The Way of Happiness - PSALMS START

On to the Psalms.

Psalm 1:1–2 (ESV) Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

The first Psalm lays the groundwork for the entire Bible. The Bible consistently portrays two opposite paths. The path of God's Word and every other option. From Cain and Abel to Lot and Abraham, to Jacob and Esau, and on to Peter and Judas. One path consistently yields blessing, the other path only harm and destruction. 

The first word in the Psalm is "Blessed." It's the Bible's word for "happiness" I love how God gives us the path of happiness.  The Lord wants us to find the right kind of happiness.  God doesn't withhold it, God doesn't dangle it before us like a carrot. But He gives one clear statement here about how to find true and lasting happiness. 

The first key to finding happiness is to NOT SEEK HAPPINESS. Notice that it doesn't say, "Blessed is the man who seeks blessings." It says, "Blessed is the man who delights in the law of the Lord ... and meditates (on it)".

Isn't that interesting? If you want to be happy, stop searching for happy and start thirsting for God's Word. The byproduct of loving God's Word is happiness. The result of a life directed toward and saturated in God's Word leads to a life filled with blessing and prosperity (see verse 3).

You say, "How can I learn to love God's Word?" The same as you do anything.  You invest time in it and read it, study it, learn it, absorb it. It's like a new TV show. At first you start watching it not sure you like it, then you give it another try, and then a few more, before you know it you're hooked and you're anticipating the show every week. Or a new game. You play it once, its okay, you play it again, you like it more. Eventually you're consumed by it. 

But the difference with TV shows and games is they never truly produce happiness. In fact most games and TV shows are dark. God's Word is light. And the more you love it the more it produces the kind of life everyone chases but never finds. Happiness in God.