Review of our last study
This is a continuation of our previous study from Psalm 1:1, the basic principle. The focus for our study today is Psalm 1:2, and the title of our study is “The Delight of the Righteous”.
Let us begin with a quick review of what we learned in Psalm 1:1
- The book of Psalm was not a random collection of poems, the whole Psalms is split into 5 books, and each book was specifically organized sequentially, chapter by chapter.
- The disciples approached the book of Psalm as the word of God spoken by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of the prophets.
- This book is not for unbelievers but for believers.
- And believers are called to satisfy the condition in the very first verse of the book of Psalm to receive the understanding of the Book.
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 condition is what we referred to, as the basic principle – which is the fear of God.
- If we do not shun evil, then the Lord will not give us the understanding of His Word.
- And we cannot shun evil unless we receive the Holy Spirit – that is why, this book is not for an unbeliever.
- To hate evil, it does not come naturally to a believer, we need to be trained by the Holy Spirit – we need to sit at the feet of the Lord, meditating on His Word, and through constant prayer.
The study for today
Let us move on to the next verse of Psalm 1.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His Law he meditates day and night. – Psalm 1:2
Psalm 1:1 taught us about the man who feared the Lord, and when we start walking in the fear of God, trained by the Spirit of God – verse 2 tells us, that the love for the Word of God follows.
This cannot be any other way. We should first shun, and hate evil (sin), to receive the love for the word of God. If we do not fear God, then we will not receive the love for the Word of God.
Unfathomable Word
Ezekiel 47:1-7 talks about the Word of God flowing as living water. We need to be constantly walking into the depth of the water – the Word of God. And we can do this only through the help of the Holy Spirit. If we fail to walk, or if we try to walk with our own wisdom, then we will end up in the shallow ground. And we will start dipping into other sources for knowledge, rather than depending on the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit.
And it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed – Ezekiel 47:5
The condition to delight in His Word
Only when we receive the understanding of the Word of God, can we delight in His word. God says in Matthew 24:35 that heaven and earth shall pass, but His Word will by no means pass away. If given a choice, why would we meditate on something passing away? Why would we reach out to anything else, other than the Word of God?
Let us ask ourselves two questions, how do I understand the Word of God, and what should I be learning when I receive the understanding of the Word of God.
To answer both the questions, let us have a quick review of the book of Job.
The book of Job
In the book of Job, we read about the various trials of Job. Job lost his family, his wealth, and his health. Three of his friends visit him, but rather than encouraging Job, the friends condemn Job. For they assume, that Job should sinned against God. We know that the assumption made by the three friends were wrong, for the Lord Himself tells us in the last chapter of Job.
And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, ‘My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. – Job 42:7
The understanding of God
Why were the three friends wrong? They were wrong because their understanding of God was wrong. If they had the correct understanding of God – they would not have walked into this mistake, they wouldn’t have fallen into this sin of judging Job and misrepresenting God.
What about Job? Scripture tells us that Job considered himself righteous before God. And the Lord Himself questioned Job on why he would contend with God. Job, though had the right understanding of God – seem to still miss the mark, since he considered himself righteous before God.
So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. – Job 32:1
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: “who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? – Job 38:1-2
Elihu
Who then had the correct understanding and application? Within this book of Job, we will read about a fourth person – named Elihu. This man will also speak to Job, and his discourse is recorded in the Scripture from Job 32 to Job 37. The Lord did not correct Elihu, and the Lord did not allow Job to respond back to Elihu as well. I believe, Elihu had the right understanding of God. How did he receive the right understanding of God?
The Right Understanding of God
Elihu himself tells us in Job 32:8.
But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. – Job 32:8
Elihu proclaims that the understanding is from the breath of God – which is the Holy Spirit. That is the only way a person can receive understanding, when he is taught by the Spirit of God. What was the understanding which Elihu received from the breath of God? Elihu received the understanding of God Himself, and that is why the Lord did not rebuke Elihu.
In the book of Job, both our questions are answered. Who gives understanding of the Word? The Holy Spirit gives us understanding. What is the understanding we receive? We receive understanding of who God is.
The Helper
The Lord told us in John 14:26 that this why He gave us the Holy Spirit.
“But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you – John 14:26
And what does the Holy Spirit teach? The Holy Spirit teaches us about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He does that by showing Christ through the Word.
And the more we see Christ, the more we grow in Christ. This is the command which the Lord gave us in 2 Peter 3:18, that we should grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.– John 16:13-14
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – 2 Peter 3:18
Delight in the knowledge of Christ
And only when we are growing in the knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ, the Word of God becomes a delight to us.
Now we understand how we can delight in the word of God – only when we understand the Word and receive the understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ can we delight in the Word of God.
Where do we start?
Now let us ask ourselves one last question. What should I do, so that I can be taught by the Holy Spirit? Scripture teaches us that we need to ask God.
Yet you do not have because you do not ask. – James 4:2 (b)
How many times have we asked the Lord for understanding of His Word? With technology so freely available, and so many resources available, we are quick to read the commentaries, but we rarely ask the Lord for understanding.
It is not wrong to read the commentaries, but we have unfortunately become dependent on the commentaries, and we have moved away from being dependent on the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ said, ask – seek – knock, that is what the Lord asks us to do.
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. – Luke 11:9
Summarizing the first two verses of Psalm 1.
- We need to fear God (depart from evil/sin), to receive the understanding of the Word of God.
2. We will not receive the understanding unless we ask of the Holy Spirit to teach us.
3. We need to completely depend on Him, and thirst for understanding to know who God is.
4. When we receive the understanding, we receive the knowledge of God, and we also become the person Psalm 1:2 calls out – the righteous man who delights in the Word of God.
When we are in this place, the next logical step is to bear fruit through the Holy Spirit, and that is Psalm 1:3.
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
Amen.
Noel Kingsley.
Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes. –Psalm 119:12
