PSALM ONE: There are Tree People and Chaff People. Which One Are You?

 

Tree People and Chaff People

The Bible clarifies. It is like a pair of decoder glasses. It removes the camouflage and distractions and brings into focus and reveals to us what is real and true but what was before distorted and confusing. The more we read and understand God's thoughts revealed in the Scriptures, the more we are able to discern right from wrong, truth from lies--the better we become at living our lives in alignment with the Truth. The Psalms are no exception. Psalm 1 is like a high-tech decoder glasses with advanced A.I. (Almighty Intelligence).

Psalms 1:1-6 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (3) And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

        (4) The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. (5) Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

        (6) For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalm 1 sets the stage for all of the Psalms that follow. We are shown there are basically two types of people: Tree people and Chaff people. Tree people (the righteous) are planted firmly beside The Source but Chaff people (the ungodly) are not. They are moved and scattered by every whim of the wind and destined for the fire heap. Which are you? Are you a Tree person or a Chaff person?

Let's look further into how Psalm 1 and the rest of the Psalms compare and contrast the characteristics, actions, and outcomes of Tree people and Chaff people. As you read evaluate yourself and ask, "Is my life, my characteristics and actions, more like a Tree (righteous) or Chaff (ungodly)?

1. Characteristics

• TREE PEOPLE- The Righteous:

  • Delight in God's law: "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:2).
  • Stable and fruitful: "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" (Psalm 1:3).
  • Trust in God: "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles" (Psalm 34:17).
  • Fear the Lord: "The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them" (Psalm 34:7).

• CHAFF PEOPLE- The Ungodly:

  • Scorn God's ways: "The ungodly are not so but are like the chaff which the wind drives away" (Psalm 1:4).
  • Speak deceit: "Their throat is an open tomb; they flatter with their tongue" (Psalm 5:9).
  • Prideful and self-reliant: "The wicked, in his proud countenance, does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts" (Psalm 10:4).

2. Actions

• TREE PEOPLE-The Righteous:

  • Walk in obedience: "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord!" (Psalm 119:1).
  • Seek God in prayer: "Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice" (Psalm 55:17).
  • Help others: "He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever" (Psalm 112:9).

• CHAFF PEOPLE-The Ungodly:

  • Oppress the vulnerable: "The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor" (Psalm 10:2).
  • Plan evil: "He devises wickedness on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good" (Psalm 36:4).
  • Rebel against God: "Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?" (Psalm 2:1).

3. Outcomes

• TREE PEOPLE-The Righteous:

  • Protected by God: "The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish" (Psalm 1:6).
  • Receive joy and peace: "Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble" (Psalm 119:165).
  • Inherit eternal blessings: "The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever" (Psalm 37:29).

• CHAFF PEOPLE-The Ungodly:

  • Face judgment: "The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous" (Psalm 1:5).
  • Have no lasting peace: "There is no peace for the wicked" (Psalm 37:38).
  • Perish eternally: "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God" (Psalm 9:17).

Psalm 1 Application Points

1. Examine Your Heart: Reflect on whether your life aligns more with the characteristics of the righteous or the ungodly. Are you delighting in God's Word and seeking to live in obedience?
2. Pursue God’s Ways: The righteous meditate on God's Word (Psalm 1:2). Make time daily to study and apply Scripture in your life.
3. Trust in God: In moments of trial, remember God's promises to protect and sustain the righteous (Psalm 34:19).
4. Avoid Ungodly Counsel: "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly" (Psalm 1:1). Be discerning about the influences in your life.

Psalm 1 calls us to examine ourselves and align our thoughts, actions, and lives with God's ways. We are called to shrink from a wasted chaff life and long for God to "Make me a tree!"

A Prayer of Response Inspired by Psalm 1

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the gift of Your Word, which is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I praise You for the blessings that come to those who walk in Your ways and delight in Your law. Teach me, Lord, to meditate on Your Word day and night, that it may shape my thoughts, guide my steps, and renew my heart.

Help me to avoid the counsel of the wicked, the path of sinners, and the seat of the scornful. Guard my heart and mind from influences that lead me away from You. Instead, plant me firmly like a tree by streams of living water, that I may bear fruit in every season of my life and prosper in all I do according to Your will.

Lord, I pray for the strength to stay rooted in Your truth when the winds of life blow hard. Keep me from being like the chaff, driven and tossed by the wind. Remind me that You watch over the way of the righteous and that Your plans for me are good.

May my life be a reflection of Your grace and a testimony to others of the joy and peace that come from walking with You. Lead me in paths of righteousness for Your name's sake. I commit myself to You, trusting that You will guide me all the days of my life.

In Jesus' name, I pray,
Amen.