Psalm 1:1,2 
 

Regardless of our occupation, and whether we be man or woman, we either walk, stand, or sit to perform our work. And it is also while walking, sitting, or standing that we commit our sins. That is why David in Psalm 1:1, 2 declares, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night."

The positive side of this is walking in God's counsel, standing in the way of the righteous, and sitting with those who praise God and delight in His law. Now God's counsel is His advice; and that advice you will find in His law. The advice there is that you love Him with all your being. The way of the righteous is to do that — love Him — every moment of your life. And sitting with those who praise Him and delight in His Word is being friends with those who walk according to His advice and stand four-square upon His holy law. It is enjoying their company and seeing eye to eye with them, working with them to praise and extol God's name. It is meditating in God's law day and night.

Shame should cover our faces then when we realize how little there is of this in our lives. By God's grace there is a small beginning. Therefore, we are able to sing sincerely (PRC Psalter, #2):

    Blest is he who loves God's precepts,
    Who from sin restrains his feet,
    He who will not stand with sinners,
    He who shuns the scorner's seat.

    Blest is he who makes the statutes
    Of the Lord his chief delight,
    In God's law, divinely perfect,
    Meditating day and night.

We do well therefore to examine ourselves to see how true this is of us. It will be there to some degree in every believer. But we must find growth through the years. We should strive to walk more vigorously in the counsel of Jehovah, to stand more firmly in His law with the righteous, and sit down meaningfully with those who praise and extol His holy name.

Never, no never, should we be satisfied until we are perfect, and our walking, standing, and sitting please God every moment of our lives.

Read: Proverbs 4 
Psalter versification: #2:1-2

Daily Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Song for Meditation: Psalter #219
Why not sing along??

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Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Genesis 26:17-35 ; Genesis 27:1-46 
Matthew 9:1-17 
Psalm 10:16-18 
Proverbs 3:9-10 
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Quote for Reflection:

…this aspect of the Truth is utterly ignored by the great majority of preachers and “Bible teachers” today, who instead of pressing the holy claims of God and rebuking self-indulgence, are seeking either to amuse or soothe their hearers in their sins. It is not that we are inculcating a strange doctrine, introducing that which opposes divine grace. No, those servants of God in the past who most extolled the grace of God, also maintained the requirements of His righteousness.    – Arthur W. Pink

Psalm 1:1-2

It certainly is a blessing to have one's sins forgiven. But with that blessedness always comes a life that flees from sin and walks in God's law. No, our flesh does not consider hatred of sin to be a blessing. Our flesh is happy when we walk in sin. It never wants to sing (PRC Psalter, #1):

    That man is blest who fearing God,
    From sin restrains his feet,
    Who will not stand with wicked men,
    Who shuns the scorner's seat.
    Yea blest is he who makes God's law
    His portion and delight,
    And meditates upon that law
    With gladness day and night.

Now, when it comes down to it, he who simply counts it a blessing to escape the punishment his sins deserve, and calls that heaven, does not really want forgiveness. Yes, he wants to escape misery and have joy for his flesh, but in the measure that he delights in sin he hates God. Listen! He who is only interested in escaping the punishment of sin is interested in sin. Such love self and not God. Being happy with sin and being happy about forgiveness of sin just cannot go together. You can hate the bitter taste of the medicine but be happy that it is bringing relief from a far more serious condition. But you cannot love sin and love being clothed with the righteousness of Christ. And that is the positive side of forgiveness of sins.

God, Who sent His Son to fulfill the law for us, and to suffer the punishment of our sins, not only removes our guilt but implants His love in those for whom Christ died. Such will not sit with those who ridicule God and His law. Of them David says in Psalm 1:1 2: ''Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the  ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night.''

Remember that not to keep God's law is to scorn and ridicule it. Those who ridicule His law do not want to be covered with Christ's law-abiding righteousness but simply with an armor — that does not exist — to keep them from God's holy wrath while they continue in sin. No, a sincere desire for forgiveness also wants a life that loves God.
 

Read: Psalm 1 
Psalter versification: #1:1

Daily Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Song for Meditation: Psalter #234
Why not sing along??

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Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Genesis 24:52-67 ; Genesis 25 ; Genesis 26:1-16 
Matthew 8:18-34 
Psalm 10:1-15 
Proverbs 3:7-8 
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Quote for Reflection:

… How, then, shall we judge that any man has been sent by God, and is guided by his Spirit? By “anointing; “ that is, if he is endued with the gifts which are necessary for that orate. If therefore, having been appointed by the Lord, he abound in the graces of the Spirit and the ability which the calling demands, he actually has the Spirit. And if he wish to make profession of enjoying that teacher, and if he have no doctrine, let him be held as an impostor.  ~ John Calvin

Psalm 32:7 

We must come out of our spiritual cave where we cannot enjoy God's pardoning grace. But we do need a hiding place to be safe in the midst of countless troubles, Does not David confess, in Psalm 32:7 - "Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me with songs of deliverance"?

