Psalm 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
How is the blessed person like a tree? What image does that comparison plant in your mind?
Reflect
Without water, a tree can’t thrive. The mightiest oak or the tallest redwood will eventually die if its source of water isn’t replenished. But in world’s rain forests, you can hardly keep things from growing. The abundance of water means an abundance of life because everything has what it needs to flourish. Psalm 1 teaches us that the blessed will thrive because of their proximity to God’s abundance.
Jeremiah 17:7–8 makes a similar comparison, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Several years ago, Texas went through a horrible drought. The shores of our lakes grew as the water line receded. Plants and trees withered, and the landscape was dry and brown. There were cracks in the ground large enough that you risked twisting an ankle if you didn’t watch where you step.
When the rain finally returned the next spring, it was amazing to see life return. The grass was lush and green and the flowers bloomed. It was a good reminder for all of us who are blessed with water coming out of a faucet that its true source is the rain that’s a gift from above.
Droughts remind us that any sense of control we have is an illusion. God sends the rain that fills the streams, both literally and metaphorically. But we don’t need to fear the drought, because the Lord has planted us where we can flourish. We can trust in his care and know that however hot the sun, or scorching the winds, our roots will find water to sustain us.
Any fruit we produce is also a result of God’s blessing. We can strain and strive, but growth is not something we can muster in our own strength. It is the result of God’s work in our lives. We can put ourselves in the flow of his grace by meditating on his Word, but the fruit we produce owes its existence to him. It will come in the season determined by God.
There is a deep truth to be enjoyed here in Psalm 1, we will prosper and flourish under the divine Gardener’s care. Our source of life will never dry up, so we will never wither and fade. Our God is faithful and our trust is in him.
Respond
Pray through Psalm 1:1–3. How does this image make you feel?
What would it mean for you to not fear the heat and the drought? Is there something in your life that you are worrying about? Share your concerns with God and find comfort and confidence in Psalm 1.
Is the Lord producing fruit in your life during this season? What kind? How are you growing in love for God and others?
Praise the Lord for his faithfulness and provision in your life.