Psalm 1, Prosperity and the Path of Your Listening

Blessed is the man
    Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
    Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
    And in His law he meditates day and night.

(Psalm 1:1-2 NKJV)

Every month I pray through the Psalms. Today is the first of the month, so I begin again with Psalm 1. This psalm is a wisdom psalm. It is about what you listen to, because what you listen to is what will fill your heart, and what fills your heart is what you will do and what you will speak. What you choose to listen to will determine the path you take — and whether or not you will prosper. What you speak will reveal which path are choosing.

The man who listens to the counsel of the wicked will do what do they do and end up mocking what they mock. Though they might seem to flourish, it will only be for a season, and they eventually will be blown away like chaff. The godly, on the other hand, listen to the instruction of the Lord, letting it fill their hearts. They will end up doing and speaking what builds up, not what tears down, and their results will be very different — a prosperous and fruitful life, established and strong, that becomes a blessing to others as well as themselves. And they will endure from season to season.

He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water,
    That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
    And whatever he does shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so,
    But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
    Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
    But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

(Psalm 1:6 NKJV)

Unfortunately, even at our best we often fail to listen well, and so, to live and prosper well. There is only one who has ever fulfilled the word of the LORD perfectly, and that is the Lord Jesus, who is the Living Word of God. But the goodness of the gospel is that he comes to live his life in us. He shows us what faithfulness is and what a truly prosperous life looks like.

What is more, Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit, to produce in us character of Christ and the fruitfulness of God that blesses the world. The fruit of the Spirit consists chiefly of love, which fulfills all the law of God. As we listen to the instruction of the Lord, revealed through the Living Word, the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures, we will discover the prosperity that changes the world for the better.

Psalm 1 ~ O the Happiness!

I have started working on a little project, adapting some of the psalms as personal confessions. To confess something is to speak in agreement with it. It is one of the ways I have learned to meditate on the Word, repeating it to myself and personalizing it, instructing my soul with it. David learned how to “encourage himself in the LORD” (1 Samuel 30:6). Confessing the psalms has helped me learn that, too.

O the Happiness! ~ from Psalm 1

O the happiness!

I do not walk in the counsel of those who are ungodly;
I do not seek out or follow their advice.
I do not stand in the path with those who purpose to do what is wrong.
I do not sit with those who mock what is good.

But my delight is in the instruction of Yahweh,
I think about it all the time.

So I am like a tree planted by rivers of water,
Established, well-rooted, well-fed,
That bears its fruit abundantly in its season;
And its leaf does not wither.
Whatever I do prospers.

The judgment of Yahweh is for me, not against me.
I stand with the people who stand in awe of Him,
And Yahweh watches over my path.

O the happiness!

---

Personal Confessions from the Psalms
Prayers and Affirmations for a Life of Faith, Happiness and Awe in God
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

A Mouth of Wisdom and Steps That Don’t Slide

The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
And his tongue talks of justice.
The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall slide.

(Psalm 37:30-31)

There is an important spiritual connection between your heart and your mouth. Jesus said, “For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). If you want to know what is in somebody’s heart, listen to their mouth for a little while — especially in pressure situations — and it will become apparent.

The psalm writer says that “the mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom and his tongue talks of justice.” The “righteous” are those who keep covenant with God, that is, who are in right relationship with God and the community of faith.

The mouth of the righteous speaks “wisdom.” The Hebrew word is hokmah and refers to understanding, mastery, prudence, or skill. The realm of wisdom can be anything and everything, including craftsmanship, administration and ethics. It produces sound judgment about what is right and what is wrong: “His tongue talks of justice.”

Words of insight and justice do not fall out of the sky. They come forth from a heart that is full of wisdom and discernment. But how does a heart get filled with these? The psalm writer gives the answer: “The law of his God is in his heart.” The word for “law” is torah and can just as well be translated as “instruction.” Wisdom and justice in the mouth of the righteous are the overflow of God’s Word in his heart.

Remember how the Book of Psalms opens. The blessed man is not the one who fills his heart with the counsel of the ungodly, or the way of the wicked or with mockery and scorn for everything that is good (Psalm 1:1). Instead, his delight is in the instruction of the LORD. He delights in it and meditates constantly upon it (Psalm 1:2).

In meditating God’s Word, he speaks it into his heart and lets it fill him up to overflowing. After that, when he opens his mouth, his words and his ways are in alignment with God’s. The result is blessing and prosperity in all he does (Psalm 1:3). Because the instruction of the LORD is in his heart in abundance, wisdom and justice flow from his lips. His leaf does not wither and his steps do not slide.

The Community of the Blessed

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

(Psalm 1:5-6)

The first of the month finds me once again at Psalm 1. Usually it is something in the first half of the psalm that captures my attention. Today it is the last half that has grabbed me.

