The Secret of Happiness

Psalm 1

Psalm 1:1

: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2: But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4: The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5: Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6: For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

1. Psalm 1

To be blessed is to enjoy divine grace and favour, which alone brings true happiness. Happiness is the goal of every soul on earth. Sad to say, more often than not, people look for happiness in the wrong places. Not surprisingly therefore, comparatively few find true happiness.

Many believe that the more money they can lay their hands on the happier they will be: so they exhaust themselves making money. But rich people are not the happiest folk on earth.
Others believe that fame will bring happiness; so they put forth giant efforts to become famous. But famous people are by no means the happiest people either.
Still others believe that beauty will bring happiness; so they spend fortunes on looking beautiful. But beautiful people are not happier than ugly people.
Others think possessions, position, authority, power or knowledge will bring happiness. But they too fail to obtain true happiness.

We see this all around - in every country - people possessing all these desirable things and still being unhappy: or rather they are no happier than those without these things. And so we ask:

'Where and how can one find happiness? What does one have to do or not do to obtain this illusive thing called happiness?

Psalm 1 gives us the answer to these vital questions.

2. Where Happiness is not Found

To begin with this psalm lists three places where happiness is not found. The man (or woman) who finds true happiness will certainly not do these three things:

Verse 1

He will not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. In other words in moral matters he will not follow the advice of those who knowingly and blatantly disobey the Almighty's commandments.
He will not stand in the way of sinners. In other words, he will not just refuse to walk in the counsel of sinners; but will not make friends with them.
He will not sit in the seat of the scornful. In other words he will never take part in mocking sacred things.

Note the progression: first walking, then standing, and finally sitting with evil associates and their ways. True happiness is never found in such company or behaviour. The Bible says:

Isaiah 57:20

But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21: There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

3. Where then is Happiness Found?

The psalm then goes on to tell us where true happiness (blessing) is found. The blessed man will:

Verse 2

Delight in the law of the Almighty. This implies that the law of the Almighty is a gateway to true happiness. The happy man will search it out and enter in. He will take delight in studying Jehovah's commandments, and in obeying them as best he can. This is the pathway to true happiness. This is the first spiritual clue to finding true happiness. Remember it!
The happy (blessed) man or woman will meditate on Yahweh's law day and night. In other words he/she will ponder and think about the deep truths hidden in the Almighty's commandments: truths which can only be understood with spiritual assistance from on high. The happy person will think about these things and continually request understanding and wisdom from God Himself. The Apostle James writes:

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

The Apostle Paul writes:

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

3. The Results

The results of this simple yet profound spiritual formula - of meditating on Yahweh's law and putting it into practice - will produce blessing and happiness on an ever-increasing scale. Note that these blessings produce true happiness. They are not dependent on material wealth, possessions, power or fame, but on faithful obedience to God. The blessed (happy) man or woman, as the Psalmist goes on to say will:

Verse 3

Have an everlasting source of spiritual refreshment. He/she will be like an evergreen, river-side tree; which produces a constant supply of delicious fruit.
Prosper in everything he/she does. In other words, whatever he attempts will meet with success. It will produce lasting and worthwhile results.

4. The Unhappy Man

By contrast the ungodly cannot be truly happy. They may be rich. They may be powerful or famous. They may possess an abundance of material things, but in the hidden arena of the soul, in the currency of blessing, they are bankrupt! The psalmist describes the wicked as worthless, weightless chaff.

Verse 4

The wicked are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
They are without substance, without happiness and spiritually dead. Oh what a terrible picture is here presented.

5. The Fate of the Wicked

Psalm 1 is not just a Treasure Map pointing the way to eternal blessing, happiness and life. It also predicts the terrible outcome of all who choose to ignore its priceless directions. It tells us that the ungodly face a fearsome future. Consider this awesome verse.

Verse 5

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

In other words the ungodly will be condemned on the Day of Judgement and, what is more, they will lose their eternal inheritance when the righteous enter the Kingdom of God. Oh what a fearsome day that will be, when millions of souls come to understand the value of the eternal treasures they have foolishly rejected.

6. The Almighty Knows Everything

We must never delude ourselves into thinking that the Almighty is unaware of what we do: and that our good (and bad) deeds somehow escape His notice. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that the Most High can - if He wants to - become acquainted with every detail of our lives. Nothing is beyond His investigative powers. If He chose He could break into every sensitive and private area of your soul and examine every detail of your life. But He doesn't do this. He respects our privacy and doesn't barge into our private lives. On the great Day of Judgement all the facts will be unveiled. If we do not ask forgiveness now and accept salvation through His only begotten Son Yeshua now, we will be condemned on that appointed day.

Verse 6

The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous.

This means He knows the course the righteous are following. He not only knows their course, but He knows their destination. Did not the Saviour say in John 14:6, "...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

It is absolutely impossible to exaggerate the importance of this truth: that Jesus Christ (Yeshua the Messiah) is the way to true happiness and everlasting life.

Sad to say, eternal life will not be given to the ungodly. In the end, at the judgement they will be sentenced to eternal death!

The way of the ungodly shall perish

In other words, those living outside God's will shall perish. As the prophet Malachi wrote:

Malachi 4:1

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
2: But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
3: And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

7. The Perfect Psalm

Psalm 1 has been called the Perfect Psalm, because in many ways it is the foundation on which all the other psalms rest. It tells of how faith and obedience is the only path to true and lasting happiness. Believers should try to memorise this psalm. It has only six verses! Remember it contains a spiritual formula for everlasting happiness and true success. No one can afford to ignore it? Other verses that spell out the way to true happiness in this and the life to come are:

Psalm 144:15 "... yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD"
Proverbs 16:20 "He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he."
Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."
John 13:17 "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."
Isaiah 51:11 "Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away."

SBS Sermon Notes More Sermons about the Psalms

Elder: David B Loughran
Stewarton Bible School, Stewarton, Scotland
November 1997 ... Updated September 1999