Hey there, fellow traveler!
The Book of Psalms sits right in the middle of our Bible, and it also contains the most chapters—150 of them! We’ll spend a good amount of time here. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I do.
Sometimes, when you read through several chapters in one sitting, like we did today with Psalms 1-7, it takes some real thought to understand what’s going on. But digging in is worth it! Today, we’ll focus on three big ideas that flow through these opening psalms: making good choices, humbling ourselves before God, and trusting in Him.
The Right Path: Choose Your Companions and Your Compass
Right from the very first verse in Psalm 1, I hear the word “blessed.” This isn’t about getting rich, but about a deep, true happiness God gives. He wants us to seek what’s truly valuable and lasting. As Jesus said, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval” (John 6:27, NIV).
Psalm 1:1 tells us that true blessing comes from the people we choose to go through life with and the choices we make. It says, “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers.”
This isn’t just about avoiding “bad guys.” It’s about choosing to do things that please God and staying away from sin and selfish ambitions. It also means carefully picking the right friends to share your journey.
When I first started my walk with God, I still hung out with all my old friends. I was meeting people at church, but we had little in common. My wife and I would often visit neighbors whose son was the same age as ours. We had a great time, but it always involved sitting on their back porch, drinking beer. I knew the Bible said drunkenness was a sin, and since Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:1-11), drinking in moderation seemed okay.
But for me, it became a problem. One day, while I was standing in line at the grocery store to buy beer, our church pastor walked up behind us. The uncomfortable feeling I had in that moment was a clear sign from God—it was the Holy Spirit convicting me.
I don’t believe drinking in moderation is a sin for everyone. But if something you’re doing, even in moderation, feels wrong to you, pay attention. This might be the Holy Spirit telling you that you’ve made it an idol or that it’s hindering your walk with Him. Today, I’ll have a drink with friends, but never over two, and only about once a week. I believe the Spirit helps me keep this at a correct priority level.
This experience taught me to value following God’s path and to place myself in situations where temptation is minimized. As Matthew Henry’s Commentary says, “The ungodly are the reverse of the righteous… they are led by the counsel of the wicked, in the way of sinners, to the seat of the scornful.” (1) It’s like choosing the wrong GPS direction—you end up somewhere you don’t want to be. The blessed person chooses God’s GPS, and it guides them to a good place.
Humility: Recognizing God’s Sovereignty
Making those changes wasn’t something I could do alone. It required allowing God to have the top priority in my life. He provides us with the Holy Spirit to guide us and give us strength (John 14:26). This requires recognizing God’s absolute sovereignty—His complete control over everything.
Psalm 2 shows us this total power. It describes kings and rulers trying to fight against God (Psalm 2:2-3), but God just laughs at them (Psalm 2:4)! Ellicott’s Commentary explains God has an unchangeable “decree” that sets up His King (Jesus). (2)
Then we hear God’s king say, “You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery” (Psalm 2:9). This isn’t just about anger; it’s about God’s complete control. As Matthew Henry explains, Jesus “has all power both in heaven and in earth, and is Head over all things to the church.” (3) This power is a great comfort to us, because it means God is in charge, not the chaos of the world or our own weaknesses.
Finding Help in Trouble: God Hears Our Cries
The Psalms move from talking about the blessed person to those who sometimes struggle. Even when life gets tough and we feel surrounded by problems, God is still there. Psalm 3 starts with David crying out to God: “Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!” (Psalm 3:1). Then he immediately says, “But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high” (Psalm 3:3).
This shows us that even when we’re facing challenges, we’re not alone. God isn’t too busy for us. We can always call out to Him, and He will listen. He’s fair and just, and He sees what’s going on. Even when we’re hurting and full of sorrow (Psalm 6:6), the Psalmist holds onto hope that God hears their weeping (Psalm 6:8-9). And when enemies attack, we can trust God’s justice to be our shield (Psalm 7:10).
When we choose the right path, humble ourselves, and bring our troubles to God, amazing things happen. Psalm 1:3 paints a beautiful picture: “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” This means that when we live God’s way, our lives are stable and productive, like a healthy tree by a river. Even when challenges come, we don’t wither.
My own experience of realizing God was real led to a transformation. Job’s story ends similarly: because he repented and humbled himself, God “restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10). God even told Job’s friends to ask Job to pray for them, showing the power of a repentant heart.
Today, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we don’t need to ask anyone else to pray for us to get to God. We can go directly to Him. When we take refuge in Jesus, we find peace, restoration, and a life that flourishes.
Tomorrow, we will read Psalms 8-14.
Works Cited
Ellicott, Charles John. Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1954.
Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, n.d.
Footnotes
Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, comment on Psalm 1:4-6.
Charles John Ellicott, Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers, comment on Psalm 2:7.
Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, comment on Psalm 2:1-6.