Psalm 1—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 Psalmist begins the first Psalm of the book of
Psalms “Blessed is the man.” The
Hebrew word esher is here translated
blessed, which has the idea of happiness or contentment. Esher is a form of the Hebrew word ashar, which in its root means “to
be straight” or “to be right.”
Blessed is the man speaks of the happiness, the
blessedness, the contentment in the life of the man or woman who is right or “straight” with God. The righteous man
will be a blessed man, a happy man.
What makes you happy? What gets you excited? This is a
good way to see what is important to you. If personal pleasure is the only thing
that makes you happy, then you are a selfish, self-centered person. If being
with your family or friends delights you, that can be better, but it still
falls short. The righteous man finds his delight…in the law of the LORD.
Luther wrote that the Psalter is the Bible in
miniature. If so, then the opening six verses are the portal leading into a
treasure-house of communion with God. Who is the one who walks not in the
counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners . . . but his delight
is in the law of the Lord and on His Law he meditates day in night? First, it
is Christ. Secondly, it is all of us who have been incorporated into Christ—the
holy Christian Church. The new man, created by Baptism that comes forth daily
and arises to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
Collect for Pentecost 3: Blessed Lord, since You have caused all Holy
Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may so hear them,
read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and ever hold
fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our
Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever. Amen.[2]
- 08 June 2021—
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