Psalm 1 & 2 - Blessed Are All Who Take Refuge in Him

Julie Callio covers Psalms 1 and 2, discussing their themes and connections. She explains that Psalms 1 and 2 serve as an introduction to the Psalms, highlighting the way of the righteous versus the way of the wicked, the importance of God's word, God as the sovereign king, and David as God's anointed king. She also explores the concept of kingship in the Bible and its connection to Jesus as the Messiah. Psalm 1 describes the blessed life of a person who delights in God's law, while Psalm 2 speaks of the nations conspiring against the Lord and His anointed one. Julie emphasizes the need to choose the way of the Lord and find refuge in Him amidst the challenges of the world. I am Julie Callio, your host, and thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to tune in with me today. If by chance you want to contact me, you can do that at vab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Today we are covering Psalms 1 and 2 because I am trying to intermingle the books of poetry as well as the prophets during the time in which they were written as we cover the books of history. If you haven't noticed, many of the Psalms have a heading as to when or why they were written. The majority of the Psalms were written by David, but not all were written when he was king of Israel, because we know that he played music for King Saul. Last May of 2023, we covered the Psalms in order in the 5 books of the Psalms with one week for each book, but this year we will be jumping around as we read about David and Solomon and the Temple. We are starting with Psalms 1 and 2 here after Saul was anointed king because the themes that are found in these two Psalms are themes that Samuel spoke to the people and to King Saul about. Plus, Psalms 1 and 2 are a sort of introduction to the Psalms and according to David M. Howard Jr. in his chapter called Divine and Human Kings which is located in the book entitled The Psalms, Language for All Seasons of the Soul, he says Psalms 1 and 2 have a number of significant connections with each other, linking them together, not as one psalm, but as two psalms with interconnected motifs. Furthermore, the themes in these two psalms sound the keynotes for themes found throughout the rest of the Psalter. He lists as these themes, number 1, the way of the righteous versus the way of the wicked. Number 2, the importance of God's word. Number 3, God as the sovereign king over all the nations. And number 4, David as God's anointed king, his vice-regent. In 1 Samuel chapters 8-12 the Israelites asked for a king because Samuel's sons, whom Samuel appointed as judges, were wicked and the people wanted a king that would lead them like the other nations had. Dr. Betz, my Old Testament professor said, Saul was the people's choice, but David was God's choice, yet God allowed it and the kingship was started with Saul. It's interesting that in 1 Samuel 9-16 the Lord told Samuel to anoint him leader over my people Israel. And in chapter 10 verse 1, after Samuel anointed Saul, he said, has not the Lord anointed you leader over his inheritance? In both references it did not say king. I also find it interesting the phrase that talk of Saul found in chapter 10 verse 6, and you will be changed into a different person. Chapter 10 verse 9, as Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart. And chapter 11 verse 6, when Saul heard their words the Spirit of God came upon him in power and he burned with anger. It's like God had to change Saul in order to make him his kind of king. And we find it did not last long. I also want to remind you that in Genesis chapter 17, when God made a covenant with Abraham and with Sarah, that he said nations and kings shall come from them. Then in Genesis chapter 49 verse 10, when Jacob gave blessings to his sons before he died, he said to Judah, the scepter shall not depart from Judah. And it is a king that uses a scepter. Then in Deuteronomy chapter 17 verses 14 through 20, Moses tells the people, when you enter the land the Lord your God has given you and have taken possession of it and settled in it and you say, let us set a king over us like all the nations around us, be sure to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses. And that passage covers what the king should and should not do. In other words, the kingship was God's idea from the beginning. And we will see one of the reasons is that it is through the kingly line of David that Jesus the Messiah is born and he is the king of kings and the Lord of lords. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Amen. Now let's focus on the Psalms. Each of the five books begins with a personal psalm and then a corporate psalm, meaning one for a congregation or a nation to sing. The word psalm means praise. Dr. Bett said the key word for the Psalms is worship. And one thing we will find is there is a psalm for every emotion a person, congregation or nation can face. The Psalms are people's response to the things that are happening in the world and in their lives, and they are prayers or songs to the Lord. Psalm one begins, 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, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night. Hebrew poetry is read in lines and usually these lines build on one another either in contrast or comparison. Here we see three ways a blessed person does not live and then two ways he does live. Dr. Bett always said the Jews never, never, never spoke negatively about the law of the Lord. Then the psalm describes by comparison what a blessed person is like. 