
than that,
Jesus Christ
is the one
who walked
the path
for us
and died
our death
for us.
verse 6
of Psalm
1,
For the
Lord watches
over the
way of
the righteous,
but the
way of
the wicked
will perish.
Christ
was treated
like the
wicked for
us,
so that we
might be
treated as
righteous like
him.
He took
our judgment
upon us,
so that we
would not
perish,
but prosper.
As Christ
died on the
cross,
he took
upon himself
all our
sorrow,
so that we
might experience
his happiness.
Again,
listen to
the words
of Christ,
the living
Word.
It's there
at the bottom
of the screen.
I tell you
the truth,
Jesus said,
whoever
hears my
word,
believes him
who sent
me,
has eternal
life,
will not be
condemned.
He is
crossed over
from death
to life.
Life is
found in
the living
Word,
the person
Jesus
Christ.
Now,
the way
we are to
express our
faith in
Christ,
and our
dependence
upon him,
is
delighting
in his
Word.
Go with
me,
please,
to
John
chapter
15.
John's
gospel
chapter
15.
Somebody
got a
page
number?
1-0-8-3.
John
chapter
15,
and down
in verse
7.
Again,
listen to
the living
Word,
Jesus
speaking
his
words
to
us.
Verse
7,
chapter
7,
verse
15,
if
you
remain
in
me,
and
my
words
remain
in
you.
So,
he's
talking
in
similar
language
to
Psalm
1,
if
you
meditate,
as
you
delight
in
God's
Word,
as
the
Word
remains
in
you,
as
you
think
about
it,
you
dwell
upon
it,
ask
whatever
you
wish,
and
it
will
be
given
you.
Ask
whatever
you
wish,
and
it
will
be
given
you.
Now,
again,
that doesn't
mean God
is going
to give
you
whatever
you
demand,
health
and
wealth.
No,
as we
are
nourished
by the
life-giving
word,
we can
ask
God
that he
will
produce
fruit
in
us.
Look
at
verse
8.
this is
to my
father's
glory,
that you
bear much
fruit,
showing
yourselves
to be
my
disciples.
It's
really a
prayer that we
will become
like the
blessed,
happy person
of Psalm 1,
that we
will be like
that tree
planted by
streams of
water which
yields its
fruit in season
and whose
leaf does
not wither.
as we
delight,
as we
remain,
as we
express our
faith in
Christ by
delighting in
his word,
he will
produce a
fruit in
us that
will bring
glory to
God.
So as we
delight in
the word,
as we
meditate upon
his word,
we will
experience
true happiness,
a joyful
contentment in
life,
whatever our
circumstances
are in
life.
Now, I
want to be
very practical
this morning
and help
us on that
path and
to help us
on that
journey.
As we
read through
Psalm 1
and we're
thinking,
right,
meditate,
well,
think upon,
delight in
God's word,
how am I
going to
do that?
Well,
turn back
to Psalm
119.
Psalm 119
is the
longest
psalm in
the book
of Psalms.
And you
will see
that it
starts,
it's kind
of divided
up into
little sections
of about
eight verses
in each
one.
Remember,
verses were
added a long
time,
they're not
inspired by
God.
But what is
inspired is,
you'll see at
the beginning,
there's a little
introduction,
it's got a
letter,
it's not an
English letter,
but it's a
Hebrew letter.
So it's got,
it looks like
an X,
don't ask me
what it is,
I should know
that and look
it up,
but Aleph,
right,
so the first
letter in
the Hebrew
alphabet.
And as you
read through
that,
if you're
reading the
original in
Hebrew,
then the
beginning of
every line
starts with
the first
letter of
the Hebrew
alphabet.
And then
you go on
to the
next section
where it
says Beth,
and it
starts with
the second
letter of
the alphabet.
So it's
just little
sections,
that's just
what I'm
trying to
get us
to,
is that
Psalm 119
comes in
little sections
and it's
all about
God's
Word.
So my
encouragement
to you is,
and to
myself is,
how do we
start to
meditate and
think about
God's Word
and to
delight in it?
Well,
Psalm 119
is all about
God's Word.
So there you
are,
every day,
or once a
week,
not going
to be
prescriptive,
take that
little section,
take the
first letter,
read through
it,
meditate upon
it,
think about
it,
talk to
others about
it,
maybe
memorize one
verse from
it,
something like
that,
to take
in God's
Word,
praying that
God will
produce fruit
in your
life.
Tim Keller,
who's a
pastor in
New York,
has written
a little
book,
and it's
working his
way through
the Psalms
bit by bit,
and in his
introduction,
this is what he
says,
which I can't
better it,
I think it's
very helpful.
He gives us
three things
that we can
do as we
read God's
Word,
as we read
a section
of a Psalm.
If you're
taking notes,
then write
this down.
They all
begin with
A,
so it's
easy to
follow.
The first
one is,
as you
read a
section,
adore.
And the
thing after
it,
it says,
what did
you learn
about God
for which
you could
praise or
thank him?
So adore,
so as you
read it,
turn what
you read
into praise,
say,
what is
there that
will help
me to
praise God
and thank
him for?
The second
one is
admit.
what do
you learn
about yourself
for which
you could
repent?
So as you
read the
Psalm and
reflect upon
it,
maybe we
see something
that,
well,
as we
read Psalm
1,
I'm not
like this
person who
delights in
God's Word.
Help me
that I
would
delight.
So admit,
what did
you learn
about yourself
which you
could repent
of?
And the
third one
is aspire.
what did
you learn
about life
that you
could aspire
to,
ask for,
and act
on?
That is
what brings
about the
fruit.
What did
you learn
about life
that you
could aspire
to,
ask for,
and act
on?
So three
simple
things,
adore,
admit,
and aspire.
So my
encouragement,
very practical,
just take a
little section
and work
through those
three things.
Take you a
few minutes,
not long.
Maybe you
could do it
with somebody
else,
or if you're
married,
why not do
it with your
spouse?
If you want
somebody to
do it with,
I would be
more than
delighted,
I would be
so happy to
come and sit
with you,
read a
section,
and work
those things
through.
So,
in our
pursuit of
happiness,
happiness is
found as we
delight in
God's word,
as we
meditate upon
it,
as we run
to Christ,
the true and
living word,
who lived our
life for us,
so that he
might take our
sorrow,
and we might
share in his
happiness.
Let's pray
together.
Amen.