Psalm 1:1-5;
antiphon, Psalm 1:6—In the Introit for Sunday, we pray, For the
Lord knows the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked will perish. This Psalm speaks of the blessedness of
those who derive their ideas of life from God’s Word rather than from their
worldly neighbors. Happiness and prosperity is theirs. Not so with the wicked.
Repeatedly the godly and the wicked are contrasted.
Thus the book of Psalms opens with an exaltation of God’s
Word. If David so loved the brief writings that then constituted God’s Word,
how much more should we love that same Word, which has not been brought to
completion, headed up around the beautiful story of Christ. Other Psalms of the
Word are Psalm 19 and Psalm 119. Note also the Psalm’s first word is
“blessed.” Blessed is Beatitude: like
the Sermon of the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel.
Epiphany season continues its revelation of the glory of God
in Jesus. We saw his glory at his baptism (Epiphany 1). John the Baptist
witnessed to His glory as Messiah (Epiphany 2). Through His ministry, His glory
was revealed as the light in a dark world. Now, we see the glory of God in
Jesus by His attitude and grace toward the outcasts of society: the spiritually
poor, the humble, and the despised. His glory is seen in His love and concern
for sinners. Though He is the Son of God, He does not cater to the religious
elite, the highly educated and the economically rich. What a glorious God we
see in Christ who humbles Himself to serve the unfortunate and the spiritually
impoverished!
Psalm 1 – The way of
the righteous and the way of the ungodly
Verse six presents a key to understanding Psalm 1 “For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” In this psalm, the way of the
righteous and the way of the ungodly are contrasted.
The LORD knows the
way of the righteous.
The righteous can have peace because a loving God in heaven knows their way,
and will protect and preserve them.
Or, as the Hebrew has it yet more fully, ‘The Lord knows the way of the righteous.’
He is constantly looking on their way, and though it may be often in mist and
darkness, yet the Lord knows it.
The way of the
ungodly shall perish.
The way of the ungodly leads to destruction. They are on a broad path that may
seem comfortable now and the path gives them lots of company, but in the end
they shall perish.
At least four times in the Book of Acts, Christianity is
called the Way. Certainly, it is the way of the righteous, not the way of the
ungodly. Which way are you on? [2]
Collect for Psalm 1: Lord
God, in your loving wisdom you have set us beside the fountain of life, like a
tree planted by running streams. Grant that the cross of your Son may become
our tree of life in the paradise of your saints, through Jesus Christ our Lord. [3]
Collect for Monday of
the week of Epiphany 3: Almighty Father, the love you offer
always exceeds the furthest expression of our human longing, for you are
greater than the human heart. Direct each thought, each effort of our life, so
that the limits of our faults and weaknesses may not obscure the vision of your
glory or keep us from the peace you have promised. We ask this through Christ
our Lord .Amen [4]
-23 January, 2023
[1]
Image of the cross © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[2] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-1
[3]
Collect for Psalm 1, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church,
Vol. III © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
[4]
Ibid, Collect for Monday of the week of Epiphany 3
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