Rabbi’s Reflections – Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Shalom,
The Psalms
An Introduction, Psalms 1 and 2
Part 7, Psalm 1:6
Psalm 1:6 For Adonai knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
Maybe you don’t have time to read all six verses of Psalm 1. That’s okay, just read this last one, verse six, for it says it all. Remember, the happy, blessed or “Ashre” man avoids taking the advice of sinners (simply avoid sin). To the contrary, this man (who is happy because he has avoided sin) becomes delighted with the Torah, because it is the revelation of God’s better way to live (and love).
This wise (both happy and delighted) man is then compared to a tree planted by streams of water. This is a “can’t miss” fruitful proposition. In everything, he is successful. There is a strong contrast between the joy, success and acceptance of the obedient righteous man and his unsuccessful, miserable and rejected counterpart, the wicked, rebellious and evil sinner. The one is saved by grace as a treasure to the Lord, while the other is burned up.
Psalms one and two are an introduction to the other 148 Psalms. In them we find just a few simple themes that will be repeated throughout. There is value in doing good and being obedient, and avoid the fruitlessness of sin. But mankind has a sin problem, inherited from the original rebellion of Adam. God knows we need a Savior, so He sent His Son.
1John 3:5 You know that Yeshua appeared in order to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning; no one who sins has seen Him or known Him. 7 Children, let no one mislead you! The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Yeshua is righteous. 8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. Ben-Elohim appeared for this purpose—to destroy the works of the devil.
We’ll be able to meditate and pray into that in the other introductory Psalm, Psalm 2. At the end of verse two, He is actually called by His name, Mashiach. We’ll pick that up tomorrow. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
26 Adar I Wednesday 6-Mar-24
Exodus 36:8-19 2 Kings 18 Psalm 132 Acts 1 Hebrews 10:19-39