What Is the Myth?

Psalm 1 (see below) is an amazingly informative little Psalm!  It is short, but filled with wise advice.  If you wanted to just read it, without thinking of the full message,  you would say it is a Psalm about good people and bad people.  The good people are happy.  The bad people are doomed.  And you would be correct!

However if you look closer it is much more involved. According to one exegete (Pablo A, Himenez) this Psalm has three parts: 1) It is about “the quality of life of those who are just, and those who are wicked.”  2) It is about “the communities to whom the righteous persons and wicked persons relate.” 3) It is about  “The point of contrast between “the righteous persons with a tree and the wicked with chaff.”  That is, the comparison between those who are fed by God, who are nourished by God’s word, who grow healthy and strong and enjoy a full life.  And those who do not choose to be fed by God’s word who parish with the dead leave and branches of the harvest.  

The good guys prosper because they daily are connected to the will of God.  They are “happy”— I prefer the term content — in their days.  They are happy because God is their guide through life.  It tells us that those who walk in the way of the LORD — those who put their faith/hope in God — find strength!  Their lives are shaped by their faith in God.  And, for their faithfulness to God: In all that they do, they prosper.  On the other hand, those who choose the opposite road in life are not so fortunate.  They will not find a life of fruitfulness nor prosperity. 

There is of course a  huge problem with this scenario for living.  And all we have to do is to read on in the book of Psalms to find it. Because, those who choose to follow the ways of God are not — are not — always content.  They find themselves with challenges, and conflict, and pain, and all sorts of disappointments.  Whereas often the guy who is a “jerk” seems to be doing very well.  And then the question always comes: “Where is God when I need Him most?”  Or, “I prayed to God and He didn’t answer.”  And the question are many about this perfect example given in Psalm 1.  

You see, the myth is that if you stay tuned to God, if you do life right,  you will be happy and prosper. But  then when you are faced with challenges doubt creeps in.  And your faith is challenged!   

God never promised us life without pain!

I invite you to think about this: even healthy trees, nourished by plenty of water and sunlight, go through terrible storms. 

1 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; 2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. 3 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. 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 watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.(Psalm 1)