During my morning devotional today, I thought of Psalm 1, the first passage of Scripture I ever committed to memory. Here is the First Psalm 1 from the Amplified Bible:
Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers). 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. 3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity].
4 The wicked [those who live in disobedience to God’s law] are not so, But they are like the chaff [worthless and without substance] which the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand [unpunished] in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knows and fully approves the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked shall perish.
As I completed reading the passage, an original psalm, a blues sonnet, written more than 15 years ago also came to mind:
Talk about a Man
Psalm 1
Talk about a man who show is blessed—I’m the man.
Talk about a man who show is blessed—I’m the man.
At first, I couldn’t, but now I see God’s master plan.
To study the Word of Life show is my delight.
To study the Word of Life show is my delight.
I’m all the time thinking about it—day and night.
Planted by the rivers of water, my roots reach deep.
Planted by the rivers of water, my roots reach deep.
By the still waters, the Good Shepherd leads his sheep.
In God, all His promises are yes and amen.
In God, all His promises are yes and amen.
I have been so blessed since I can remember when.
The Word of God soothes my soul like a healing balm.
I’m the man they talking about in that First Psalm.
I would like to comment on Psalm 1 and the first “psalm” I ever wrote as a poet strongly influenced by David, the Psalmist whose work continues to delight me. In my freshman composition course at Purdue University in 1961, we were given this prompt to discuss in an in-class essay: “May I tell you what delights me?” I completed the assignment by making a list of items that bring me pleasure: specific kinds of music, a variety of foods, certain literary works, and other delights. The professor asked for volunteers to share what they had written, and I offered to read mine. When I finished, she said, “Oh, you’ve written a poem.” I responded, “I did?” In my mind, I only shared “a few of my favorite things.” (By the way, there was a performance of the Broadway musical, “The Sound of Music,” during the time I was enrolled at Purdue.) Years later when I began to acknowledge my poetic inclination and attempted to refine my efforts, I learned that I had actually written a free-verse catalog poem in the style of Walt Whitman and other 20th-century writers. Although that experience occurred more than 60 years ago, the Psalms of David continue to be near the top of my list of “what delights me.”
In a recent blog post I concluded with this song of worship which seems an appropriate way to close today’s entry:
“My Delight is in You Lord,” featuring Christy Nockels:
The Verse of the Day for November 15, 2022, makes reference to two inseparable traveling companions that so often overtake us, particularly in the midst of the turbulent times in which we live.
Psalm 119:143 (New Living Translation)
As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands.
The Amplified Bible renders the verse this way:
Trouble and anguish have found and taken hold of me, yet Your commandments are my delight.
Despite the most intense pressures that come with the perils that we face each day, we can say along with the Psalmist that the Word of God brings us delight. A previous blog entry spoke of my delighting in the Psalms, as I pointed to other places in Psalms 119 and elsewhere that echo this same sentiment:
Psalm 119:24
Your laws please me; they give me wise advice.
Psalm 119:47:
How I delight in your commands! How I love them!
Psalm 40:8 in the Amplified Bible makes this statement:
I delight to do Your will, O my God; yes, Your law is within my heart.
In Psalm 1, the first passage of scripture that ever I committed to memory as a pre-teen, we find this striking portrait:
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.
Psalm 94:18-19 provide yet another reminder that God is the source of our comfort and delight, rendered here in the Amplified Bible:
18 When I said, My foot is slipping, Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, held me up. 19 In the multitude of my [anxious] thoughts within me, Your comforts cheer and delight my soul!
Verse 19 is the inspiration for this original scripture memory song:
In the Multitude of My Thoughts
In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Your comforts delight my soul. You soothe my mind and strengthen the depths of my heart and soul. I delight myself in the abundance of Your peace.
You are my God. I know You love me. You are my God. You’ve set me free. You are my God. You will never leave me. You are my God. I long to be all you’ve called me to be.
In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Your comforts delight my soul. Your comforts delight my soul. Your comforts delight my soul.
From time to time, we all may lose focus and become anxious regarding our ever-fluctuating circumstances. During times of uncertainty when our feet seem to slip, and we are about to lose our grip, we can turn our thoughts toward the promises of God, assured that just as He has been with us through the stormy trials of the past, so He will be with us now. Along with the Psalmist, we take comfort in this knowledge that delights our souls.