Verse 1 begins with “Blessed is the man,” not “Blessed are the men.” The psalm writer is talking about an individual, not a group. Indeed, there is one group he is definitely not a part of: the ungodly, sinners, mockers. Rather, he delights in the instruction of the LORD and meditates on it continually (v. 2). So he is like a tree bearing fruit in season. He prospers in everything he does and becomes a blessing to others (v. 3).

The ungodly are not like that at all but are blown away with the wind, in emptiness and vanity, and are not missed (v. 4). When the time of divine judgment comes they cannot stand up under it. There is no place for them in the “congregation of the righteous,” for they have not kept faith or bothered to become one with them. Indeed, everything they have do demonstrates that they are detrimental to the life of the community.

Here is part of what causes the righteous one to prosper: He has become like a tree. A tree has roots. The righteous one is rooted, established by rivers of life-giving water. We can liken the rivers of water to the instruction of the Lord, certainly, and also to the Spirit of God. Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38; verse 39 tells us that He was speaking about the Holy Spirit). But we should also think of the rivers of water as the community of the faithful, the people of God. He is part of them and established together with them in God. When the circumstances of life come and test him, he holds up well — he stands in the “congregation of the righteous.”

“Righteousness” is a term of covenant. A righteous man is one who has kept covenant. God made a covenant with Israel. They became His people, He became their God. It is in regard to this covenant that He revealed His name, Yahweh, because as His people, they bore His name. Those who believed Him and kept the covenant were considered fit for fellowship with Him in the community. That is, they were considered righteous.

Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, that is, He has regard for their manner of life — it is a life of faith. The Hebrew word for “righteous” is in the plural form. They are bound together in community, with each other and with God, so they remain and are blessed. But the way of the ungodly perishes, vanishes in destruction. The Hebrew word for “ungodly” is also in the plural. It does not portray a community bound together in covenant but a collection of individuals who have nothing more in common than their wickedness.

In the New Testament, King Jesus the Messiah established a new covenant, a better one based on better promises (Hebrews 8:6). Better because it is not just for ethnic Jews but has been broadened out to include all the nations of the world, whoever will believe in Him. Better because Jesus Himself has faithfully kept it on our behalf, enduring the cross for our sake. Better because it is a covenant cut in His own blood. That is why on the night He was betrayed, He took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.” He established a new table of fellowship for the covenant people of God.

Jesus is the one Psalm 1 speaks about. It is in Him that we have become the people of God. It is as Him that we now have access to every blessing of heaven and the prosperity God has promised His people. Blessed is the Man and the community that has fellowship with Him.

Develop a Prosperous Tongue

Once again, the first of the month finds me at Psalm 1. A fresh month, a fresh opportunity to think about the prosperity God desires for you and me. It looks likes this:

He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:3)

There are two things necessary for experiencing this prosperity in our lives, one positive, and the other negative. The positive is found in verse 2:

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.

Notice the word “But.” It is the hinge point that turns from the negative to the positive. The negative is found in the first verse and it is just as important as the positive.

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful.

Now, the first line, of course, is positive, “Blessed is the man.” Or better, “Oh, the happinesses of the man!” But the next three lines set up the negative, about what the man who is blessed does not do.

• He does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly.
• He does not stand in the path of sinners.
• He does not sit in the seat of the scornful.

The tendency here might be to think of those who are flamboyant in their ungodliness, or accentuated in their sinfulness or very loud and exceedingly abusive in their mockery. It is pretty much a given that we should not follow them and their ways. But it is the more subtle forms that we should really be watching out for. They can be much more dangerous to us, and the blessing and prosperity God has for us, because they can be so deceptive and yet seem so reasonable. They show up, for example, when we make decisions that leave no room for God, or God becomes merely an afterthought, even when we are trying to do something good. Then we are leaning on our own understanding and there is no dependable direction when we come to the crossroads (see Proverbs 3:5-6). They show up as pride and arrogance, the puffing up of ourselves and supposing that our own needs matter more than others. We have long been discipled in the subtle art of rationalization. Jesus nailed some these subtle forms in the Sermon of Heaven on Earth (my title, a. k. a., “Sermon on the Mount”), when He declares, “You have heard it said … but I say to you” (see Matthew 5:21-22, 21-32, 33-34, 38-39, 43-44).

Then there is the matter of what we do with our mouths. Not merely open mockery, which is easily detected and avoided, but the little ways we tear things down with our words, and especially how we belittle each other, and ourselves, by the things we give voice to. Our words are very powerful, and how we use them is very important.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

(Proverbs 18:21)

But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. (James 3:8-12)

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:35-37).

