“Like a Tree”                                     

                                     January 14, 2007

 

 

  - Psalm 1

 

“Kingdom Perspective” – 2007

 

 

Psalms…

 

  - songs accompanied by stringed instruments

 

  - use repetitive parallel expressions

 

            synonymous – 105:23

                        Then Israel entered Egypt.

                        Jacob sojourned in the land.

 

            antithetical – 90:6

                        In the morning it flourishes and is renewed.

                        In the evening it fades and it withers.

 

            emblematic – 103:13

                        As a father pities his children,

                        So the Lord pities those who fear Him.

 

  – largest collection of ancient, lyrical poetry in existence

 

   …types of psalms…

 

  - individual laments

 

  - national laments

 

  - thanksgiving psalms

 

  - descriptive praise psalms

 

  - messianic psalms

 

 

   …use images, symbols, figures, emotive vocabulary

 

Psalm 1…

 

We have 2 options as to how to live:

 

   - godly manner

 

   - ungodly manner

 

“Blessed” – “happiness” or “joyfulness” ?

 

 

1 – progression from casual influence of the ungodly to a collusion

            with them in their scorn against the godly

 

Ungodly –

 

Sinners –

Scorners –

 

…“omissions” make way for “commissions”

 

 

2 – does my influence come from God / His Word OR something else?

 

 

Psalm 17:4 - …by the word of Your lips I have kept myself

     from the ways of the violent.

 

“If you are pleased that there is a God,

shouldn’t you be pleased to have and obey His Word?”