Happiness as A Way of Life
“Psalms that Make Me Psing” Series
A Message
by Jim Hammond from Psalm 1
In
New York City, there are eight million cats and eleven million dogs. New
York City is basically just concrete and steel, so when you have a pet in
New York City and it dies, you can't just go out in the back yard and bury
it. The city authorities decided that for $50 they would dispose of your
deceased pet for you.
One
lady was enterprising. She thought,
I can render a service to people in the
city and save them money. She placed an ad in the newspaper
that said, "When your pet dies, I will come and take care of the carcass
for you for $25." This lady would go to the local Salvation Army and buy
an old suitcase for two dollars. Then when someone would call about his or
her pet, she would go to the home and put the deceased pet in the
suitcase.
She
would then take a ride on the subway, where there are thieves. She would
set the suitcase down, and she would act like she wasn't watching. A thief
would come by and steal her suitcase. She'd look up and say, "Wait. Stop.
Thief." My guess is the people who stole those suitcases got a real
surprise when they got home.
A
lot of us are like those
New
York
thieves. We're chasing after happiness, and we grab what we think will
give us happiness; however, when we get it, it doesn't quite deliver.
Citation:
Scott Wenig, Preaching Today
#182
Quick Overview Facts:
The Psalms were written over an extended period of
time, mostly between 1000 BC and 400 BC, but some, like Psalm 90, the
prayer of Moses, is as early as Moses (the Exodus was about 1446 BC). God
used a number of writers to author the Psalms. David wrote 73 of the
Psalms, or possibly more if some of the anonymous ones are also attributed
to him. There are 49 anonymous Psalms. That leaves 37 other Psalms
attributed to the sons of Korah, Asaph, Moses, and others like Ethan the
Ezrahite. There are 150 Psalms all together. These have been arranged
over time into the 5 books of Psalms as we have them now.
1-41 is Book I.
42-72 is Book II
73-89 is Book III
90-106 is Book IV
107-150 is Book V
Each of these books ends in a doxology of praise,
with an Amen and Amen. The question is, why were the Psalms arranged into
these 5 books? Are these arranged into 5 books because you couldn’t fit
all 150 on one scroll? Or for some other reason? Some say these 5 books
remind us of the 5 books of the Pentateuch. Is there a loose
correlation? Others see these 5 books being a natural result of
compilations over time. During Israel’s history, new portions of the
Psalms were added to their Psalter. This is like an ancient Jewish
hymnbook. First, there was one book of compiled Psalms, then 4 other
books each in turn were compiled over time and added to the original book
of Psalms. Chronological consideration is not the basis for the Psalms
arrangement. The problem with the view of a chronological compilation is
that Psalm 90, one of the oldest Psalms, was added later than David’s
Psalms. There are some thematic groupings. For example, you will find a
section of the Psalms of the Ascent as one thematic grouping.
Here’s a brief synopsis of the 5 books.
1-41
= Book I. This book is mostly Davidic, and probably compiled
before his death. This was the origination of the entire book of Psalms.
42-72
is Book II Book II was most likely added during the era of
Solomon.
73-89
is Book III Books III, and IV, were probably added during the
Exile.
90-106 is Book IV
107-150 is Book V Probably added during the time of Ezra. This
section is the most liturgical.
The Psalms were used in
public and private worship. They continue to be used this way today.
Many make it a practice to read several Psalms a day as a devotional
discipline, opening up their hearts in worship at the outset of their
personal time with God in further reading, meditating, study, reflection,
or prayer. Would you like to do this over the course of this series,
starting this week. Read 1 – 5 Psalms a day at the beginning of your
daily personal time with God. Let these set the tone. You can
personalize them and pray them if they fit your situation.
It is likely that these Psalms were used for worship
even before their official compilations. The Psalms show us how intimate
and honest our relationship with God can be. We can share every thought
and feeling with God. Why not, he already knows them anyway. There’s no
pretending with God.
It might help to know a few key words, like “Selah”.
This is probably a musical notation. Remember these Psalms were written
to music. The word itself means “lift up”. Selah usually gives a
dramatic pause, probably a musical interlude. We can only imagine the
effect. But don’t ignore the word.
Here are some Hebrew Poetry Tips: Don’t look for
rhyme or meter. Hebrew poetry uses parallelism, and figures of speech,
for impact. Rather than sound highlighting emphasis, repetition in layers
is often used. In the original language there are some rhythms and
accents on syllables to bring out these rhythms but these are lost in
translation.
Figures of speech, and vivid imagery is not lost in
translation however. One Psalm, the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm
119, is an acrostic. This serves as a literary memory devise, beginning
each refrain with the next letter in the Hebrew Alphabet. This suggests
that many of these Psalms were memorized. Psalm 119 is a long one. You
would need a memory devise to pull it off.
