PSALM 1

Psalm 1, the first of 150 psalms written by King David, begins with a promise:
“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”.

And the promise continues:
“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Who was David? At age 17, he led the rout of the Philistines by slaying Goliath. David had earlier been anointed by the prophet Samuel to be king, and the King David website, http://www.kingdavid.org/kingd1.html, tells us that David, the son of Jesse and descendant of Ruth, became king of Israel after the death of the rebellious Saul, and thus began the golden age of Israel.

This powerful king wisely governed the tribes of Israel, forging them into a united nation. God blessed this man to be a valiant soldier, a great military strategist, an able administrator, a diplomat, a composer, a musician and king.

What is a psalm? The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition (Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company), at www.dictionary.com tells us that a psalm is a sacred song. But the Book of Psalms is much more than that. It is a book of praise, of celebration, of triumph over evil, of loving life because of God’s love for us.

Published: June 26th, 2005

My Sunday Examiner Articles

Home