How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers! Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; he meditates on his commands day and night. He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts. Not so with the wicked! Instead they are like wind-driven chaff. For this reason the wicked cannot withstand judgment, nor can sinners join the assembly of the godly. Certainly the Lord guards the way of the godly, but the way of the wicked ends in destruction. (Psalm 1)

A few days ago, I was having a conversation with my friend Kim about faith. It’s always interesting to hear how people believe, and what they believe. To some people God looks very different than to others. This particular conversation was about salvation. What if, Kim posed, someone decides just before death to confess faith in Jesus, as the thief did on the cross? (Luke 23: 42) What if they say they believe, but they really don’t believe? What if they are just talking to try to get to heaven?

Of course, I replied, God doesn’t fall for false confession. God knows what is in our hearts before it is even on our lips.

Psalm 1 has often been called a psalm of law, so sometimes it’s not a favorite.

I see Psalm 1 as a psalm of instruction about the world we live in, and also a psalm of grace. God guides us with the law, and guards us no matter what we do. Our wicked ways, ways that we choose for ourselves, lead us to our own destruction. We are blessed when we follow the law because God put it in place for our safety and well being. But God doesn’t abandon us if we stray. God is still with us in our wickedness. God continues to guide us by his word.

Life is all about making hard decisions, Kim concluded. We are faced with choices every day that we have to wrestle with. We get to decide whether we walk in the way of the Lord, and live in the blessing that comes with that way, or in the way of the wicked, suffering the consequences. God is with us no matter what.