Psalms 1:1, commentary and pictures

The truly happy person refuses the advice, influence and company of those who oppose God, will not follow the sinful way of life, and will not join with those who mock sacred things but keeps apart from evil counsel, wrong conduct and scornful association. Walking in that counsel is the first downward step that leads to standing with sinners and finally to settling down among scoffers. Companions shape character because the natural heart tends downward, so joining with the skeptical and vile makes a person like them, while choosing pure, holy and God-fearing companions restrains evil and builds sound character. Such a person finds delight in the law of the Lord and thinks upon it continually day and night. He becomes like a tree planted by streams of water, deeply rooted and firm through trial, bringing forth fruit in its season with unfading life and prospering in what he does.

Blessed Separation Explained

Blessedness belongs to the person of true principle who stays on the path of uprightness by refusing the advice, influence and company of the ungodly, by not following the way of sinners, and by not joining the scornful, keeping apart from evil counsel, sinful conduct and mocking company. That separation from sin belongs with keeping God's laws as safeguards for the mind, while delight in God's law and continual meditation sustain lasting fruitfulness under the Lord's care in contrast to the ungodly. Blessing is tied to avoiding ungodly counsel and restoring God's law to its rightful place as the foundation of faith and godliness, and in testing time that delight holds faith steadfast like an evergreen in winter while the half-hearted and hypocritical yield.

Walking in the counsel of the ungodly is the first downward step, leading toward standing in the way of sinners and then sitting in the seat of the scornful. Companions shape character because the tendencies of the natural heart are downward, so associating with people of questionable morals and bad principles and practices soon brings walking in the same path and adopting their principles and ways. He who associates with the skeptic soon becomes skeptical, and he who chooses the companionship of the vile will most assuredly become vile, while choosing pure, holy, God-fearing companions who lead to truth, duty and holiness helps restrain evil tendencies and form sound character. Choosing bad companions exposes the mind to their influence, corrupts principles and affections, and can draw a person away from love of Bible truth and God, whereas associating with the pure, the thoughtful and the amiable has a most salutary effect.

The ungodly counsel against God's truth, live in sin, and scorn sacred realities, without spiritual discernment about God's work, what should be done, and what God is doing for this time. Standing in the way of sinners means living in disobedience and ungodliness and failing to live the truth, even following a disobedient example. Sitting among the scornful describes the proud, unsubdued and unhumble who walk contrary to God, ready to condemn and judge others. They criticize efforts to help others while showing no concern or love for souls and doing no work to save them, refuse to humble their hearts, confess sins and accept the help Christ offers, and by repeatedly rejecting appeals and making light of the message harden their hearts, carry away guilt, continue to dishonor God, and lose the salvation, blessings and victories available to them. Those employed in the transforming work of God must therefore not enter alliance with those who do not know the truth, hear their counsel, or follow plans suggested by unbelievers, since such suggestions weaken God's appointed instrumentalities and set Christ's counsel at naught, and workers must instead obey orders from above.

Those who receive the Holy Spirit and love God and receive light recognize that people who disregard and speak against solemn spiritual truths and reject God's light occupy the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the way of sinners, and sit among the scornful. Among such company they feel a chilling atmosphere and chilling influence because solemn realities are unappreciated and spoken against. The verse thus distinguishes the godly from the ungodly, contrasting the righteous way under the Lord's knowledge and care with the ungodly who are like driven chaff. The ungodly will not stand in the judgment nor in the congregation of the righteous, because the Lord knows the way of the righteous but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Fruitfulness Through God's Law

The blessed life does not stop with separation from evil but turns positively to delight in the Lord's law and to meditation upon it continually, day and night. With the mind of Christ, keeping God's commandments and His words becomes the soul's delight, bringing enduring spiritual fruit and prosperity. Such a person is like a tree planted by streams of water, rooted and well-watered, that brings forth fruit in its season. Its leaf does not wither but remains flourishing and green, and whatsoever is done prospers.

The tree means faith rooted deeply in Christ and remaining firm through trials. Like an evergreen in winter, the true Christian remains steadfast when opposition and persecution come, while the half-hearted and hypocritical yield. Keeping God's laws is part of that separation from sin, safeguarding and protecting the mind from Satan's influence, since disobedience places a person where the enemy can work through him.

Restoring God's law to its rightful place as the foundation of faith and godliness, rather than relying on human teachings and theories, is essential to renewed faith and godliness. The book of nature and the written word shed light upon each other to make God known by teaching His character and the laws through which He works. Meditation day and night on the truths of God's Word nourishes the soul and belongs to a life of studying, receiving, and practicing the Word.

Choosing Godly Company

Choosing companions who fear the Lord leads to truth, duty, and holiness, and associating with the pure, the thoughtful, and the amiable has a most salutary effect that helps form sound character and restrain evil tendencies. Choosing bad companions exposes the mind to their influence, corrupts principles and affections, and can draw a person away from love of Bible truth and God. Walking in the counsel of the ungodly is the first step toward standing with sinners and sitting among the scornful, because the tendencies of the natural heart are downward. Those who associate with men and women of questionable morals, bad principles and practices will soon walk in the same path, for he who associates with the skeptic will soon become skeptical, and he who chooses the companionship of the vile will most assuredly become vile.

Ungodly counsel is an agency Satan uses to deceive and lead people from God. It may come in pleasing, flattering forms and leave people with an outward form of godliness but no real connection with God. Those employed in the work by which the world may be transformed must not enter into alliance with those who do not know the truth, and must not hear their counsel or follow plans suggested by unbelievers. Unbelievers do not know the Father or the Son and have no spiritual discernment about the character of God's work, about what should be done or not done, and about what God is doing for this time. Their suggestions weaken the power of God's appointed instrumentalities, and accepting such suggestions sets the counsel of Christ at naught, so workers must instead obey the orders that come from above.

Blessing comes from refusing close companionship with the ungodly, and this applies to students at school. Students who have had religious teaching at home and are ignorant of the vices of society are in danger when they become most intimate with those whose minds are cast in an inferior mold and whose advantages for mental culture and religious training have been very limited. By mingling in the society of this class and breathing an atmosphere that is not elevating but tends to lower and degrade the morals, they sink to the same low level as their companions. Very many who leave their homes innocent and pure become corrupted by their associations at school, joining in delight in idle excitement and demoralizing influence. The blessed person avoids the influence and company of the ungodly, sinners, and those who scorn what is pure and right, yet fear of ridicule can lead young people to yield to temptation and follow the ungodly way. Mothers should therefore teach and model how to remain upright despite scorn, choosing duty to God over human approval and refusing to sacrifice truth for conformity.

The blessed person stays away from scoffers and scorners and their gatherings. This includes avoiding gatherings where others would use that person's presence to humiliate them or show contempt for faith, especially when presence would invite contempt for faith and stir up unholy feelings. The warning is to avoid such assemblies rather than joining their controversy. Standing in the way of sinners means refusing to follow their course, turning away from that path, remaining on the path of uprightness without turning aside under the influence of evil, and making straight paths for one's feet. Blessing belongs to the person who does not join sinners in their way of life, for walking in the way of sinners means living in disobedience and ungodliness. Standing in the way of sinners is applied to those who fail to live the truth, to younger children following a brother's disobedient example with the youngest following his brother, and to John, who through his present conduct must turn from it. Sitting among the scornful describes those who criticize efforts to help others while showing no concern or love for souls and doing no work to save them.