Good morning Sunday school scholars. This year at Hye you will be studying the first chapter of the book of Psalms in your morning class. Psalms is a book of hymns, and in Hebrew it is titled Tehillim, which indicates that it is a book of praises. In it we find much about Christ and his teachings and also about God and His law. In fact, it’s a good summary of both the Old and New Testaments.

 

Sister Trudy has asked me to come here this morning to speak to you for a few minutes on the first verse of this first chapter. But before considering this verse specifically, let’s look briefly at the chapter as a whole. It was most likely written by King David, as most of the psalms were, and can be seen as an introduction to the entire Book of Psalms. This chapter, or psalm, concerns good and evil, life and death, blessing and curse; it shows us that we may choose the right way, God’s way, which leads to everlasting life. We see that there are those people that choose to serve God and those that do not. This ungodly, wicked class receives none of the blessings reserved for those who choose to follow a Godly path. This is the type of person we are told to avoid.

 

We see in this first verse the character and condition of a godly person. This psalm begins in a like manner as Christ’s exhortation commonly referred to as “The Sermon on the Mount”, and illustrates the praises and happiness of the type of godly person who is described in this chapter.

 

Let’s compare this verse to the first few verses of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. We read in Matthew 5 verses 3-10:

 

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

We see in Christ’s address the things that we are to do in order to be blessed. In contrast, we see in our verse this morning from first Psalms the things that we are not to do if we desire to be blessed. We are not to walk with the counsel of the ungodly. This means that we are not to follow those who are without the knowledge of God. Man by nature is ungodly and wicked; he is without the true knowledge and fear of God. These are characteristics that belong only to His elect. When we seek advice, we should seek it from those who have a fear of the Lord, after all, as we read in Psalms 111:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”.

 

We are not to stand, or abide, in the way of sinners. All men are sinners, even the elect of God. So how can we possibly not keep the company of sinners if we are all sinners? However, this verse speaks to a different kind of sinner. We are to avoid those who openly and boldly commit sins. Those people who know they are sinning and continue in such a way have no forgiveness for their iniquity. This sinful course of life, which is a way of darkness, is a crooked path that leads to death. We will all fall short and sin from time to time, but to stand or abide in this way implies an open persistence to transgression. You will be happy (i.e. blessed) to not stand in this way, but in the way of Christ, and in the way of life and righteousness by him.

 

Finally, we are told not to sit in the seat of the scornful. To be scornful is to be proud and haughty, one who mocks and opposes the humble and lowly. These people are proud of their natural ability, knowledge, wisdom, power, and riches. They do not even realize that all that they have, they have only because God has allowed them to have it. These people are like the atheists that scoff at divine wisdom, and mock God and his plan for the earth and His people. This is the type of person spoken of in Psalms 69:12: “They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.” The seat of the drunkards is the seat of the scornful. Happy is the person that never sits in this seat nor keeps company with this type of person.

 

In order to avoid evil, a godly person completely renounces the companionship of evil-doers, and will not be led by them. What we do throughout our probationary period, how we handle the trials set before us, all of our actions, and all of our conversation, is of great consequence. If those people we choose to follow are in error, it will be fatal to us as well. But if we surround ourselves with those whose heart is set towards the will of God, then we, too, can count ourselves among the blessed.