Leave Wickedness Behind
Psalm 1:1-2 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.
Wickedness is rather a strong word. I don’t think that any of us ever really thinks of ourselves as being “wicked”. According to my dictionary, wickedness is the quality of being evil or morally wrong. Someone who intends, or at least is capable of harming someone else.
Wickedness is something that broods in a person’s heart and then comes out in their words, their demeanour and their actions. So, might I ask you today – are you a wicked person?
At this point, most of us are prepared to cut ourselves some slack. Well, you know, I’m not that bad. Sometimes I have some bad thoughts about people and yep, sometimes I hurt other people, but “wicked”, no that’s too strong a word to apply to me.
Really? Isn’t it amazing how we want to flee to the middle ground when we judge ourselves, our own thoughts and intentions, our own actions? We forsake the black and white of right and wrong, good and evil, and we soften the blow of self–judgement with shades of grey.
And in any case, other people, well, they compromise as well don’t they? They make mistakes too. They do things that are morally wrong too. I’m not the only one, right? It’s so easy to be led astray in a world that has such low standards.
Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2)
How easy is it in this world to take the advice of the wicked, to follow the path that sinners tread, or to sit in the seat of scoffers? It’s so easy to do in the workplace, or in a social setting or even, let me say, in a church setting. When other people are behaving badly, we have a tendency to follow their lead, by stooping to their level.
The original Hebrew word used for “happy” literally means to be happy because you are blessed. God wants to bless you. God wants you to be happy as you receive His blessing into your life.
But that’s not going to happen, if you follow the advice of the wicked, or tread the path of the sinner, or sit in the seat of the scoffer. So whatever wickedness you have bubbling away in your heart, wherever you know you’ve gone astray by following wicked advice – right now is the time to turn away from it and instead, delight in God’s Word. Instead meditate on it day and night.
Because that’s where God’s blessing is to be found and that’s the only place where true happiness will overtake you.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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