Psalm 1

Psalm 1 is one of the shorter Psalms. It's so short that I remember my mom telling me as a child that she had committed it to memory when she was a child herself. The overall gist of it is to encourage the reader toward the way of the righteous and away from the way of the wicked. I think in a way, it really sets the tone for the rest of the Psalms which -- although they vary in topic and style -- are all about what it is to be righteous versus wicked and the rewards of righteousness versus the punishments of the wicked.

You see it again and again throughout the book. The righteous man praises God, repents when he sins, vanquishes his foes, receives strength and shelter from God, and dwells with God forever. The wicked man turns away from God, revels in his sinfulness, is defeated by the righteous, receives destruction in this life, and spends eternity separated from God.

This isn't to say that this earthly existence is all sunshine and roses for the righteous man and bitter gnashing of teeth for the wicked man. Not at all! In fact, several of the Psalms reflect the hardships that the righteous suffer and the wealth, power, and prosperity of the wicked. In this way, the entirety of the Psalms is very applicable to our modern world. Those who strive to follow God and walk the path of righteousness often find themselves struggling and suffering in this life while those whose lives are overflowing with all manner of sin are sitting on Easy Street. The fallen world we live in virtually guarantees that this will happen. Jesus definitely guarantees that suffering is part of our lot (John 16:33)!

But look at Psalm 1:6 --

for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked will perish

The way of the wicked will perish. When everything is said and done and the last day is finally here, the way of the wicked will perish and the way of the righteous will not only survive, but lead to eternal life with God. In the end, that eternal life is the goal. That is what makes it ALL worth it. All the heartache and suffering ends and the righteous inherit their just reward to be with God for all of time!

This sliver of hope is what keeps my obedient heart beating and pushing me forward even when I have nothing else left and no desire to keep existing. In my darkest moments, when I am unable to find anything light to hold onto, something deep in my very bones sends out this tiny, thin, gleaming thread for me to cling to until I find a stronger foothold. Sometimes I need others to help me find it within myself (which is where God's protection steps in), but it is there despite my despair.

And I am very grateful.