YOU HAPPY 

THE RICHES OF THE GODLY MAN:  1:1-3

1. First, the writer talks about the Three Degrees of HABIT  [seen in three verbs]

a. He walketh

b. He standeth

c. He sitteth

1. each of these three verbs is in perfect tense, which means an “acquired habit.”  The person here has learned the habit of not walking, not standing, not sitting. The idea is this:  “blessed is the man that has acquired the habit of NOT WALKING, NOT STANDING, NOT SITTING.   [this person has learned to live this way.....it is not something about  which he is trying to make a decision, but it is a habit with this person.

2. Second, the writer talks about three degrees of EVIL.

a. ungodly

b. sinners

c. scornful 

3. Third, there are also three degrees of OPENNESS.

a. counsel   [hidden advice]

b. way    [more public life]

c. seat   [in the assembly]

1. in all of this the writer is trying to get across WHAT REALLY MAKES FOR A THOROUGHLY HAPPY MAN.

THE THEME:

1. It is in the plural not singular.  It could read “Oh, the blessednesses of the man.” It could also read “happy, happy is the man” or “oh the happiness of the man.” This has to be rather “spooky” for most Christians, since our happiness is the one quality that is missing from many of us.  Most of us cannot  equate the Christian life with happiness in a plural form.  This is why we need to study this Psalm to find the key, the secret.  I might mention at the outset that it is not easy and quick but it involves time, effort, dedication, discipline, devotion.  

THE PATH OF THE GODLY MAN: 

1. He is Separated From the World:   1:1

a. interesting note:  They tell us in modern psychology to always emphasize the positive;  God begins by emphasizing the negative.  The happy, happy man  is marked by the things he does NOT DO, the places to which he does NOT GO, by the books he does NOT READ, by the company he does NOT KEEP. 

b. The three verbs:   [walketh, standeth, sitteth]   All three of these verbs are in perfect tense, which means this man has acquired the habit of not sitting, not standing, not walking.  IT HAS BECOME HIS FIXED HABIT.

2. Description of this Man who has full happiness:

a. FIRST NEGATIVE:   “walketh not in the counsel of ungodly.”

1. This man here will not take a walk with a man who is espousing GOALS THAT ARE HUMANISTIC.   Counsel: refers to moral or spiritual life....thus, he avoids the counsel of the ungodly.  It is interesting but this man in Psa. 1, who is happy, is a man who PLUGS UP THE EAR GATE.  He will not listen to the advice of ungodly or line up with the purpose of the ungodly.  THE FIRST MARK OF THE HAPPY MAN THEN IS THAT HE "MONITORS HIS EARS.” 

2. lesson: God begins this book not with the power of positive thinking but with the power of NEGATIVE thinking.  The man who is happy, happy begins by AVOIDING certain things in life. 

b. SECOND NEGATIVE:  “nor stands in the way.” 

1, the word for “way” is the Hebrew word which means literally ROAD.  Used here it means course of life as in Psa 1O:5, 35:6 and 37:5.   The Happy Man first rejects the MENTALITY OF THE WORLD and now he rejects the LIFE STYLE OF THE WORLD. 

2. There is a Strong lesson here:  The Biblical pattern is to reject the MENTALITY of the world first and then reject the LIFE STYLE of the world second. 

a. Most churches practice the opposite.  They try to get the membership to reject the LIFE STYLE first without first rejecting the MENTALITY of the world.  It is fine in most churches if you do not go to movies or to restaurants where they serve drinks, but then allow you to continue to practice the MENTALITY of the world which is WANTING to go to those movies, those restaurants etc.  They will put you out of the church for DOING WORLDLY THINGS but they fail to deal with the fellow who WANTS TO DO WORLDLY THINGS but doesn’t because of the rules of the church.  Rather than telling a person he cannot do this, do the other, go here, attend here.....we need to work on his head and get him to the place that he no longer has the MENTALITY OF THE WORLD, which makes him want to do worldly things.

b. Do you know of anything more frustrating than WANTING TO DO SOMETHING but you can’t because you signed a pledge or you are afraid you will be caught and called up by the church.  When you reject the MENTALITY OF THE WORLD then the rejection of the LIFESTYLE OF THE WORLD is a “shoo-in.” Now, are you beginning to see why some churches are such miserable places to fellowship in and attend.  They are filled with people who WANT to do certain things but have given them up because of “spiritual, evangelical pressure.”  

c. THIRD NEGATIVE:  “nor sits in the seat of the scornful.”