No man can tame the tongue, it is attached to the heart and merely reveals what is in the heart in abundance. In other words, to deal with the tongue, you have to deal with the heart. How important it is, then, to continually meditate on the instruction of the Lord and let if fill your heart to overflowing. Then His words will inform your words, and when you speak, you will be speaking in alignment with the prosperity of God. Your faith will be activated and you will see that divine prosperity begin to come forth in your life.

A Prosperous New Month

As many of my regular readers have probably picked up by now, I pray through the book of Psalms each month (150 psalms divided by 30 days in a month = five a day). At the beginning of each new month, I start again at Psalm 1. And here is what greets me:

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:1-3)

Blessed! It is my confession. To confess something means to speak in agreement with it,* and I speak in agreement with this psalm.

• I am a blessed man.
• I do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly.
• I do not stand in the path of sinners.
• I do not sit with the scornful.
• I delight in the instruction of the LORD.
• I mediate in it continually.
• I am like a tree planted by rivers of water.
• I bring forth fruit in its season.
• My leaf shall not wither
• And whatever I do prospers.

I say these kind of things out loud, sometimes very loud and with great enthusiasm, and I recommend it to you. It is a wonderful way to start off a prosperous month.

For more on this, I’ve written a number of times about Psalm 1 and also about confession. Click the labels at the bottom of this post.

*Someone recently asked if our ministry practices “positive confession.” I answered that we practice speaking in agreement with the Word of God.

The Prosperous Way of God

How happy is the man
Who does not follow the advice of the wicked,
Or take the path of sinners,
Or join a group of mockers!

(Psalm 1:1 HSCB)

A new month, a new year, and a new decade (although some will dispute that last one, being mathematically correct but culturally irrelevant). And a fresh turn at the psalms.

It has been my habit for the past twenty years or so to pray through the book of Psalms each month (150 psalms divided by 30 days in a month comes to 5 psalms a day). Each time I come around to Psalm 1, it always captures my attention, calibrates my heart and excites me with the prospect of a life well lived.

The world has a lot of advice and counsel to offer us, about how to succeed and prosper. It is trumpeted abroad, even more now with the coming of the digital revolution and the ease of worldwide communication. We are discipled in it from a very early age. It can be very enticing, offering us a way to success that often seems fast and easy. It may even appear to work in the short run, but it does not create a prosperity that endures, nor a life of lasting value. See Psalm 73, where the writer laments the prosperity of the wicked, and is even envious of it for a time, but finally realizes that the way of the wicked, which at first seemed so effective, is not well-founded and inevitably end up in ruin.But there is a counsel that is wise, teaches us the right way of doing things and leads to prosperity that endures.

Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction,
And he meditates on it day and night.
He is like a tree planted beside streams of water
That bears its fruit in season
And whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

(Psalm 1:2-3 HSCB)

This is the way of extreme happiness the psalm writer speaks of with in verse 1: “How happy is the man.” Not the person who follows the advice of the wicked, but the one who delights in the instruction of the Lord.
The Hebrew word for “instruction” is torah and is usually translated as “law.” But that often carries such negative connotations when it really is a very positive thing, a guide for living well. “Instruction” is captures that well. When you realize that God wants you to enjoy a prosperous and successful life and know abundant happiness, His words of instruction become a source of delight.

This requires a change in how we think. The world has been very effective in training us up into seeing and thinking and doing things its own way. That’s why Paul said, “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2 HCSB). J. B. Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English translates this as, “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.” The Message version says, “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

When you change how you think about things, you change how you live your life. The way to change your mind and live a prosperous and happy life is to let God change it by His instruction. He will work in you in by His Word and Spirit to bring about a change of heart and mind that brings about a positive change of life. That is why the psalm writer speaks of meditating on God’s instruction day and night. He is talking about immersing in it, marinating in it, soaking in it in order to be changed by it.

Look at what it leads to. You will be like a tree plant by rivers of living water, and your life will be full of good fruit that will not wither but endure, and whatever you do will prosper! What a contrast to the way of the wicked:

The wicked are not like this;
Instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment,
And sinners will not be in the community of the righteous.
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

(Psalm 1:4-6 HCSB)

Two ways lay before you. The way of the world may seem good for a season but ultimately leads to ruin. The way of God leads to prosperity and happiness. All it requires is a change in thinking, and God knows how to bring that about by His Word and Spirit.

The Soul of Prosperity

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:2-3)

True prosperity does not come from outside us. It arises from within. It begins as delight in the Lord and in His ways, His instruction (torah, the Hebrew word for “law” can just as well be translated as “instruction”). That is, it starts as an attitude, an orientation of the heart. It grows and develops by giving diligent attention to the Lord and His instruction. In other words, it is a matter of the soul, the inner being.

God is big on that. Indeed, He promised that He would make a new covenant with us in which He would internalize His ways in our hearts.

Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah … I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. (Jeremiah 31:31, 33)

More than that, He promised He would give us His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, so that we would not only be able to understand His ways but also to do them.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

God has fulfilled His promise. He has cut a new covenant with us in the blood of Jesus the Messiah. At the Cross, Jesus defeated all the powers that stand against us. At the Last Supper, He took the cup of wine and said, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). Then at Pentecost, fifty days after the Resurrection, God put His Spirit within us, to enable us to fulfill all that is required and do what is right. All who receive the Lord Jesus receive the Spirit of God. That now changes everything, for Paul tells us,

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

What the law engraved on tablets of stone could not accomplish in us, because it was external to us, the Holy Spirit dwelling within us can. As we yield to Him, He brings forth this fruit in our lives. This positions us to live in divine prosperity in all things. The Apostle John’s prayer for Gaius in 3 John 2 shows that this is the desire of God for everyone of us:

Beloved, I prayer that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

When we are out of joint with God, we are out of joint with ourselves, with others and with creation as well. But as we turn to Him, we come into proper alignment. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). The kingdom of God is His rule and reign; His righteousness is the rightness of His way of doing and being. When this becomes our priority, everything else will be taken care of itself. This is the prosperity of soul that prepares us for prosperity in all things.

Prosperity of soul is the soul of prosperity.

Two Paths

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.

(Psalm 1:1-2)

Psalm 1 describes two different kinds of walks. Each represents a way of life. One way seeks after God, the other does not. The one who seeks after God takes great delight in His law (the Hebrew word is torah and means “teaching,” instruction for living well). It gives him counsel, guides him along a good path and seats him in a place where he is a blessing to others.

The other one follows the advice of people who habitually do evil. It leads him into a path that is harmful both to himself and those around him, and it seats him with those who only know how to mock what is good.

Two radically different ways, two dramatically different outcomes:

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

(Psalm 1:4-6)

The one who diligently seeks after God, delighting in His ways and meditating continually on His instruction, finds great reward, not only in the life to come but also in this one. His life is well established, abundant and fruitful. He has something to offer for every season of life. He goes from prosperity to prosperity.

Not so for the one who walks in the way that is not God’s. His life becomes dry and dusty, like chaff, and is soon blown away with the prevailing winds. On the day when God comes to stand everything up and set everything straight, there will be no place for the evil man. He will not be found among those who are found doing what is right.

For God has great regard for those who do what is right, who “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” — God’s rule and reign and His way of doing and being right — and everything necessary for life will be added to them (Matthew 6:33). But for those who follow the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the path of evil and conspire with the mockers of everything good, there is nothing left except a wasted life and a dismal future.

Two radically different paths. Two dramatically different outcomes. In what will you delight?

How to Prosper in Everything

He is like a tree planted beside streams of water
That bears its fruit in season
And whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

(Psalm 1:3 HCSB)

True prosperity is not a function of the economy. It does not come from Wall Street. It cannot be guaranteed by the president or Congress. Therefore, it cannot be taken away by Wall Street, by the president or Congress. It does not arise because of an “up” economy, so it cannot be lost because of a “down” one.

True prosperity comes from God.

It does not come by following the advice of the world, acting the way the world acts, thinking what the world thinks (v. 1). It comes by a radically different path, rooted in a completely different source. It comes by delighting in the instruction of the Lord, the “law” of the Lord. The Hebrew word for “law” is torah and means instruction. God wants to instruct you, to teach you how to prosper.

If you will delight in His ways and let His instruction saturate your heart, fill your thought and direct your path, you will be like the man in Psalm 1:3.

• You will be like trees planted beside streams of water. This is stability, even in a drought season, because the streams of God do not dry up.
• You will bear fruit in season. When the season for bearing fruit comes around, you will not miss it. You will not cast off your fruit early, in the unripe stage, nor will it come too late to be any good. It will come in its proper time.
• You will not wither away. Your supply will not dry up. God is your source and will keep you fresh and green to keep on bearing fruit in His courts (Psalm 92:12-15).
• Whatever you do will prosper. When you follow the direction of the Lord, your efforts will not be in vain but will produce good things.

Whatever you do will prosper. God makes a similar promise in Deuteronomy 28:8, “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand.” This, of course, assumes that you are setting your hand to something. Some people focus on their circumstances and let that keep them from doing anything. But if you are not putting your hand to something, there is nothing there for the Lord to command the blessing on. When you sow seed, He can multiply it for the harvest, but when you sow nothing, there is nothing to multiply.

Now, notice that God says, “Whatever he does shall prosper.” It would be wrong to make this just about finances — it is about so much more than that. It is about everything in your life. By the same token, although it might sound very pious and spiritual, it is just as wrong to think that financial prosperity is somehow excluded from the promise of God — whatever includes everything!

