How to be Blessed – Psalm 1:1-6

Text: Psalm 1:1-6

We Christians sort of throw the word “blessed” around somewhat flippantly, don’t we?

• “How are you?” “Oh, I’m blessed.”
• “Have a blessed day.”
• “Bless you.”
• “He’s been a real blessing to me.”

It’s definitely a powerful word, but sometimes using a word too much, especially without thinking about it, robs it of its true significance.

Of all the words he could’ve chosen, the psalmist uses “blessed” as the first word of the first psalm:

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.  (Psalm 1:1-6)

What does it mean to be blessed?

Sometimes we associate it with material prosperity… “The Lord has blessed us with so many things.”

Or maybe physical well-being… “I’m blessed to be cancer-free.”

There’s nothing wrong with using it like that, but blessed is so much richer.

In this psalm it means to be favored by God.

It means to live the life God called you to live.

It’s related to the word “happy,” but it’s so much richer than the fickle, tied-to-today’s-fortunes kind of happiness that characterizes many folks.

The psalmist makes it quite clear: the blessed person is the one who avoids the choices of the wicked but instead chooses to delight in God’s law.

God always blesses that person.

• Will he be rich? Probably not.
• Will his health be good? Not always.
• Will his life be struggle-free? Rarely.

But he’s blessed.

God always blesses those who seek him more than anything else.

If you’re looking for this, you won’t find it in a financial windfall or a clean bill of health or a streak of good luck.

You’ll find it when you seek God above everything else.