Psalm 1 is encouraging – it reminds us that the Lord always has your best in mind, despite the trials you may be facing. This is a short psalm, and can be helpful to read when you feel overwhelmed. There are only six verses, so we’ll be walking through it verse by verse.
Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
The first verse reminds us of the path we are called to walk. It is not an easy one. Matthew 7:14 does say, “For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Trust in God and have faith in harrowing times.
But his delight is in the Law of the Lord,
And on His Law he meditates day and night.
Dwelling in the Lord does not only bring delight and contentment, but it will give you something to turn to when you feel like you do not understand what is happening. For those who face traumatic brain injury, this isn’t necessarily unusual. It can be a relieving to know that Jesus is always there for you and that He’s always in control, even if you feel like you’re not.
He will be like a tree planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.
Verse 3 provides a parallel, in a sense. When you faced your trial (health or otherwise), at one point, you may have felt like your world just stopped while everyone around you can keep moving on. If you honor the Lord in what you do, He will bless you. Even if you don’t feel like you’re really doing much of anything, you may be impacting someone else more than you will ever know.
The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
“Chaff” describes the unusable part of wheat that falls off when it was beaten after harvest. The wind would blow it away from the usable part of the plant. The Lord will protect you from anything that will not help you to grow to meet His purpose for your life. It’s not understandable why or how health trials are beneficial, but Romans 11:34 says, “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?” We don’t need to understand, we just need to follow Him. We will be incapable of seeing or understanding most of the intricacies of big picture until we join Him for eternity.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
There is no way to earn your salvation through good works. The only option is to believe that Jesus died for your sins on the cross and to have hope in Him. Then, you will be redeemed and can have hope in Him during harrowing times. Why would you want this? Verse 6 is quite frank about it.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.
Each of us is responsible for our own choice, but this is a pathway to hope during challenging times. Have a delightful day!
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