Intro to the book of Psalms

• Psalms is 150 poems, prayers, and songs, compiled for the jewish people to use as private and corporate worship
• There is a psalms for every situation and emotion.
• King David wrote 73 of the 150
• Jesus treated the Psalms as a prophetic book by quoting from it 20 times in the gospels and using the text to talk about himself. 

Psalms 1 - A wisdom psalm

Psalm 1:1–6 (NASB95) — 1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.

Note for video team - On one screen put image of chaff, on one screen put verses 4-6, on one screen build out the points below

Image of the wicked

• They are worthless chaff - without value/like packing peanuts
• They are scattered by the wind - disappear/what happened to...?
• They will be condemned at judgment - the sadness of a court sentencing
• They will not stand in the assembly of the righteous - will not be welcome
• Their way will perish - forever separated

Note for video team - Keep image of chaff on first screen, put verse one on second screen, build out points below

How to become like worthless chaff

• Walk in the council of the wicked
  • Follow their advice
  • Have you ever gotten bad advice before?
    • Restaurant recommendation - Expensive, not good, not great environment!
  • The wicked have recommendations! The problem is, it is the wost advice. 
• Stand in the path of sinners
  • Live in their way
  • The Bible talks alot of about roads. Wide roads and narrow roads. 
  • This simply means, “way of life.” 
  • If you adopt a sinners way of life, it will lead to destruction. 
  • What we know about a sinners way of life
    • It’s easy
    • It’s broad
    • It’s selfishly indulgent
    • It gratifies the flesh
• Sit in the seat of scoffers 
  • Think like they think
  • If you take their advice long enough, you will start to live like them, and eventually you will sit in their seat and think like them. 
  • A mocker
    • Sceptical 
    • Critical 
    • Proud
    • Bitter

Note for video team - On one screen put image of tree, on one screen put verse 3, on one screen build out the points below

Image of the righteous

• Firmly planted (He will be like a tree firmly planted)
  • To phrase this as a questions: “Do you want permanency?” 
  • Me trying to pull up a tree from the yard
  • Righteous people are unmovable
• Always nourished (By streams of water)
  • Do you want guaranteed nourishment? 
• Bearing fruit every season (Which yields its fruit in its season)
  • Do you want fruitfulness 
• Evergreen (and its leaf does not wither)
  • Do you want to stay radiant health? 
• Prospering in all they do (in whatever he does, he prospers) 
  • Do you want to succeed in all you do? 

Note for video team - Keep image of tree on first screen, put verse 2 on second screen, build out points below

How to become like tree

1. Delight in the law of the Lord
   1. Learn it
   2. Love it
   3. Live it
2. Meditate on it day and night 
   1. Let’s talk about meditation
      1. Eastern meditation - empty your mind of everything
      2. Biblical meditation - fill your mind with God’s Word
   2. Jewish meditation involved muttering “hit-BOH-deh-doot”
      1. Saying verses out loud, muttering truths about God’s Word
   3. Pete Maravich - “finger tip control, back-spin, follow through”

Note to video team - on screen one, put the chaff, on screen two, put the tree

Closing

• Our world is faced with a choice - Flourish or Fade
• Each person is faced with the same choice.