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THE PSALMS CHALLENGE DAY 1 PSALM 1 [Book 1] Would y'all like to read the Psalms together? It would take the rest of the year and a little on into January. We could read one per day [some would have to be broken down into sections]. I love the Psalms and feel there is much to learn and much theology there. We could on our own memorize pieces, mediate on portions of it, and just read together. Comments would be highly welcome. We could learn from each other. If posted what someone else has said, please cite the source. That's just common courtesy. I really would like to do this together. I love the Psalms and feel they are very, very rich. Here is Psalm 1 Book 1, Psalm 1 The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked 1 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. I had a guest pastor once a long time ago who said that "walks", "stands", and "sits" shows a progression of what sin will do to you. You first notice is as you walk by, but can pass it by. But keeping on passing it by, then you stand still next to it out of curiosity. The next thing you know, you are sitting down participating in it. As far as "meditating on God's word day and night", Charles Spurgeon [whom I can't read enough of] says that one should refer to Psalm 23:7 that says, "So as a man thinks in his heart - so he is". That the heart is like an index of a book - it shows what's in the book. Our thoughts show up in our life. I REALLY like what Bartholomew Ashwood said in 1688 about meditation, "Meditation* chews the cud, and gets the sweetness and nutritive virtue of the Word into the heart and life: this is the way the godly bring forth much fruit." *Meditation not being the emptying of one's mind like transcendental meditation, but the filling of one's mind over and over with God's word. Repeating phrases in your mind asking God to pour the entire meaning of it into your heart." - jayne The Bible speaks of meditation many times. I, personally, don't do this enough.