Meditating on the Word of the Lord Day and Night: A Short Sermon Based on Psalm 1

Psalm 1 [From the NLT - New Living Translation ]

1 Oh, the joys of those who do not

follow the advice of the wicked,

or stand around with sinners,

or join in with mockers.

2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,

meditating on it day and night.

3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,

bearing fruit each season.

Their leaves never wither,

and they prosper in all they do.

4 But not the wicked!

They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.

5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.

Sinners will have no place among the godly.

6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,

but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

So, instead of finding his pleasures in the words or the ways or the fellowship of the wicked, the one who is truly happy finds pleasure in meditating on the Word and the ways of God.

People who delight in the Word of God and meditate on it day and night yield fruit in season. They are fruitful people, refreshing and nourishing to be around.

People who delight in the Word of God and meditate on it day and night are like trees with leaves that do not wither.

The happiness of this person is durable. It is deep. It does not depend on which way the wind is blowing or whether the rain is falling. It gets its life from an absolutely changeless source: God in his Word.

The person who delights in the Word of God and meditates on it day and night speaks like the prophet in Habakkuk 3:17-18: "Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! "

The psalmist tells us that those who delight in the Lord and meditate on Him day and night will bear much fruit and receive much reward, in this life and the next. They bear much fruit by loving each other, helping each other, sharing with each other.

On the other hand, "The wicked are not so."

The wicked spend their time looking out only for themselves.

They are like chaff that the wind blows away. They are useless and without substance.