The Songbook of the Bible

PSALM 1—The Book of Psalms opens with the word “blessed,” which in this instance is a translation of a Hebrew word meaning happiness, or “how happy!” It conveys essentially the same thought as in the Beatitudes; and, logically enough, this much desired asset is shown, both in the Psalms and in our Lord’s Beatitudes, to be the possession of those who are conformed to the principles of divine righteousness—to those whose “delight is in the law of the Lord.”

There is an old adage to the effect that one can be judged by the company he keeps. This is largely true, for in most cases people choose the company they most prefer. So in this Psalm, the ones whose “delight is in the law of the Lord” are shown to be those who walk “not in the counsel of the ungodly,” nor stand “in the way of sinners,” nor sit “in the seat of the scornful.” Associations such as this indicates would certainly be offensive to all who love the Lord and whose chief delight is to do his will.

We need not limit the application of these words to association with gross sinners, or those willfully scornful of God and his ways of righteousness. A fully consecrated Christian would experience no great difficulty in parting company with such. Where we need to be watchful is in the matter of our fellowship with those who are outwardly moral and professedly godly, yet by word and deed—although often very subtly—reveal themselves to be opposed to one or more features of God’s truth, and scornful of some of its important phases.

Our fleshly minds might well reason that we should associate with halfhearted believers of this kind, with the thought of helping them see the way of the Lord more perfectly. But this isn’t the Lord’s way of helping them. Such association is liable to be more detrimental to us than beneficial to them. The only right way to help those who are straying is to remain in the right way ourselves, and call to the erring ones to come with us.

It is significant that the Psalm should speak of those whose “delight” is in the law of the Lord. God’s law to us is the truth of the Gospel, the great divine plan of the ages. Do we experience “delight” in that truth? Here is a word that denotes more than merely an acceptance of the truth. It means to be enthusiastic believers—so enthusiastic that it becomes our meditation day and night.

In almost any group of the Lord’s consecrated people there are those who “delight” in the truth as well as some who, although they are believers professing full consecration, just seem to take the Lord and his precious truth for granted and seldom show any enthusiasm over the fact that they have been called out of darkness into his marvelous light. Where do we stand? Are we so delighted with the Lord and his truth that they are our daily meditation; or are we like those described by someone, who go to church once in a while with the thought of paying a sort of courtesy call on God?

Speaking of the truly righteous, the Psalm continues, “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” The primary lesson here is that of stability, or abiding qualities. By contrast, the next verse states, “The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.”

In the expression “rivers of water” a Hebrew word is used which seems to describe, not a large, natural river; but irrigating ditches in an Eastern garden. This thought is borne out by the fact that the tree in this illustration is one that is “planted” rather than one which has grown wild from a seed blown by chance from some distant point,

It is a comforting thought to realize that the righteous, the true servants of God, are not so by chance, but because they are of his planting, and as such are “trees of righteousness.” (Isa. 61:3) True, the Lord uses his servants to represent him in this planting work, yet fundamentally it is his work. This means that any who have been called out of darkness into his marvelous light, and have been constrained by his love to present themselves in full consecration to him, have been selected by the Lord to be one of his “trees.”

That the “rivers” of water by which these trees are planted are specially prepared streams and not the natural rivers which flow through the country, suggests that the Lord has made special provision to invigorate his “trees” by the waters of truth which he has made available through the Holy Spirit. This “water” is super-naturally provided, hence in every way suitable to promote life and growth in the “trees of righteousness” which have been planted by the Lord.

It seems proper to carry the illustration a little further by reminding ourselves that trees do not produce fruit for themselves but for the blessing of others. So may it not be that these are the “trees” of life which the Lord is planting now, preparatory to giving life to the world during the Millennium? In any case, we know that the Lord has “planted” us with the objective in view of our growing and eventually bearing fruit. Let us then delight in all those provisions of divine grace by which we will be able to stand, and to bring forth fruit to his glory.

The ungodly do not stand. They “are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.” These, the Psalm states, “shall not stand in the judgment.” This might well be a reference to those who profess to be the Lord’s people at the present time, but do not stand up under the fiery trials to which all the consecrated are subjected. Peter speaks of those who add to their faith all the various fruits and graces of the Spirit, and says of them that they shall “never fall,” and that they will be given an abundant entrance into the kingdom. (II Pet. 1:4-11) How different it is with those who do not “stand.”

