The Blessed Man’s Delight

Psalm 1:2 "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

This verse is a continuation of David’s description of the "blessed man".  It gives the positive attitude and direction of the man who is living in the blessedness of God. 

One thing that is important for us to remember is that to dwell in the blessedness of the Lord, it is necessary to be active.  Because our flesh leans toward those steps of which the psalmist warns in verse one, there must be an active and energetic move in the positive direction described in verse two.  If a man stays neutral in his attitude or action, he will end up slipping in the direction of those steps described in verse one. 

The word "but" shows this.  The word "but" is a conjunction that means complete opposition to the previous statement.  The man who follows the path described in verse one is not blessed, but the man who follows the attitude and actions of verse two is greatly blessed.

The Focal Point

Rather than following the counsel of the ungodly, the blessed man seeks his instruction and knowledge from the law of the LORD.  In fact, he delights in it.  The word "delight" includes the idea of desire and pleasure.  He understands that the Word of the God leads to a life of true happiness in this present world, but it also provides instruction on future life both on how to receive it and what to expect from it. 

Rather than vain and uncertain words spoken by men who are incapable of pure and exact knowledge, the blessed man seeks the teaching and guidance from the One who knows all and can perform all.  Those words bring the peace that passes all understanding and guaranteed hope for the fulfillment of God's perfect plan that will bring true and eternal blessedness (happiness).

What is the law of the LORD in which he delights?  Both the context of the Psalm and the specific statement show that it does not refer just to the law of Moses.  It refers to the Word of the Lord in its entirety. 

We are at an advantage to the psalmist because we have the complete Word of God.  However, the point is that when a man wants and looks for the revealed Word of God, he will be blessed.  The psalmist with his limited portion of the Word of God was a blessed man because he delighted in it and desired to know and practice it. 

He delighted so much in it that he said that it was sweeter than honey from the best honeycomb.  He considered its value above the most purified gold (Psalm 19:10).  He called it a lamp to his feet and a light to his path (Psalm 119:105).  He hid its words in his heart as a means of preventing his feet from staying from that lighted path (Psalm 119:11).

The Importance of the Law of the Lord

The use of the word "law" gives emphasis to the authority of the Word.  The words written are the authority of the almighty God and require complete submission.  The result of the blessing of God comes from seeking to know and to fulfill His commands. 

Those who are not blessed are seeking the counsel of men who are rebels against the Law of God and spurn His authority.  Rather than blessing, these receive condemnation and unhappiness, both now and in eternity.  The man who delights in the Law (authority) of God and follows it will live in the blessedness of God forever. 

Today, we have the Law of the LORD complete and easily available, making it possible to know and obey the law every moment of every day. 

The Application of the Law of the Lord

For a man to live in the blessedness of God, he must not only delight in the Law of the Lord; he must also meditate in it.  The word "meditate" means to be constantly thinking about it.  This does not mean only intellectual activity but includes its application.  Meditation of the Law of the Lord becomes the foundation of all thoughts and actions. 

No matter where he is or what he is doing, the blessed man is thinking about and applying the commandments and instruction of the Word of God to his life.  His delight in the Law of the Lord leads him to know it well and understand what its purpose and plan is for his life.  Since the Lord purposes only that which is good for each one of us, knowing and following His Word will result in His perfect blessing. 

The psalmist emphasizes the application of the Law of the Lord by saying that the blessed man is meditating day and night on what the Law of the Lord means to him.  Every moment of his life is dominated by the words of the Law of God.  Every decision and every action are controlled by what God says in His Word. 

Knowing, meditating, and obeying the Law of the Lord results in walking in the Spirit and living in the center of God’s will.

Conclusion

A delight in the Law of the LORD, results in knowing what it commands and promises.  A daily meditation in that Law results in the wisdom for each decision to be made in life, everyday of your life.  Choosing to obey the commands and claim the promises of the Word of God lead to peace and power. 

Peace is the result of complete confidence in the authority behind the Law of the LORD.  Power is the capacity given by the Holy Spirit to fulfill the will of the Lord. 

There is no greater place of blessing than serving the Lord through delighting and meditating in the Word of the Lord.