Reflections From the Psalms
Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate day and night. (Ps. 1:1-2)
Christ in us, the hope of glory, (Col. 1:27) is the essence of Christianity. Thus, God has given us an infallible counselor in His Son – who dwells in believers through the Spirit. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Is. 9:6) Jesus is the Truth. If you know Him, you will know the will of God.
There can be many deceitful counselors in our lives. But perhaps the most deceitful counselor of all is our own natural man. Natural man does not necessarily offer sinful counsel, in the conventional sense of the word. But natural man may offer religious advice that will side with our own interests, rather than the interests of God.
The OT, of which Psalms is a large part, often uses the law – which was a shadow of Christ – to represent the NT reality of Jesus Christ in us. Such is the case in this Psalm. We are not to live according to natural man. Rather, Jesus Christ is to be our life, and thus our counsel. We ought to seek to meditate day and night upon Him. We need to learn Christ.
It is God’s purpose for this age to form Christ in us. He wants to bring us into an inward realization of Christ so that we might be His living witnesses. But in order for this to happen, we have to have our hearts open to God. We must be willing to embrace the Truth that God brings. The Spirit of God in us will always center us in Jesus Christ. This is the counselor that God has given us – the very indwelling of His Son by the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 1 (KJV)
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.