LESSON ONE

THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalm 1:6 NKJV

REFLECTION

The phrase "a fork in the road" refers to a crucial time in life where you must make a major decision that you know will impact your future. What are some of these decisions that you have made in your life? How did you ultimately decide what was the correct course to take?

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SITUATION

Psalms 1 and 2, composed by an unknown author, serve as a type of prologue or introduction to the entire book of Psalms. The author invites his readers to take delight in the Lord, follow his ways, and continually strive to have a pure heart before him. Leading such a life leads to fruitfulness, joy, and blessings from God. But the way of the wicked leads to another end: futility, sorrow, and judgment. The author's message is clear: seek the path of righteousness!

OBSERVATION

Read Psalm 1:1–6 from the New International Version or the New King James Version.

New International Version

1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither —
whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

New King James Version

1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

EXPLORATION

1. What is the difference between a good person and a wicked person?

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2. What does it mean to "delight" in the law of the Lord?

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3. How can righteous people remain pure?

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4. What are the kinds of fruit that God's people produce?

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5. What future awaits unrighteous people?

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6. What are the end results of righteous living and selfish living?

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INSPIRATION

Jesus once said, "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of" (Luke 6:45)....

The heart is the center of the spiritual life. If the fruit of a tree is bad, you don't try to fix the fruit; you treat the roots. And if a person's actions are evil, it's not enough to change habits; you have to go deeper. You have to go to the heart of the problem, which is the problem of the heart. That is why the state of the heart is so critical. What is the state of yours?

When someone barks at you, do you bark back or bite your tongue? That depends on the state of your heart.

When your schedule is too tight or your to-do list too long, do you lose your cool or keep it? That depends on the state of your heart.

When you are offered a morsel of gossip marinated in slander, do you turn it down or pass it on? That depends on the state of your heart.

Do you see the bag lady on the street as a burden on society or as an opportunity for God? That, too, depends on the state of your heart.

The state of your heart dictates whether you harbor a grudge or give grace, seek self-pity or seek Christ, drink human misery or taste God's mercy. No wonder, then, the wise man begs, "Above all else, guard your heart" (Proverbs 4:23).

David's prayer should be ours: "Create in me a pure heart, O God" (Psalm 51:10).

And Jesus' statement rings true: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (Matthew 5:8).

Note the order of this beatitude: first purify the heart, then you will see God. Clean the refinery, and the result will be a pure product. (From The Applause of Heaven by Max...