If we are sincerely sorry for our sins — and not merely relieved that we need not suffer their punishment — we will want to have a hiding place so that we are kept from sinful thoughts, desires, and actions. That is what a spirit that is without guile yearns for. Enjoying the sunshine of God's mercy, we do not want to be enticed and drawn away from the place where we can enjoy it. We want a hiding place from Satan's fiery attacks. We want to keep clean spiritually. Clad with the robes of Christ's righteousness, we do not want to lose the smallest part of them. Enjoying God's protecting care, we will sing of deliverance and safety. We will have echoing in our souls the versification of Psalm 32 that declares (PRC Psalter, #83):

    In Thee, O Lord, I hide me. 
    Thou savest me from ill, 
    And songs of Thy salvation
    My heart with rapture thrill.

Note that God receives the honor and praise. Songs of His salvation fill the hearts of those who confess their sins. Some years later Paul wrote that of Him, through Him, and to Him are all things. That is true also of our salvation. From Him comes all of it. Through Him it all is realized. It is all unto His glory. Songs of deliverance will fill our souls. But take note of the fact that God is the one Who compasses us about with songs of deliverance. Our praise then is of the Deliverer.

How important that every day we search our souls to see how much of a song of praise there is therein for the cross of Christ. He is our hiding place but also the one Who puts a song in our hearts. How wonderful when in the new Jerusalem we shout for joy and praise Him for all He did for us. But there must be a beginning of this singing in our souls today.

Read: Psalm 91 
Psalter versification: #83:3b

Daily Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Song for Meditation: Psalter #329
Why not sing along??

Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Genesis 23 ; Genesi 24:1-51 
Matthew 8:1-17 
Psalm 9:13-20 
Proverbs 3:1-6 
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Quote for Reflection:

“Women sigh for fame.  They would be sculptors….or they would be poets….But is any work in marble so great as hers who has an immortal life laid in her hands to shape for its destiny?  Is the writing of any poem in musical lines so noble a work as the training of the powers of a human soul into harmony?  O that God would give every mother a vision of the glory and splendor of the work that is given to her when a babe is placed in her bosom to be nursed and trained!”  --J. R. Miller

Psalm 32:6

There is a time when we can find God. There is also a time when we cannot find Him and His pardoning mercy. This is not due to the fact that God is not everywhere present. Nor is it due to the fact that He changes and makes impossible what once was possible. When David wrote in Psalm 32:6 , "For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found; surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh thee,"  he was teaching us that there are times when we are not walking properly, and therefore cannot find Him.

When you enjoy the warmth of the sun, it is not while you walk in a cave or deep coal mine. Then the sun has not ceased to give off its warmth, but you have gone where you cannot enjoy it and find its comfort. So, if we do not confess our sins but continue in them, we are walking in a dark, damp spiritual coal mine where God's forgiving mercy cannot be found. God is still forgiving, but we are not looking for it, and the time for us to receive it is not present. When we have turned from our sins and then pray for forgiveness, we will find it.

Then no rushing floods of guilt will sweep over our souls and give us terrifying fear. The time for us to know His mercy is there, when we sincerely confess our sins. Our prayer is heard and we can sing (PRC Psalter, #83):

    So let the godly seek Thee
    In times when Thou art near
    No whelming floods shall reach thee
    Nor cause thy heart to fear.

Then only will these floods of what we deserve not hurt us, but the warmth of that mercy of God will flow over us. Then we will not be swept back into sin. Satan will try — for he hates us and wants to get us back into sin — but confessing our sins and praying for God's mercy, seeking God's favor with a spirit in which there is no guile, we are where we shall find these blessings from God.

Fill your day then with prayer while confessing your sins. The time is there for you to find forgiveness and heavenly blessedness.

Read: Luke 15:11-32 
Psalter versification: #83:3

Daily Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Song for Meditation: Psalter #162
Why not sing along??

Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Genesis 20 ; Genesis 21 ; Genesis 22 
Matthew 7:15-29 
Psalm 9:1-12 
Proverbs 2:16-22 
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Quote for Reflection:

   "...It is absolutely necessary that we realize that the Kingdom of God is principally established not by a man-made change in human relationships, but by a divinely wrought redemption and regeneration of the believer."  – Herman Hoeksema