Nor do sinners “stand … in the congregation of the righteous.” They may enter the congregation, and remain there for a while, but only those who “delight in the law of the Lord” will stand, or remain there—only of these is it true that they “shall never fall.” It is not our responsibility, of course, to determine who these may be. “The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous,” and we can safely leave that knowledge with him, knowing that his unerring judgment will make no mistakes.

PSALM 67—Viewed in the light of the divine plan of the ages, there is a wonderful sequence of thought in the First Psalm and this one in that the former has to do primarily with the development of the righteous and their preparation for the great kingdom work of the future, while this Psalm outlines to some extent what the nature of our future work will be.

“God be merciful unto us, and bless us,” the Psalm begins. This could be paraphrased to read, “God be merciful unto us, and grant that we may be among those who are blessed.” Blessed, or happy, indeed are we if the Lord causes “his face to shine upon us. It is a blessed experience, one which each one of us should cherish individually, to have the “Lord lift up his countenance upon” us, but the joy of thus having the Lord’s smile of approval is greatly enhanced when we remember that his dealing with us now is in order that he may use us as channels through which to bless the world later.

In this connection notice the sequence of thought in verses one and two. The Lord causes his face to shine upon his people now in order that his “way may be known upon the earth,” and his “saving health among all nations.” With nothing but the creeds of the Dark Ages to guide us in our understanding of the Word, how meaningless this passage would be, for in those creeds no suggestion is even hinted that the Lord will give “saving health among all nations” through the “trees of righteousness” which he is now planting. Only the divine plan reveals this great truth.

What is “saving health”? Health is the opposite of sickness. Sickness leads to death—it is the dying process. Health means life, and “saving health” therefore would denote salvation from death. And it is exactly this that will be offered to the people—all nations—through the provisions of the river of life, for the Spirit and the bride will say, “Come, … and take the water of life freely.”—Rev. 22:17

“Let the people praise thee, O God.” To praise the Lord will be the only logical thing for the people of the world to do when, in the Millennium, the benefits of “saving health” are freely offered to them. And the people will praise the Lord when the knowledge of his glory is caused to fill the earth as the waters cover the sea.

And the people will be “glad” then, too. They will rejoice in the fact that the Lord is the Judge, and that he will “govern the nations upon earth.” This should end all argument as to the purpose of the thousand-year reign of Christ. At no time in the past has the Lord been the ruler of the nations, but here we are told of a time when he will be their Governor, and that he will govern them “upon the earth.” No, they won’t be transferred to a heavenly abode for the Lord to rule over them; nor will they be dead and in their graves during the time of his judgment and reign. They will be alive on the earth, and rejoicing in the blessings which he has so abundantly provided for them.

Another great cause which the people will then have for praising the Lord is the fact that the earth will “yield her increase.” Today it is becoming a matter of serious concern to world economists as to how the increasing population of earth is to be fed. Here we have a solution to this problem—the earth is to “yield her increase.”

And then, in the Psalm, the church class again speaks, saying, “God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.” It is because God blesses “us” that all the restitution blessings described in this Psalm will reach the world. And because the world will receive these blessings, and see in them an evidence of God’s abounding love, the people will fear, or reverence him. What a glorious prospect the Lord thus holds before us for our encouragement! It was undoubtedly these same joys which were set before Jesus—the joys which enabled him to endure the cross and despise the shame incidental to carrying out the terms of his covenant of sacrifice. (Psa. 50:5) May they inspire us similarly to be faithful, that we may be found worthy to share in the glory of his kingdom and in the privilege of showering blessings of health and life upon all the families of the earth.

QUESTIONS

What is the meaning of the word “blessed” in the opening verse of Psalm One?

Are the unrighteous and the scorners of this Psalm necessarily the grossly wicked?

What does it mean to “delight in the law of the Lord”?

What is the primary lesson of the “tree planted by the rivers of waters”?

Why is the word “rivers” in the plural?

By whom are the “trees of righteousness” planted?

For what will the fruit of these trees be used?

What sequence of thought is there in the First Psalm and the Sixty-seventh Psalm?

What is the meaning of the expression, “saving health”?

When will the Lord judge and reign over the nations?

What problem will be solved by the fact that the earth shall yield her increase?

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