There are many kinds of
Psalms. Today we will be looking at the first Psalm, which is one of the
Wisdom Psalms. As you are reading the Psalms, realize there
are many kinds of Psalms. Some are Historical, reviewing
what God has done, some are relational and personal,
some are Imprecatory, that is, the worshipper is angry and
mad, and honestly spewing his emotions all out on God, sometimes asking
God to “blitz” his enemies. Sometimes we read these and think, “Whoa,
is that attitude really biblical”? Remember to keep your relationship
“HONEST TO GOD”!
Look also for
Messianic Psalms. There are many prophecies and Psalms about the
coming Christ imbedded into these psalms. These are usually in the Psalms
of David, who prefigured Christ.
Some of the Psalms are
Liturgical, linking the Psalm with specific worship events or
festivals.
Focus: Lasting happiness and prosperity
depends on our finding delight in God’s Word and His Will.
Psalm 1 will show us two contrasting ways of life
that produce two vastly different journeys today and destinies tomorrow.
The problem is that life’s choices do not always appear this clearly
marked. Whhat we want seems attractive, offering promises of delight, but
delivering destruction. We want “stolen treasure”. But in the fog, we
can’t see that when we take that “suitcase” home and begin to open it,
there is a stench. We often see OUR WILL in conflict with God’s Will.
Here is the TRUTH: God’s will is what we would want if
we had all the facts.
Jon Courson said, “God’s will in your life means He is doing exactly what
you would want to do if you had all the facts.”
Psalms 1 is instructional…giving us the facts in advance. It has a
way of lifting the fog from the choices as they present themselves. It
takes us down the road a bit in either direction so that we can make
better choices. But keep this in mind, the ability to make the right
choice is not dependent so much on our ability to think clearly, but
depends more on our hearts affection. The condition of our love is more
critical than the clarity of our reasoning.
Psalm 1:1-6
Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
2But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
4Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6For the Lord watches
over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
2 Contrasting Ways
I. The Way of Happy Delight
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the
wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
A. If you want Lasting Happiness…
1. Don’t Walk in the wrong
counsel)
To walk “in the counsel of the wicked” is to listen to their views. Don’t
hang out with people who on the way to the wrong place, unless your motive
and energy is directed toward the prayer that they will turn around. We
shouldn’t be considering their counsel. That’s what it means to be a man
that walks in the counsel of the wicked. Don’t be listening to the
counsel that is conflict with the counsel of God.
Where are we when we are walking in the counsel of the wicked? Our world
has changed. The counsel of the wicked isn’t usually passed along on
walks from place to place. That’s how conversations took place often in
the ancient world. No. I’ll name a few examples of places we walk in the
counsel of the wicked:
·
The counsel of the wicked is on the Radio stations in the
philosophies promoted by the singers
·
The counsel of the wicked is on the News stations giving the
news bias and counsel of the world.
·
Each magazine we pick up, and many we don’t pick up, with
their glossy covers are giving counsel. Do this, do that,
·
Commercials are giving counsel. If you don’t think media
has an impact on us, then tell me why businesses pay big bucks for 30
second commercials.
·
Every movie has a message, and usually many messages. The
message may be subtle but it is there. Movies are not merely
entertaining, they are shaping our affections. Look for the hidden
counsel that shapes our feelings, our affections, our heart or our
thoughts. I’m NOT saying we should stop listening to any radio, or stop
watching any news, or any movie. I’m saying be careful to identify the
counsel of the wicked. We are being counseled by many and don’t often
even realize it. Don’t walk in bad counsel.
·
The counsel of the wicked is everywhere. Watch out for it.
Don’t walk in it.
It used to be that subliminal messages were back masked on old LP rock n
roll records. Today kids don’t even know what the old LP vinyl records
are.
Have you heard the old joke, what do you get when you play a Country
Western Song backwards? You get your wife back, your dog back, your
trailer back, and your truck back!
I don’t know how the song goes but I read the lyrics this week that went
like this:
Play This Song Backwards
©1996 Grant Livingston
What do you get when you play a
country song backwards?
It's a pretty old joke, you probably
already know
What do you get when you play a country
song backwards?
You get your wife back, you get your
truck back, you get your dog back
And that gives me some hope
Won't you play this song backwards
I want to go back in time
If my life were a tape deck
I would hit the rewind
If you play this song backwards
Could be that old joke is true
Erase all of our sorrow, and maybe
tomorrow
I'd be back with you
I told you how sorry I am that I ran
over Rover
Just got out for a minute, I should have
put the parking brake on
And I'm sorry that the truck rolled down
the street into that ditch, with you in it
With you both there in traction, I
understood your reaction
When you said that the romance is gone
But if you play this song
backwards
Could be we'll go back in time
If my life were a tape deck
I would hit the rewind
Won't you play this song backwards
Could be that old joke is true
Erase all of our sorrow, and maybe
tomorrow
I'd be back with you
Erase all of our sorrow, and maybe
tomorrow
I'd be back with you
The song expresses a yearning we have all had. We wish we could play our
life backward to fix the things we messed up. Though this isn’t possible,
the good news is that we can be forgiven through Christ and set a new
pattern.
