1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Blessed, highly favored, is the man who doesn't move in wickedness, linger in sin, or settle into a position of mocking God. Instead, this man finds delight in God's laws. (Interesting, isn't it, that not taking pleasure in what God requires of His followers eventually leads to mocking Him?) He meditates on God's laws constantly and is still delighted with them.
Meditating on God's laws is like putting down roots in it. Putting down roots in the soil of God's law (His word, the Bible) gives us a way to be sustained by Him. Just as natural plants pull in water through their roots, our knowledge of the Bible is a root through which the Living Water, Jesus, can flow into our hearts and sustain us.
When we are being sustained by the Living Water, we will yield our fruit in season. This is much simpler than it first seems. Just as an apple tree produces apples in apple season, we will produce patience in a season of waiting, joy in a season of trial, and so on.
Also as a product of drinking in the Living Water, our "leaf does not wither." Leaves are a sign of life. As long as our roots absorbing the Living Water, we will truly be alive.
When we are living out God's law, a method of allowing the Living Water to sustain us, everything we do prospers. We won't necessarily prosper on earth, but actions of obedience always increase heavenly prosperity.
The root system of a tree is its lifeline. But unbelievers don't have have the lifeline believers do. Therefore, they are like chaff. Because chaff has no roots, it has no life source and no way to anchor itself to anything. It is blown every which-way by the wind. In the same way, unbelievers are unstable and driven by the lusts of their flesh, because they are spiritually dead and have no anchor.
It takes a heart rooted in Christ to stand with the righteous in the judgement. Just as a tree with deep, solid roots stands more firmly than chaff when a hurricane comes, those of us who have grown a deep root system in God will stand more firmly than unbelievers in the day of God's wrath.
The LORD is protecting His trees. The chaff, however, will be burned in the lake of fire.*
*Matthew 3:12, Luke 3:17, Revelation 20:15
