December 2025

Hello Family,

I don’t know about you but I don’t use the Psalms very much at all, not as much as I used to anyway.

Okay, I can hear the loud gasps of consternation and disbelief!

So, I thought I would re-engage with the Psalms and bring you along with me for the ride.

Here goes…

The overview of the first section of the Psalms praise God for his justice, express confidence in God’s compassion,

recount the depravity of humanity, plead for vindication and ask God to deliver them from their enemies.

The writers also talk about the blessedness of the forgiven sinner and portray God as a shepherd.

Psalm1

The Righteous and the Ungodly

     Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand

around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of

the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along

the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and

they prosper in all they do.

     But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.

They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no

place among the godly. For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,

but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

This Psalm, anonymously written, is a spiritual guide that shows us the consequences of our choices.

The imagery of the fruitful trees and the scattered chaff shows that we can either flourish through choosing to be

faithful to God or be blown away through unfaithfulness, choosing not torely on God. It reminds us to focus on God's law,

Scripture, and remain on the righteous path, under God's watchful eyes.

The final verse reassures us that God watches over the way of the faithful, but the way of the wicked will perish.

This verse underlines the theme of divine judgment and the ultimate fate of both the faithful and the wicked.

This is a beautiful, powerful, and deeply introspective Psalm. It forms an important framework for the rest of the Psalms

in how we think and speak of/to God. It vividly contrasts the way of the faithful and the way of thewicked, setting out

the rewards for following the Scripture, the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the consequences of choosing to reject God.

Denise

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