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In one sense, "blessed" means to make happy. This
is a universal desire of every man, woman, and child. Who
doesn't want to be happy?
Who is Happy?
God, through King David, communicates the state of a man
who is happy. "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 seasons, whose leaf also
shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper" (Ps.
1:1-3).
David expresses happiness first in the negative and then
in the positive. Happiness is:
- not walking in the counsel of the ungodly.
- not standing in the path of sinners.
- not sitting in the seat of the scornful.
- delighting in the law of the Lord.
- meditating on God's law day and night.
Happiness: Not Walking in the Counsel of the Ungodly
All men are born into this world, innocent and without sin.
But through the weakness of our flesh, we all sin (Rom.
3:23). When we sin, we heed the counsel of the ungodly,
whether it's the counsel of false religious teachers or
worldly lusts.
Happiness: Not Standing in the Path of Sinners
When we heed ungodly counsel, we sin. Unless we quickly
repent, we adopt an ungodly lifestyle that becomes our walk
of life, rather than walking in the Light.
Happiness: Not Sitting in the Seat of the Scornful
If we walk in the path of sinners, we eventually sit in
the seat of the scornful. Darkness hates the light; therefore,
it is scornful toward people walking in the light. People
who harden their hearts against God are scornful of the
righteous, God's children.
Happiness: Delighting in the Law of the Lord
Notice that happiness is a state of mind, not a state of
affairs nor a station in life.
We are happy because we delight in the law of the Lord
--- we do not delight in sin. We have no fellowship with
the unfruitful works of darkness; we abhor evil and cling
to good; we abstain from every form of evil; we avoid evil
companions.
Because we delight in the law of the Lord, we don't participate
in sin. We don't even entertain evil thoughts.
Happiness: Meditating on God's Law Day and Night
Since we delight in the law of the Lord, we meditate upon
His law day and night. We think about the things revealed
in God's word, and live the way He commands.
Paul expresses these thoughts like this, "Finally, brethren,
whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good
repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy
of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned
and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things,
and the God of peace will be with you" (Phil. 4:8-9).
Result of Godly Happiness
Because we delight in the law of the Lord and mediate in
it day and night, we are like a planted tree, not
a wild tree. We are chosen of the Lord, a special tree that
He cares for, cultivates, fertilizes, prunes, and loves.
Jesus describes this relationship as a vine and branch.
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. .
. . Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear
fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither
can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the
branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much
fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing" (Jn. 15:1,
4-5).
As God's tree, we are planted by the rivers of water.
There is an overabundance from which to drink from the Lord.
Therefore, we grow in the Lord, standing strong in this
present age against sin, and in the age to come, obtaining
eternal life.
Because we are God's tree, planted by the rivers of water
and strengthened by Him, we are fruitful. We are
filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual
wisdom and understanding, walking in a manner worthy of
the Lord, pleasing Him in all respects, and bearing fruit
in every good work (Col. 1:9-10).
Therefore, we prosper in everything we do. Godly
men, doing godly things, always prosper, judging success
based on the spiritual rather than the fleshly.
We are like Paul, who says, "I have been crucified with
Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives
in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live
by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself
up for me" (Gal. 2:20).
Prescription for Happiness
To be happy:
- Don't walk in the counsel of the ungodly.
- Don't stand in the path of sinners.
- Don't sit in the seat of the scornful.
- Delight in the law of the Lord.
- Meditate on God's law day and night.
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