Psalm 1

I remember my first grade classes at New Covenant Christian School memorizing this Psalm...1989 - 1994. Most versions begin with the word "Blessed" which in the Hebrew does mean Happy - such a weak word. Happy! How about overjoyed? Ecstatic! Strong's says the word originally means to be level - steady. The Navajo talk about walking in beauty...being balanced...steady...level.
So, the key to happiness...to walking in beauty...is to do the do's and don't do the don'ts in Psalm 1.
I always had fun teaching this Psalm. There are motions you can do with it...walk, stand, sit...and a nice cut and paste craft of a tree beside a stream of water...a fruit tree which "yields its fruit in season". Ah, Trees, more than 3 columns of Tree or Trees references in Strong's. We could do a study on trees.  The Bible starts and ends with the "Tree of  Life".  Sometimes, when I pray for my list of people, or when someone asks me for personal prayer...I think of Psalm 1 - God Bless You, God make you like a tree!
The NRSV says we are blessed when we do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers, but instead we meditate day and night on the Law of the LORD, on the Torah, we are to delight in His law. I think the don'ts are easier for most of us than the do's. If we delight in the WORD of God, we will be happy? It's nice to know that the LORD, YHWH watches over the way of the righteous, except when we're not feeling especially righteous. Of course, we can "let ourselves off the hook" but quoting the verse "none is righteous, no not one." and cling to the righteousness of our Savior as our own. But that doesn't mean its ok for us to follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers. Not if we want to be "happy". I took Tziporah and Ethan for a walk the other day. Tziporah was hugging light posts - silly girl - I told her to hug trees instead. I've always loved trees...God make you like a tree today! God Bless You!