Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Reflection
If you have ever gone tubing or kayaking, one of the most beautiful and interesting things to see are the trees planted by the water. Large structures form at the base of the trunk where wide roots fill on the plentiful water. The leaves above are flourishing and spreading out into a thick canopy. Here is where the image we know contrasts with the image of the Psalm. The leaves don't fall off! What a comforting image in dry times when the trees shed their leaves in stress or in cold places where deciduous trees stand as bare stick skeletons (right here, right now!). What a delight, indeed, to think and dream in hope for not only the warm days ahead seasonally, but also the eternal aliveness of those who follow in the Way of the Lord.
This Psalm connects so easily with the power that we all know in water. From turbine-turning flow to the majority of our body makeup, present in the lush rainforest and scarce in the desert, our favorite drink to the ice we might slip on. Splashed or dunked in the rebirth of baptism, answering Nicodemus's question of "how can this be?" The Spirit makes it happen through water. It is above and below, anew and a fresh start. Easily discoverable and yet it is precious.
We are drawn up in the spiritual scoop of our maker, dripping and overflowing with the love that makes us ebb and crest. We know that is song, this image is for us to recognize the danger and dryness of disobedience and the fragility of the windswept dusty place where we try to go at it all alone. The teachings of Jesus are our watery lifeblood that hold us down and root us in the right place.
Prayer
Let us be, O Lord, a beautiful planting, displaying your presence and showing your goodness at work in us. Enable us to inspire others to live more fully within your Way. May we show the path to the water. May we, in the spreading of your love, peace, and forgiveness quench this thirsty world. Grow us up to be evergreen stewards of your Creation in all seasons and times so that we can turn this climate crisis around. In the ever-living Name of Christ, we pray. Amen.
Go deeper:
[Check out this musical version of Psalm 1]
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