This is not just an Old Testament promise, as some have supposed, as if God does not want to do the same thing for us under the New Testament. The apostle John demonstrates the will of God for us when He says, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 2). The blessing of God on those who love Him is for every area of life today, just as it has always been.

Do not focus on the circumstances, the drought, the famine, the “down” economy. These do not determine the prosperity of your soul or even of your finances. But love the Lord with all your heart, delight in His ways and look to Him for instruction and direction in your life. Focus on Him as your source and supply, and whatever you do will prosper.

Blessings for a New Year

Meditating and Praying Psalm 1 is how I start each new month and, consequently, each new year. It is good news of blessing and bliss (which is the Hebrew word for “blessed” means — literally an exclamation, “O the happinesses!”) for all those who love the Lord and walk in His ways.

Blessed is the man

Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners,

Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree

Planted by the rivers of water,

That brings forth its fruit in its season,

Whose leaf also shall not wither;

And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:1-3)

Psalm 112 also seems an appropriate one to pray and believe, considering all that is going on around us. It begins:

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
Who delights greatly in His commandments. (v. 1)

Let us count the ways such a one is blessed:

• His descendants will be mighty on earth (v. 2).
• The generation of the upright will be blessed (v. 2).
• Wealth and riches will be in his house (v. 3).
• And his righteousness endures forever (v. 3).
• Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness (v. 4).
• He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous (v. 4).
• A good man deals graciously and lends (v. 5).
• He will guide his affairs with discretion (v. 5).
• Surely he will never be shaken (v. 6).
• The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance (v. 6).
• He will not be afraid of evil tidings (v. 7).
• His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord (v. 7).
• His heart is established (v. 8).
• He will not be afraid (v. 8).
• He will see his desire upon his enemies (v. 8).
• He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor (v. 9).
• His righteousness endures forever (v. 9).
• His horn will be exalted with honor (v. 9).

For those who know the Lord, there is no reason to fear and every reason to rejoice. This new year holds wonderful things for you. Lay hold of them by faith. Instead of meditating on the dour forecasts of the world, let the promises of God fill your mind, your mouth and your heart.

There is Always a Choice

How happy is the man
who does not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path of sinners,
or join a group of mockers!
Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.
He is like a tree planted beside streams of water
that bears its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

(Psalm 1:1-3 HCSB)

We always have a choice about which direction we will go: Whether we will follow the advice of the wicked, take the path of sinners and join the mockers—or instead, delight in the instruction of the Lord and meditate continually on it.

It is the difference between the way of the world and the way of the Word. The world has a wisdom to impart, but it is a way of envy and self-seeking and leads to confusion and every kind of evil (James 3:15-16). It is, in a word, demonic.

But the wisdom of the Word is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and hypocrisy. It is the wisdom that comes from heaven, and is encompassed in the instruction of the Lord. This wisdom will always lead to good results. It says,

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He shall direct your path.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and depart from evil.
It will be health to your flesh,
and strength to your bones.

(Proverbs 3:5-8)

The one who trusts in the Lord with all his heart and acknowledges Him in all things will be firmly established and well supplied, like a tree planted beside streams of water. He will have abundance in the season of bearing fruit and will prosper in everything he does. However, things will not work out so well for those who follow the way of the world.

The wicked are not like this;
instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment,
and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

(Psalm 1:4-6 HCSB)

There is always a choice of which way we will honor, even in this election season. Trust in the Lord and meditate on His instruction. Acknowledge Him with your vote, and He will show you where to cast it. His way is greater than that of either of the candidates, and far more powerful and productive of righteousness and prosperity.

How to Make Your Way Prosperous

Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:6-8)

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:1-3)

God delights in the prosperity of His people (Psalm 35:27). He desires for you to prosper in all things and be in good health, even as your soul prospers (3 John 2). Prosperity of soul begins with what you delight in. “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). You delight in the Lord by being attentive to His law — literally, His instruction — marinating in it until it tenderizes you and your life takes on the flavor of who He is. When you do, your desires are changed, directed by the beat of His heart, and He will gladly fulfill them. Then you will prosper in everything you do and have good success.

Soak in the Word of the Lord, with ears to hear and a heart to obey. Then you will make your way prosperous and nothing will be able to hold back your success.

Prosperity in This New Year

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:1-3)

Psalm 1 is a very good place to start off the new year. It offers us wisdom, prosperity and the sharp contrast of two very different ways.

First, there is the way of those who are flat-out wrong; not only morally wrong, but ultimately also strategically wrong — it does not work. In the last half of this psalm, we discover that the ungodly (those who reject the way of God) are like chaff driven away by the wind (v. 4). They will not be able to withstand the judgment of God (v. 5), but will perish in their way (v. 6). This way is wrong from beginning to end. It offers bad counsel, leads to corrupt actions and speaks with bitter, negative words.

It is good to be well-rid of such things, but that is not enough—they must be replaced with something much better. Enter into the second way:

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.

Here is a focus that is completely different — the law of the LORD. Now, we often think of law as something that hinders us in our pleasures and pursuits. But that is not what the “law of the Lord” is about at all. The Hebrew word for “law” is torah and can just as well be translated “instruction.” See, God offers us instruction in how we can live and enjoy life to the fullest, to get the maximum benefit and pleasure. That’s why this psalm begins with “Blessed is the man.” It is not about sanctimony but about bliss — deep happiness.

The instruction of the Lord offers the best counsel of all, the wisdom of God. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours, but He gives us His instruction so we can know His ways and think after His thoughts. They properly focus us and lead us into prosperous actions that bring prosperous results.

The instruction of the Lord teaches us how to think, act and speak. That last one is very important because the Bible teaches us that the world was created by words: God said, “Light, be!” and light was. God also created us to be speaking creatures, and our words can be very powerful, but apart from Him we simply don’t know what to say, so we often speak words that are very destructive.

But God has given us His Word, and the man who delights in it, who derives the greatest pleasure and benefit from it is the one who is always meditating on it. Now, the Hebrew word for “meditate” literally refers to what we might call our “self-talk.” When we meditate on God’s Word, we are talking about it to ourselves. As we do, this Word begins to teach us, revealing things to our inner man.

Jesus said that it is out of the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). When we continually let the Word of God be the source of our meditation, our self-talk, then that is what our heart will be filled with. Consequently, that is what our mouths will begin to speak, which is something we will appreciate especially in times of great difficulty.

Delighting ourselves in the instruction of the Lord and always letting it speak to our heart produces great results: “He shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” We do not have time to unpack those statements here, but it is all good and a description of bliss.

Happy New Year!

Divine Planting, Divine Results

He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:3)

First day of a new month, and here I am again considering Psalm 1. I’ve written about it quite a few times; perhaps I will write a book about it someday.

This verse is talking about the man who does not walk, talk and think like the world, but instead focuses his himself on the Law of the LORD, the Word of God. It changes Him profoundly and sets the arc of his life in a wonderful direction.

“He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.” It is not a scene in the wild that he describes here, but an intentional planting. God is cultivating something in his life. He is divinely placed and divinely nurtured. God has carefully chosen that spot for him, and him for that spot, to bring forth maximum results, optimal blessing.

Because this man has made his bread out of every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4), because he is a doer of the Word and not just a hearer (James 1:22-25), he comes to find himself in this place of freshness and fruitfulness, of provision and prosperity. He is a planting of the LORD (Isaiah 61:3).

Those who live according to the divine pattern find themselves in a divine place and receive divine results.

Confessing My Happiness

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:1-3)

My Confession: Today I am deliriously happy because I do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the path of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. Instead, I take great delight in the Law of the Lord — the Word of God. I think about it all the time, letting it tune my heart, train my thoughts, change my will and fill my mouth — to make me more like Jesus! Therefore, I am like a tree planted by rivers of living water; I bear fruit in season; my leaf does not wither, and whatever I do prospers. I thank the Lord for the deep happiness, great success and rich prosperity I have now because of Him.

Oh, the Happiness

Blessed is the man. (Psalm 1:1)

Well, it’s a new month, which always brings me back around to Psalm 1 (150 psalms divided by 30 days in a month is 5 psalms a day, and day 1 is for Psalms 1-5).

Blessed is the man! The Hebrew word for “blessed” is esher, which comes from the word asher, which literally means to be straight, and in general usage describes a state of well-being that is level, right and happy.

The Jewish Publication Society version says “Happy is the man.” The Amplified Bible, in its expansive way, has, “Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous and enviable) is the man.” I like how Young’s Literal Translation puts it: “O the happiness of that one.” Actually, the Hebrew word is in the plural, so we can just as well say, “O the happinesses of that one” (of course, my spell-checker flags me on that).

Some religious people prefer the word “blessed” because “happy” seems … well, too happy. They want something more subdued and “dignified” so that people don’t get their hopes up more than is seemly. Of course, these are the same people who think that joy is supposed to be an inner knowing that is quiet and reserved. But the Biblical words for “joy” mean, not only to be light-hearted and glad, but also to shout, jump, whirl, twirl, spin, creak and squeak for joy. That all sounds pretty happy to me. And though such joy is very expressive, it is not superficial and transient. It is an abiding peace and happiness that springs from the deep wells of the heart.

