What we learned Memorizing Psalm 1

So my mom and I finished memorizing Psalm 1. The first in a long line of Psalms we have chosen this year to meditate on. A couple of things we have learned from this chapter we thought we'd share with you. I hope to share a bit of what we learned from each chapter we meditate on. Hopefully you will find some insightful tid bits for yourself.

First, I found that I didn't quite understand what prosper meant in vs 3. "He will be like a tree firmly planted by the streams of water, which yields it's fruit in it's season and it's leaves never wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers." (-nasb, bold word mine) Before this it talks about not walking in the counsel of the wicked, standing in the path of sinners, and sitting in the seat of scoffers. After this it talks about how the persons delight is instead in the law of the Lord and that he meditates on it night and day. So here was my questions, if we are doing all of this as I think we are, why are we not prospering? So I looked up the Hebrew word for prosper. It is a verb tsaw-lay-akh and the first definition is to rush, the second is to advance, prosper, make progress, succeed, be profitable. The two that surprised me were to advance and to make progress. We are in a stage of transition as I have already written about and sometimes I feel as though we are not "prospering" and these helped me see that it could be the journey is important and not being prosperous in today's terms. We are moving forward and we are keeping God's word in our hearts and so we are prospering. My mom pointed out and helped me realize that the tree (us) has it's season to bear fruit and it's season to not bear fruit, but it never dies. Our last chapter in life was a fruitful one and now we are in a dormant period, like a tree, but we are not dead.

Second, my mom really benefited from the last verse "For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." (nasb) Sometimes we can feel as though we are tiny and can be missed or overlooked by such a great and bigger than us God. This verse reminded her that we are righteous in God's eyes and that He knows our ways. As Psalm 121 also says, He will not let our foot slip and He watches over us both day and night.

I hope you can gain some growth out of what we have learned and shared with you. Do not be afraid of what you may learn in your walk with God and share it with others. You never know who you may help.