1. seat: place of sitting down....carries with it the idea of joint deliberation. Thus the root of the happy mans life is REJECTION OF HUMAN VIEWPOINT. To be happy he carefully guards what comes into the MIND.  Listen, to be happy, there are some things that HAVE TO GO.  The happy man is one who REJECTS SOMETHING.  Notice that the Psalmist never sees GRAY but always the absolute views of the Godly and the ungodly. 

THE HAPPY MAN POSITIVELY DESCRIBED  v. 2

1. His Delight Is In the LAW OF THE LORD.

a. the whole crux of describing what the happy man is like is hinged on one little verb, DELIGHTS. [delight is the hinge word]

b. delight: Hebrew word used for ATTENTION, DELIGHTS, LONGING FOR SOMETHING.   Thus, his longing, his attention, his delight is TOWARD THE LAW OF THE LORD.  If this is real happiness, then it only comes through DELIGHTED ATTENTION TO HIS WORD.  How much DELIGHTED attention do you give to His Word?

c. law:  the word means instruction...thus his delighted attention is in the INSTRUCTION OF THE WORD.

d. meditate:  this Hebrew word means to MOAN, GROAN.  It was used of the low sound of one reading aloud...the practice of reading over and over in low tones...I might mention that MEMORIZATION OF THE WORD OF GOD is included in this word meditate. 

THE CHARACTER OF THIS HAPPY INDIVIDUAL. V. 3

1. AS TO THE INNER LIFE:   [He is settled}

a. He is said to be like “a tree planted or transplanted by the rivers of water”

b. Note the imagery...the tree is viewed as to its ROOTING, FRUIT, LEAF AGE.

1. rooting:  points to the STABILITY of the tree

2. fruit: points to the PRODUCTIVITY of the tree

3. leaf:  points to the CONSTANCY of the tree.  

c. “by the rivers of water.”

1. by: is the Hebrew word which means UPON...thus the man here is like a tree planted upon THESE WATERS....He is literally on a water table.  Thus, the man who delights in His law (word) is like a tree being planted right ON TOP OF A WATER TABLE.

2. AS TO OUTER EXPRESSION:  [productive]

a. “he bringeth forth his fruit in season.”   FRUIT BEARING

b. “in his season.”  [he does not disappoint expectation.....when fruit should be there, it is there....he never disappoints]

c. “leaf also shall not wither.”   [there you have CONSTANCY]

d. “whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”   SUCCESS...he always carries through to successful completion]

3. The Psalmist gives us then 7 things which mark the life of the man who is situated by the river.

a. HIS PROMINENCE:   he is like “a tree.”

b. HIS PERMANENCE:  he is like a tree “planted.”

c. HIS POSITION:   he is planted by the “rivers of water.”  [the droughts do not affect him...he is planted by the rivers....which is a word for a split or divide or a channel...irrigating channel.

d. HIS PRODUCTIVITY:  he brings “forth fruit.”

e. HIS PROPRIETY:  he brings forth his fruit “in his season.”  [HE IS NOT A FREAK.]

 f. HIS PERPETUITY:   “his leaf also shall not wither.”  [this man is not affected by the cold of winter, the heat of summer, the rain, droughts, too much water or too little]

g.  HIS PROSPERITY:  “whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Conclusion:  Happiness and the study of God's word go hand in hand.