The Psalms

Through the years, reading the Psalms has brought me comfort and hope. They can be joyful noises or bittersweet laments that are still infused with hope.  No matter what is going on in one’s life or in the world, the Psalms assure us that “God’s got this.”

I’m up to the Psalms in reading through the Old Testament and the first one struck me as good advice – cling to the Lord for evildoers will get theirs. The man who’s “delight is in the law of the Lord” so that “in all that he does, he prospers,” while “the way of the wicked will perish.” Notice that the prayer doesn’t specify that the reward or punishment will take place in this world or the next. It could be that the righteous man stores up spiritual prosperity, even though his earthly life is filled with suffering. The wicked man, whether politician or prelate, may seem to prosper in this world but the ultimate reward will be the eternity of hellfire. God sees all. 

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.

In all that he does, he prospers.

The wicked are not so, but are like chaff which the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.