Other religious Christians will complain that “God wants us to be holy, not happy.” And if we had to choose between the two, holiness would be the way to go. But I don’t believe that God is a crank or that we have to make such a dour choice. In fact, I would say that if a person is not very happy, he is probably not very holy either. Likewise, if someone is not holy, then I expect he is probably not very happy. That’s because, to bring it down to more of a street-level understanding, holiness is not about living some sort of stuck-up religious life, it is about being in on the best deal going: the life-changing, world-changing purpose and favor of God.

That’s exactly what we find in Psalm 1. The ecstatically happy man is not the one who walks in the counsel of the ungodly, stands in the path of sinners, or sits in the seat of the scornful (v. 1). That may bring a superficial appearance of happiness, but it vanishes pretty quickly. No, the person who is deliriously happy is the one who goes right to the source of joy — the Lord Yahweh, in whose presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). The truly happy man is the one who delights in the instruction of the Lord and is constantly pondering it (Psalm 1:2).

So what does that happiness look like? God gives us a picture. Imagine this:

He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Who leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:3)

Do you see it? Perhaps it is a date palm. Watch how God carefully cultivates it, taking it from a barren place and planting it alongside His beautiful flowing river. See how strong it is, how firmly it is established. Do you see the leaf, how green it is? It will not wither, not even in drought — it is watered by the river of God. Can you hear the water babbling? Storms may come, but this tree will not cast off its fruit; it will come to a rich, full harvest in the proper time. Lie down in the shade tree and feel the coolness. Reach up and pluck the fruit, and taste the sweetness. It is the picture of prosperity and happiness.

Oh, what happinesses God has for you and me! What joy in His presence! What favor in His purpose! What delight in His ways! That’s something to shout, jump, whirl, twirl, spin, creak and squeak for joy about.

Positively Positioned and Empowered to Prosper

He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:3)

If you want to know how to come into the place of prosperity in every area of your life, study this man closely:

• He is like a tree that has been planted (even transplanted) beside the rivers of water. He did not get there by himself, but was set there by God. He has a good foundation; his roots are well-watered. He is established, supplied and cultivated.
• He brings forth fruit in season. The life of this tree is nourished by the rivers of water and the nutrients of the soil. It drinks in the sunlight and is faithfully tended by the grove-keeper. It goes patiently through its seasons — the season for resting and recreating, the season for germinating, the season for budding and blooming, the season for fruit-bearing, and the season for harvest. In the season of harvest, this man is not found wanting, but is very fruitful. He has much to give, and he shares generously of his bounty.
• His leaf shall not wither. This man stays connected to his source, so he does not fall away or faint in the time of drought, or when the heat is on. He tends to the things that need to be tended, when they need to be tended, and does not leave the important details undone, so that even the tiniest of his leaves are full of life.
• Whatever he does shall prosper. The psalm writer now moves from the metaphor of the well-watered tree and speaks plainly: Everything this man does increases his prosperity. He finds success and increase at every turn. Even when he makes mistakes, or experiences failures or adversities, he learns from them, adapts his strategies and perseveres until he sees his prosperity come forth. Not only is he himself blessed by his prosperity, but many around him also benefit from his success.

So, who is this man, and what is the secret of his prosperity? First, take a look at who he isn't:

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful.

(Psalm 1:1)

This is not a man who takes his cues from the world system, from those who have no regard for God in their lives and do not care whether the things they do are morally right or wrong. He does not share the same pathway with these men, because it will eventually lead to destruction. He does not sit under their influence, because they treat everything — God, good, honor, truth, right, integrity, everything! — as a joke.

Now take a look at who this man is, and what he does do:

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law, he meditates day and night.

(Psalm 1:2)

There it is — the secret of his success! He delights in the law of the Lord. He takes great pleasure in the ways of God. He craves them, and looks forward to them as a lip-smacking delicacy. His fills his heart, his mind, even his mouth with the Word of God, letting it forge his will, shape his emotions, correct his thoughts and empower the very words that roll off his own tongue. So he is established in a fertile place beside life-giving streams, and so he prospers, because he has found his source in God.

The Prosperity of God is Also Financial

He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:3)

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 2)

The Scriptures are clear that God wants His people to prosper. The Hebrew word for “prosper” means to push forward, break out, come mightily, go over, excel, be profitable, advance and make progress. The Greek word means to have a good journey, be successful, even to succeed in business. That is what God has for all of His people.

It is important to note that the prosperity God has for us is, first of all, a prosperity of soul — a matter of the heart. That is clearly stated in 3 John 2, but we also find it spoken of in Psalm 1 in this way: “Blessed is the man … His delight is in the law of the LORD and in His law he meditates day and night” (v. 2). As we have seen, the result is that whatever he does shall prosper.

