Bible Commentaries
Psalms 1

Verse 2

GOD’S REVEALED WILL

‘The law of the Lord.’

Psalms 1:2

I. This law, which we have to learn, and by keeping of which we shall be blessed, is nothing else than God’s will.—If you wish to learn the law of the Lord, keep your soul pious, pure, reverent, and earnest; for it is only the pure in heart who shall see God, and only those who do God’s will as far as they know it who will know concerning any doctrine whether it be true or false, in one word, whether it be of God.

II. This law is the law of the Lord.—You cannot have a law without a lawgiver who makes the law, and also without a judge who enforces the law; and the Lawgiver and the Judge of the law is the Lord Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ.

III. Christ the Lord rules, and knows that He rules; whether we know it or not, Christ’s law still hangs over our head, ready to lead us to light, and life, and peace, and wealth; or ready to fall on us and grind us to powder, whether we choose to look up and see it or not. The Lord liveth, though we may be too dead to feel Him. The Lord sees us, though we may be too blind to see Him.

—Canon Kingsley.

Verse 3

THREE ASPECTS OF GODLY CHARACTER

‘A tree planted by the waterside.’

Psalms 1:3 (Prayer Book Version)

I. Its variety.—The comparison is with a fruit tree, not of any particular kind, but one of that large class of trees. The variety which God stamps upon nature He means to have reproduced in character.

II. Its Divine culture.—The godly man is not like a tree that grows wild. He is like a tree planted, and that in a place which will best promote its growth. Godly character is developed under God’s special supervision and with God’s own appliances.

III. Its fruitfulness.—God’s tree by God’s river must be a fruitful tree. Notice: (1) The words are ‘ his fruit,’ not any other tree’s fruit. (2) ‘In his season.’ The seasons are different for different fruits. The latest fruit is usually the best. But, early or late, the fruit of godly character is seasonable.

Illustrations

(1) ‘Like our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, this first psalm opens with a benediction. The word “blessed,” or more accurately “blessednesses,” is the first to greet us. “Oh, the blessednesses of the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.” This psalm begins where all true saints hope to end—in perfect blessedness. The Psalter begins with blessing man, and ends with praising God.’

(2) ‘The leaf is the thing of the spring time. It is the first thing that comes. Well, in the Christian life spring-leaf shall ever remain. The spring greenness of life shall not wither as the years roll by. The beauties of the spring time shall continue through all the seventy years. The beauties of early life, of young life, the beauties of childhood, shall never be destroyed. “His leaf shall not wither.” His childlikeness, the glory of the spring time of life, shall always be fresh and beautiful; it shall never wither away.’