2. Don’t Stand in the wrong Lifestyle
Whereas, number one
speaks of “listening”, this speaks of “actions”. Standing “in the way of
sinners” is acting as the wicked do. It can be the result of walking in
the counsel of the wicked too long. After walking in the counsel of the
wicked the next step is to find yourself standing in their shoes!
Here’s how it works. At
first you innocently have never heard of such a thing. Then you have
heard of it and watched it, but you are repulsed by it. But after a while
you become a bit numb to it. Given time, you find your own mind going
down such paths. You find yourself standing there. Next thing you know
you have tried it. Then you have done it and you swear you won’t do that
again. Then you have done it again, and again, and can’t seem to stop.
Where are you? You haven’t just stood there, you have now progressed to
the next stage. You are now sitting in a settled position in a place you
thought you would never go once.
3. Don’t Sit in the wrong settled position
Sitting “in the seat of mockers” is adopting their
hardened, immoral attitudes. Now it takes more energy than you can muster
it seems to get yourself up and out of that settled sitting position. It
is hard to even get up and leave. You have a hardened position.
To this scenario Psalms 1 offers a remedy. It is
also a preventative. Here is the remedy.
B. Plant Yourself Near The Source
Delight yourself in the Word
of God.
You
can train yourself to be delighted in the right things. How?
Though trained to be logical and rational, Jonathan Edwards insisted that
true religion is primarily rooted in the affections, not in reason. He
wrote the famous Treatise on
Religious Affections to prove his point, and in the treatise
he reveals his own deep feelings of religious devotion.
Citation:
"Jonathan Edwards," Christian
History, no. 8.
I think what Jonathan Edwards was getting at is
this: In the end, what you love is more important than what you believe.
Christianity is primarily a question of love—the love of Christ, not a
question of doctrine. There are those who believe right but live far from
God.
Where do you pour out your affections? In which
direction is your heart aimed? You can take a heart that is aimed wrong
and do something about is.
Meditate
on God’s Word and his Will day and night
Plant yourself by the source
of goodness if you want the fruit of goodness
5 Positive Characteristics
1Blessed is the man who…
3He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
a.
Happy (v. 1)
Happy because Blessed by
God and in the following ways
b.
Productive (v. 3)
Producing fruit, a positive
yield
c.
Hydrated (v. 3)
Life is not dry, or
meaningless (Leaf does not wither) We live in the desert. A couple of
week-ends ago, we took a group of 19 down to Havasupai. You learn quickly
when you are carrying a backpack in the desert heat, how important proper
hydration is to your well being. It is no laughing matter, many have
died, venturing too long and far in the Grand Canyon without proper
hydration.
There is a parable here, we
live in the desert. So plant yourself by the source.
d.
Prosperous (v. 3)
Prospering in “whatever you
do”
e.
Protected (v. 6)
Shielded, Guarded, Watched
Have you ever been in a period of disobedience where
suddenly all your confidence is gone. You know God isn’t going to
reinforce your poor behavior by blessing you. That’s an awful feeling
when suddenly circumstances change. A small crisis hits. It feels like
you are on shaky ground. You never know what’s coming next. A crisis
seems overwhelming. Why? You aren’t sure God is covering for you. You
don’t have confidence in your own prayers because you know you haven’t
been walking with God.
Psalm 1:6 (NIV) For the Lord watches over the way
of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
The righteous person is the person whose “fear” of
God affects his daily living. He avoids evil and avails himself of the
source of righteousness. He receives life from God’s Will and Word as a
tree receives life from a stream of water.
II. The Way of the Wicked
5 Negative Characteristics
4Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6For the Lord watches
over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
a.
Lightweights (v. 4)
The way of the wicked is
the way of the lightweights (chaff) without substance or worth because
nothing from the good source is getting into their lives (v. 4)
b.
Unstable and Insecure (v. 4)
Blown away (like chaff) by
circumstances and ideas (v. 4)
c.
Guilty (v. 5)
Will be judged (the Farmer
gets rid of the chaff).
d.
Isolated and Unsupported (v. 5)
Chaff is separated out
because it is not satisfying or useful to the Master.
When you are separated out
(voluntarily, or by God), this means you are without the assembly. You
find yourself unsupported, with no church family. (v. 5)
e.
Terminal (v. 6)
Does not
receive rewards of the righteous
Cannot
Stand in the judgment
When
tempted, don’t think of the next step, but the logical last step…where the
step ultimately leads.
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