But does this prosperity include money? Many Christians believe it does not. But what does the Bible say? “Whatever he does shall prosper” and “I pray that you may prosper in all things.” All and whatever are inclusive terms — they leave nothing out. Certainly prosperity is more than just financial and material wealth, but it does include them. They are part of “all” and “whatever.”

We see this stated even more directly elsewhere in Scripture. For example, Psalm 112:3 says of the righteous man (that is, one who lives in awe of God and delights in His commandments), “Wealth and riches will be in his house.” Though some might try to say that this is referring only to spiritual wealth and riches, it is clear from the context that the psalm writer is talking about material wealth and riches.

Is God interested in our possessions? Yes, He is. Look at the word of wisdom He gives us in Proverbs:

Honor the LORD with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.

(Proverbs 3:9-10)

When we honor Him with our possessions, and with the firstfruits of all our increase — that is, the first and the best, not the last and the least — then He will also honor us in kind: Our barns will be heaped up with plenty and our vats will overflow with new wine. This is not just having just enough, it is having more than enough.

We find something similar in the New Testament, in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. He is preparing to receive an offering from the believers there to take to the believers in Jerusalem. In other words, it is a financial context. Now, notice what Paul says:

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

That is wealth indeed: always have all sufficiency in all things, and abundance for every good work! You see, that is what financial prosperity is for, and why God wants it for all His people. It is always having everything we need to take care our families, ourselves, and whatever God has called us to do, PLUS having abundance — more than enough! — so that we can give to every good work. As Leroy Thompson calls it, it is “Money with a mission!”

The clear word of Scripture is that God wants all His people to prosper in all things, and that includes finances. He does not want us to love money, serve money, or trust in money, but He wants to prosper us financially so we can use money for His kingdom purposes, and to supply every good work.

The Flow of Blessing, the Overflow of Prosperity

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree
Planted by rivers of living water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
(Psalm 1:1-3)

Yes, I’ve covered this ground before. But you see, I pray through the book of Psalms every month, so the beginning of each month is a fresh opportunity to meditate once again on this passage.

Today God spoke to me about flow:

• The flow of blessing
• The flow of meditation
• The flow of His river
• The flow of prosperity

To step into the flow of God, we need to step out of the flow of the way the world does things. That is what verse 1 is about. But that is not enough. More important is what we do next, what we put in place of the world’s flow. That is what verse 2 is about.

To delight in the law of the LORD means to desire it more than anything else, to look forward to it with great anticipation, and enjoy it with enthusiasm and satisfaction. When we are pulled away from it, we hurry to get back to it, because it is so good.

To meditate on the law of the LORD day and night means to dwell on it continually, to think about it constantly, letting it flow through us, informing and directing everything we say and do.

The law of the Lord reveals the will, the desire, the pleasure of God (I have not just said three different things, but one thing three different ways). It shows us His heart, and in it we see that His heart is very good. He is all for us, and everything He has spoken in His Word is always for our good.

Meditating on the Word of God is getting into the flow of His heart, thinking His thoughts and learning His ways. Isaiah 55:11 says that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours. But that does not mean we cannot know them, for He has spoken to us through His Word precisely so we could know them.

When we get into the flow of His Word, the flow of His heart, the flow of His thoughts, how can that lead us to anything else except blessing? God has been very successful and prosperous. When we think His thoughts with Him and walk in His ways with Him, how can we be anything less than successful and prosperous, too?

The promise is that we shall be like a tree planted by rivers of water. That’s quite a good thing, a tree well-watered by the river and nourished by the rich soil of its banks. God has a river for you and me—the river of the Holy Spirit. On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus declared:

If anyone thirst, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. (John 7:37-38)

John added, “But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive” (John 7:39).

There is both an inward work and an outward manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Here, Jesus was talking about the outward manifestation. Earlier, He spoke to a Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob about the inward work:

Whoever drinks of this [natural] water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:13-14)

He was describing the experience of being born again, born from above by the Spirit of God. It is like a fountain that springs up within, or a tree that is planted by the rivers of water. It is an inward work where the water springs up like a fountain through the roots and capillaries of the tree, bringing it to fullness. The tree is blessed.

After the inward work comes the outward manifestation — fruit. It is the overflow of the life that has been going on within. The work that the Holy Spirit and the Word of God do in us gives life and continual refreshing to our inward man, tuning us up to the thoughts and ways of God. Then as we walk in His thoughts and ways with Him, we begin to get His kind of results and bear His kind of fruit. The person who does this shall always have an abundance of fruit in season. His leaf will not wither — how can it when the life of the Spirit is freely flowing through him — and whatever he does shall prosper.

Getting into the flow of meditation on God’s Word, the flow of His thoughts and ways, the flow of His Spirit brings us into the flow of blessing — and the overflow of prosperity.