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. In the land of Israel, as everywhere, water is essential for life. My ESV study Bible explained that the picture is of a tree in a dry climate, but because it is planted by the streams of water, it thrives. Jesus said in John chapter 7 verses 37 and 38, if anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink, whoever believes in me, as the scripture said, from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. This psalm also reminds me that as believers in Jesus, our fruit will come when it is time. The ESV study Bible also made note that a tree does not produce fruit for itself, but the fruit is to bless others. Then verses 4 and 5 give a contrast, not so the wicked, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. For the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. We talked about the threshing floor with a story of Ruth, and how they would take the grains of wheat and beat them open, and then they would toss it up in the air, and the wheat which is heavier would fall back down to the ground, but the chaff is light and it just blows away in the wind. That is how the ways of the wicked are described, they do not stand, but they are blown away. Then verse 6, for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. This is what Samuel told the people and the king in chapter 12 of 1 Samuel with his last main speech to the people. There are two choices ladies, follow the Lord or not. Chapter 12 ends with, yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away. Now Psalm 2 is about the wicked nations. Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his anointed one. Let us break their chains, they say, and throw off their fetters. Now in the New Testament the apostle Peter referenced these verses in Acts chapter 4 verses 23-31 and he even mentioned that they were spoken by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David and he explained that these men were Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel as they conspired to crucify Jesus. What I like about his description is that some of these people that conspired against God were also Jews. One thing the New Testament is clear on is those people of faith, no matter what nation one is from, can be saved and one thing that the group Jews for Jesus is clear on is that just because someone is a Jew does not make them righteous. As Paul the Apostle said in Galatians chapter 3 verse 28, there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. We must believe in Jesus Christ as Messiah and Lord to be counted among the righteous. Well these people conspired against God, but is he worried? Verses 4 and 5, the one enthroned in heaven laughs, the Lord scoffs at them, then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, I have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill. Here we see that God is sovereign over the nations, then and now, and he is not worried, but he knows what is going on. Then verse 7 says, I will proclaim the decree of the Lord, he has said, Come, you are my son, today I have become your father. The Apostle Paul used this verse in Acts 13 verse 33. Paul even said that it is the second psalm which helps us see that the psalms were placed in order a long time ago. Paul explained, we tell you the good news, what God promised our fathers, he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus as it is written. And then he quotes this verse, Jesus is the son of God. The New Testament also refers to Jesus as the son of God at his baptism in Luke chapter 3 verse 22. The Gospel of Matthew also shows us the lineage of Jesus, and it shows us that Jesus is the descendant of King David, which also makes him the son of man. The rest of Psalm 2 says this, Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter, you will dash them to pieces like pottery. For you kings, be wise, be warned, you rulers of the earth, serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling, kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. This warning is for the kings to choose the way of the Lord, or else there will be punishment. This also makes me think of the New Testament passage found in James chapter 3 verse 1. Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. I bet that applies to kings too. The last line of Psalm 2 says, Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Ladies in the world in which we live, there are wars, rumors of wars, famine, politics, inflation, and so much more. These two Psalms help us to realize that the Lord is over all the nations, and all those with wicked schemes the Lord just laughs at, because he knows they will reap what they deserve. But as for those who believe in him, those who take refuge in him, we do not have to be afraid. He will protect us, he will provide for us, he will make us prosper. Now keep in mind the story of Job, which tells us that bad things do happen to God's people, but he promised in Hebrews chapter 13 verses 5 and 6, Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never, never, never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? When we choose the Lord, he chooses us. If you have heard his voice today, please don't harden your heart, don't be a part of the wicked group. Instead, let's be women who hear from the Lord and obey, and therefore are blessed.