Read: Psalm 1
Watch: https://bibleproject.com/videos/blessing-and-curse/
Psalm 1 opens the beautiful book of songs with a timeless, universal question: “Who is truly blessed? Who is genuinely good?” The answer, immediately provided, is the one who delights in the way of the Lord. As the NLT beautifully puts it, “Oh, the joys of those…”
In the Bible, being “blessed” signifies experiencing God’s profound favor, mercy, and grace. This results in a state of deep contentment and joy that transcends all circumstances. It’s not primarily about material wealth or worldly success, but rather a secure, spiritual abiding in God Himself. This includes the incredible gifts of sin’s forgiveness, an unshakeable inner peace, and a vibrant, growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Hundreds of years later, Jesus Himself expanded upon this very question of “who is truly blessed” in what we know as the Beatitudes. He declared, “Blessed are…
- …the poor in spirit…
- …those who mourn…
- …the meek…
- …those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…
- …the merciful…
- …the pure in heart…
- …the peacemakers…
- …those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake…”
Psalm 1, written centuries before Jesus’ earthly ministry, starkly contrasts those who delight in God with those who follow the way of death. The message is remarkably simple: Blessed, indeed full of joy, are those who delight (take deep joy) in the Lord. Conversely, the path of those who do not trust in the Lord—the wicked—ends in destruction, both in this life and the next.
This leaves us with a critical, personal question: Which path do you choose?
Pray: Psalm 1
Discussion questions:
- Given that choosing the path of delight in the Lord is contrasted with the path of destruction, what are some subtle, daily choices or habits that might unknowingly pull a believer onto the “path of the wicked” (even if they don’t see themselves as “wicked”)? How can the act of “delighting in the law of the LORD” serve as a proactive safeguard against drifting onto that destructive path?
2. Reflect on a time when you experienced deep contentment or joy despite challenging circumstances. How did that experience align with (or diverge from) this biblical definition of “blessed,” and what did it teach you about God’s favor?
3. Psalm 1 describes delighting in the law of the Lord, while the Beatitudes speak of being poor in spirit, mourning, meek, merciful, and so on. How do these two seemingly different descriptions of blessedness complement each other? What does “delighting in the way of the Lord” look like when you are, for instance, “mourning” or “persecuted for righteousness’ sake”?