Psalm 1 - Lincoln's View of God

Lincoln's View of God

William J. Wolfe has called Abraham Lincoln "one of the greatest theologians of America." He added that Lincoln's theology was profound, "not in the technical meaning of producing a system of doctrine, certainly not as the defender of some one denomination, but in the sense of seeing the hand of God intimately in the affairs of nations."

—Gospel Herald

THOUGHT FOR TODAY-

The stars shine over the mountains,

the stars shine over the sea,

The stars look up to the mighty God,

the stars look down on me;

The stars shall last for a million years,

a million years and a day,

But God and I will live and love,

when the stars have passed away.

-- Robert Louis Stevenson, quoted in My Heart Sings (ed. Joan Winmill Brown). Christianity Today, Vol. 34, no. 8.

Psalms 1:1-6

Blessing (vv. 1-3). God enjoys blessing your life, but you must be "blessable." That means having discernment (v. 1), avoiding the steps that lead to sin: considering sin (walking), contemplating sin (standing), being comfortable in sin (sit­ting). Watch that first step!

Blessing involves delight (v. 2). The Word guides your walk and rejoices your heart (Jer. 15:16). Meditation is to your inner person what digestion is to your body: you make the Word a part of your life and you grow.

Blessing involves dependence (v. 3). Your spiritual roots go deep into the resources of God's grace, and you bear fruit be-cause His life is at work in you.

Perishing (4-6). How tragic that anyone is perishing when Jesus offers abundant life! Contrast tree and chaff if you want to see the difference between the godly and the ungodly. The godly receive blessing but the ungodly receive judgment.

The psalm starts with "blessed" and ends with "perish" The choice is yours.

With the Word - Warren W. Wiersbe

Thomas Nelson Publishers

Nashville

"Used by permission of Thomas Nelson, Inc."

Psalms 1:1-6 (NIV)

¹ Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. ³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does 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 will perish.