433_The way of the righteous Psalm 1:1-6 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. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Some years ago, a young man stood at the crossroads—literally and spiritually. He had received two job offers. One promised rapid career growth, high pay, and prestige, but it came from a company known for its unethical practices and cutthroat culture. The other was modest—a smaller company, lower pay—but with a reputation for integrity, sound leadership, and meaningful work. As he prayerfully tried to make a decision, a verse from Psalm 1 came to his heart: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…” That verse became his compass, and though the choice seemed foolish to many, the young man chose the second path. Years later, not only did his work flourish, but so did his life—his family, peace of mind, and spiritual growth. That one decision at a moral crossroads marked the beginning of a blessed journey on what Scripture calls “the way of the righteous.” The book of Psalms is perhaps the most read and most loved portion of the Bible. They speak to our hearts in unique ways. The Hebrew title for the Psalms is Tehillim, which means “praises,” revealing the central role these songs played in public worship in the Temple. Indeed, the Psalms are not theological discourses; they are songs—saturated with emotion, longing, repentance, joy, and praise. In fact, King David, when handing over the plans for the Temple, emphasized praise and worship when he gave detailed instructions about the temple and about worship. Out of 38,000 Levites over the age of thirty, he appointed many to praise the Lord, saying, “4,000 shall offer praises to the Lord with the instruments I have made for praise.” During King Hezekiah’s reform, the Levites were commanded to sing “praises to the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the seer.” Worship through music is not an expression of art but an act of the spirit. Psalm 1 reminds us that worship goes hand in hand with righteousness. It sets the tone for all that follows by drawing a clear line between two ways of life: righteousness and wickedness. There is no middle ground. The psalm begins not with what the righteous man does, but what he does not do. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands