I’m reading an NLT at the moment and loving it – just FYI.
Generally, I’m a New American Standard type of gal, mostly because I like how it dove tails into a concordance? But honestly, I am really jamming how dynamic the New Living Translation is right now.
And yes, I’m aware this makes me sound like a total Bible Nerd.
Anyway, my child doesn’t like to go to sleep at the moment, unless I’m sitting in the corner of her bedroom.
So that’s what I’ve been doing, and I cottoned on to this being a good time to sit and read my bible, so last night that’s what I did, and I rested on Psalm 1.
Back in primary school, we used to have this once a year thing called ‘Oral Mastery’ and basically it meant we had to learn a Poem, a Psalm and a Speech and present them for the teacher.
The teachers would give you a list of Psalms that you could memorise, which I think was because no one wants to attempt Psalm 119, and if you picked Psalm 117 that made you a bit of a cheat?
Regardless, Psalm 1 has historically gone over my head, because it was one of those Psalms we were encouraged to learn for Oral Mastery and so I sort of rolled my eyes in the kind of ‘Oh yeah, I know this one’ of way when I heard it.
But last night I guess I spent some time, proactively trying to shake off that sense of familiarity and I actually found it really, really awesome!
So I figured I’d share some thoughts with you on my reflections of Psalm 1 (NLT).
Verses 1-2
‘Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advise 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.’
Something I’ve always loved about these verses is that they talk poetically of posture. Don’t ‘follow, stand, or join.’ and in the New American it talks about don’t ‘walk, stand, or sit.’
It is talking about where you position yourself, what you’re a participant in. And basically for me this is an encouragement to be careful of what I am participating in.
The pattern of scripture has always been a choice of Kingdoms. Light or Darkness. God or pagan belief. God reminding his people to be faithful.
In these verses I love the encouragement to position ourselves in the Law – in God’s commandments, the ways of his Kingdom. And not just nod our heads and tick the boxes, but to meditate on it.
To have it rolling around like a gobstopper in our mouths all day long as we appreciate layer after layer after layer of its spectacular colours, design and glory.
Verses 3
‘They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit in each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.’
If you talk to me for five seconds about God or theology you will know how much I love a good garden/plant metaphor in the Bible. And that’s what I love about this one verse. It is packed with two really punchy revelations for me.
- When we are planted along the riverbank, we never have far to go
This reminds me of a song I love called ‘Cactus in the Valley’ by Lights, which is about closeness and distance from God.
I never meant to wither
I wanted to be tall
Like a fool left the river
And watched my branches fall
Old and thirsty, I longed for the flood
To come back around
To the cactus in the valley
That’s about to crumble down
And wipe the mark of sadness from my face
Show me that your love will never change
If my yesterday is a disgrace
Tell me that you still recall my name
So, the storm finally found me
And left me in the dark
In the cloud around me
I don’t know where you are
If this whole world goes up in arms
All I can do is stand
And I won’t fight for anyone
Until you move my hand
And wipe the mark of madness from my face
Show me that your love will never change
If my yesterday is a disgrace
Tell me that you still recall my name
I love this song because it talks about the life and flourishing that comes from being close with God. The longing to be known by him, and the futility of this world, and true life that only comes from relationship with our creator.
The idea of the Cactus in the Valley reminds me of Psalm 1 – and the very fact that when we are planted beside the river, we never have far to go in crisis. We are always sustained and upheld by him.
The second thing that stuck me about this verse was the promise to bear fruit in each season.
This is because this verse doesn’t say ‘every season will be summer.’ it says that in every season, we will bear fruit, so in light of the winter and fall seasons, we will still bear fruit and be upheld. That our leaves will never wither as they should do in the winter and falls in our lives.
Verse 4-6
‘But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. They will be condemned at the time of judgement. 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.’
What I love about this last bit is that it sort of returns to the imagery used at the start of the Psalm.
We are back to positioning again, back to the question of our participation.
Are we on a path of godliness, or a path of sinning? And I suppose this is a very good question to ask ourselves, quietly, each day with our activities.
In today’s culture, we have almost but removed sin from our vocabulary.
In a world of relativity, subjectivity and post modernity – where everything is ‘you do you’ and a culture of tolerance, the idea of there being actual, real life ‘sin’ is kind of weird. Even to Christians.
I guess this was a reminder for me, as I read it, to consider my path. Is it a godly one?
Or is it one of my own desires? My own thoughts? My own reasoning? My own wisdom?
And to look very seriously at what I am participating in.
I am seriously loving the New Living Translation, and to some extent my quiet time to read it while my child is falling asleep, and hope you enjoyed a little of my thoughts this morning x
brighteyesbigworld 