Surprising Privilege

Read Psalm 1 here.

Some Scripture is so full and rich that you know it was meant to consider, memorize, and mull over. Psalm 1 is like that. Recently, I was challenged by the leader of my small church group to memorize this Psalm. I found it to be dramatic and encouraging.

Starting with Blessed, the Psalm begins with telling us how we can be favored, fortunate, and privileged. Yes, I used the word privileged. It is not an off-putting word when it’s used correctly. This Psalm shows us what privilege really means.  It’s not what our culture has been telling us. 

In fact, this verse is counter cultural. It implies that privilege doesn’t come by birth. Privilege isn’t about race, status, sex, or wealth.  

What if privilege is about actions? Could it be that it’s about what we do that then changes the course of our life? What if privilege really comes as a result of what we find important? Is it about who and what captivates us?

This Psalm says that blessing or privilege comes when we delight in the law of the LORD and meditate on what God says day and night! Mind-blowing! This is blessing or privilege in God’s eyes. Privilege in our lives flows from the action of delighting in and meditating on God’s law. If we are thrilled by God’s law, we obey it. It changes our lives.

The Psalm goes on to say that when we delight in Scripture, we will be like a mighty tree that’s planted where roots can grow deep and find plenty of nourishment. That’s what we’ll be like when we delight or jump for joy at God’s Word! Can you picture it? That feeling is amazing. It’s freedom, contentment, peace, purpose, and privilege. Are you ready to jump for joy?

Act and Ask

Take a minute today to listen to or read Psalm 1.  Find a few minutes to mull it over. Begin to memorize it. Internalize it.

Paint or draw a picture of what you think you’d look like as a tree described in this Psalm.

Ask God to help you delight in his law.