According to Psalm one, why did the righteous man take delight in the law of God and meditated on it day and night? To understand the reason behind the righteous meditation on the law of God, we need to understand what the law is. And to understand what the law of God is, we first need to understand God’s law is a guide on where we are, and where we need to be.
Psalm 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law does he meditates day and night.” In the review of this question, why did the righteous man take delight in the law of God and meditated on it day and night? What we will discover is that the blessed man took delight in the law of God because of what it contains. And what it contains was God’s revelation and instruction in regard to God’s plan against his enemies.
When we come across the word law in the bible, we always seem to think about the law of Moses. However, if we read the bible in the light of its context and why it was given to us, we will realize the law was not dealing with the moral law or ten commandments of God, but instead, it was dealing with God’s direction on what we are to be doing in preparation of his coming. Because the law of God is the instruction of God on how to escape his revealed judgment.
Jesus asks this question of us found in Matthew 16:26-27, “For what does it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? And what Jesus was asking us was this. What will it profit a man to rebel against God and lose his life?
As he was speaking, Jesus followed up with a second question that speaks of God’s judgment against those opposing his reign. He asked, “Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his work.”
God in sending Jesus back into the world, is sending Jesus on a mission to both redeem his people, and to punish his enemies. And that is the question Jesus is asking the world. What does it profit us to gain the world, and lose our lives upon his return?
Upon discovering these things, the righteous man in Psalm one is taking delight in the law of God because the law on which he meditates day and night is God’s instruction on how to prepare and escape his wrath against his enemies.
Let us take note of the reality of the Psalm. Psalm 1:3-5 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.
However, “The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.” And it is because of this coming judgement the righteous is meditating on the law of God.
Now, because of his meditation, he will escape the coming judgement because of his preparedness according to the law of God. Psalm 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. The way of the righteous is what can be found in the law of God.
