The Bible introduces us to the world as it actually is.
A couple of years ago, I excitedly texted a friend about a book I had ordered and was eagerly awaiting in the mail. I was looking forward to receiving this particular volume and considering the ways I could learn from its contents. The friend I was texting with had already read the book, and in response to my excitement said, “You’re about to enter the Wardrobe.”
His reference to C.S. Lewis’ beloved classic, The Chronicles of Narnia, implied that there was another world to enter through reading this book; a world of thought, another place of ideas and history. Good books do this to us. They introduce us to another world, or another way to see the world as it actually is. In the case of Scripture, specifically the Psalms, we are introduced to the world as it actually is.
Scholars of the Old Testament point out that Psalm 1 functions as something of a gateway for the remainder of the book. Its structure and contents, promises and warnings, serve as an entryway for the blessed life God has for us. This life described in song and poetry is filled with abundance should we follow his commands and live out of love for him.
The godly person is blessed by delighting in the law of the Lord. (If you are curious as to what that might be, check out Micah 6:8 or Deuteronomy 6:4-6.) They meditate on it day and night. This delight comes from understanding that God’s law is for our good and upbuilding.
Those who do this are considered blessed. They are an image of abundance. They are securely planted by streams of living water. Ever nourished and supplied with life resulting in bounty.
The conclusion of this psalm details the most beneficial outcome: our way (that is, our walk of life) is known by God. Even when feelings of lostness and forgottenness overwhelm us, we know the truth is that He knows our way because it is His way; the way of His commands. We know that we are known by God.
When we enter the gateway of Psalm 1, we find a world saturated with God. We read of journeys to Jerusalem, rivers and forests that clap for God, prayers for rescue, longings for justice, the riches of Yahweh’s kingship. It is a reality of which we constantly need reminding. Our good God, the constructor of this Wardrobe-like Bible, has given us that reminder if we but read, meditate on, and obey His commands. For we are more abundant in our obedience.
Will Stockdale is a Ministry Associate in Washington, D.C. and co-host of The Will & Rob Show.
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