Even though it is a book, the word Bible means a library, a collection of books. The books were written over centuries by multiple authors and collected into a single volume.
I’m fascinated by the multiple author’s part. God clearly inspires the writers, but they wrote from their unique human experience of Life.
Most of the psalms are attributed to David, the shepherd boy who played the harp and wrote songs. He went on to drop Goliath, fight battles, and lead the nation of Israel, anointed by God as their King.
Looking at his life, you can see why Bono endearingly calls David a “Screwup.”
There were multiple authors for the Psalms, and some of the ones attributed to David may have had other writers. Not unlike Elvis or Sinatra, who had songwriters for their greatest songs.
The Psalms are in the very middle of the Bible. The book at the center of the Bible is the one that centers your life.
Several authors refer to the Book of Psalms as a literary temple. The first two Psalms stand out from the rest of the book and serve as an introduction.
Psalm One eloquently describes the way you live your life determines how you enter the temple. It reminds me of a life centered on God leads to flourishing.
Psalm 1: The Way of the Righteous
Happy the man who has not walked in the wicked’s counsel,
nor in the way of offenders has stood,
nor in the session of scoffers has sat.
But the Lord’s teaching is his desire,
and his teaching he murmurs day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water,
that bears its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither-
and in all he does he prospers.
Not so the wicked,
but like the chaff that the wind drives away.
Therfore the wicked will not stand up in judgement,
nor offenders in the band of the righteous.
For the Lord embraces the way of the righteous,
and the way of the wicked is lost.
In biblical wisdom literature, the image of walking on a path refers to the choices we make in life. This psalm describes the two paths we choose to walk in righteousness or wickedness.
The progression of walking – standing – sitting gives the image of walking up to something, looking into it, and then entrusting it to support us. Just like you are trusting in the seat, you are sitting in right now to hold you up.
With pithy poetic language, it shows our heart’s capability to follow after something, consider it, and trust in it to provide what we were looking for.
Like A Tree Planted By Streams of Water
The image of the planted tree, by water, shows how being grounded allows us to be established. It is learning and living it out. Knowing a truth, taking it in, making it part of yourself, yields a harvest.
The sign of spiritual health is not knowledge, but the fruit that we bear. Fruitfulness is how we make an impact and have an influence on others.
We influence others by what qualities flow out of us. When our roots are established and connected to the Source, our fruit is the output of the Spirit:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23
The fruit we produce revels what is going on beneath the surface. What flows out of our heart shows the condition of our heart. It is the outward expression of an inner reality.
But the fruit we produce is not for ourselves. It is how we give ourselves away.
The energy that goes into producing fruit is the energy that we pass on. It is the way we live beyond ourselves. The generosity of heart and productivity is measured by what we do for others.
A life of service is beneficially meeting the needs of others. The things we pass on is how we leave a legacy that lives on long after we are gone.
The Other Path
Years ago, I decided to commit Psalm 1 to memory after hearing a large group of inmates recite it. The whole psalm is familiar to me, yet when I use it for Lectio Divina, the word that jumps out is chaff.
Ever feel like you are getting blown all over the place?
Chase after things, chase the wind, and you will be blown around like the wind. Much of my life has been about being blown from one thing to the next. I am going where the grass seems greener. On the run from something, and not sure what it is.
When I’m stressed out, distracted, and overwhelmed, I don’t make the best decisions. Poor choices lead to hard places the can limit my freedom.
Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman says, “Any time you are stressed, you are better able to be recruited by other people’s stress.” (Source: Minute 1:22:23)
Getting recruited by others, easily manipulated is heeding the advice of the wicked. There have been times that I have been one of these advisors.
Wisdom is having discernment, knowing what is right, true, real, and having the capability to follow it.
Following God, leads to flourishing. This is not some rote, legalistic thing, but a matter of the heart.
God knows our ways and we allow ourselves to be intimately known by God through faith in his son Jesus the Christ. We are embraced, protected, watched over. That is the love that changes us.
Closing Prayer
God, you are my teacher and instructor who only wants what’s best for me. I’m grateful for your involvement in my life; you can know me. You have not left me alone to my own devices.
Lord, I’m sorry for the times I’ve allowed myself to be easily enticed, distracted, and led astray by useless things. Help me to sink my roots deeply into you as the source of life and all that I need.
Jesus, you alone were fully obedient, even when it led to the cross. Spirit, guide my life. I will trust in you, delighting in your ways, experiencing life in all its fullness.