Christy Nockels expresses the essence of this message with the song “My Delight is in You.”
The Verse of the Day for November 19, 2020, comes from the first two verses of the First Psalm (KJV):
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. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
When I think of the First Psalm, I recall the first passage of scripture I ever committed to memory more than 65 years ago, back in the day, in what we called “junior high school.” I remember that Mrs. Little, the local undertaker’s wife, gathered kids from the neighborhood and told us to memorize Psalm 1.
About eight years ago, Apostle John Tetsola commented about the power of “The First Word,” and his remarks inspired this poem which makes reference to the First Psalm, the “First Word” for me:
The First Word
When you’re in a difficult situation, go back to ‘the first word.’ It still works.
Apostle John Tetsola
Though only a child, I heard the word of the Lord. Just like Samuel, I clearly heard God speak to me: I still remember the power of “the first word.”
The desire to read and to learn by heart God’s Word: Planted deep within my soul seeds of destiny. Though only a child, I heard the word of the Lord.
Early years of famine and drought God has restored. My Shepherd ever sets a table before me. I still remember the power of “the first word.”
From an early age, God became my shield and sword, As the Psalms enflamed a passion for poetry. Though only a child, I heard the word of the Lord.
The sound words of the First Psalm could not be ignored: “Planted by the rivers of waters, like a tree. . .” I still remember the power of “the first word.”
Striving toward the finish, ever pressing forward, I now fondly recall glimpses of God’s glory. Though only a child, I heard the word of the Lord: I still remember the power of “the first word.”
The Verse of the Day floods my mind with fond memories of the power of “the First Word.” Now that I think about it, that experience occurred around the same time as another related event when I asked if I could “join the church.” In order to become a member of the church, you had to be at least twelve years old. Shortly after turning twelve, on a bright and sunny Sunday morning, I walked down the aisle at Carter Chapel C.M.E. Church in Gary, IN and shook the minister’s hand, but I recognized, even then, that something significant had happened that was more than just a formality.
In the Jewish tradition, there is a rite of passage called the bar mitzvah for young men and the bat mitzvah, for young girls. This religious initiation ceremony is conducted for a Jewish boy who has reached the age of 13 and is regarded as ready to observe religious precepts and eligible to take part in public worship.
My experience with memorizing the First Psalm as an adolescent, represents a kind bar mitzvah for me connected to expressing my desire to “join the church” around the same time when I became of age. Psalm 1, which I still know by heart, continues to be a source of encouragement and strength, and inspiration, as reflected in this original psalm:
Talk about a Man Psalm 1
Talk about a man that show is blessed—I’m the man.
Talk about a man that show is blessed—I’m the man.
At first, I couldn’t, but now I see God’s master plan.
To study the Word of Life show is my delight.
To study the Word of Life show is my delight.
I’m all the time thinking about it—day and night.
Planted by the rivers of water, my roots reach deep.
Planted by the rivers of water, my roots reach deep.
By the still waters, the Good Shepherd leads his sheep.
In God, all His promises are yes and amen.
In God, all His promises are yes and amen.
I have been so blessed since I can remember when.
The Word of God soothes my soul like a healing balm.
I’m the man they are talking about in that First Psalm.
To close our time of reflection here is a musical rendering of Psalm 1 offered by the Sons of Korah:
The Verse of the Day for March 21, 2018 is found in Jeremiah 17:7-8 in the New International Version:
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Here is the passage in the King James Version:
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
This familiar passages echoes the truths expressed in the First Psalm, one of my favorite psalms.
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.
When I think of the First Psalm, I also recall the first passage of scripture I ever committed to memory. In reflecting on these two related passages, I realized that the Verse of the Day for yesterday identified the fruit of the spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23, resulting in a post entitled “Fruit of the Spirit in the Garden.” The passages from Jeremiah and Psalm 1 along with the reference to the fruit of the spirit merged in my mind, inspiring this fresh poetic response:
This Vibrant Garden Scene
Jeremiah 17:7-8
Psalm 1
Galatians 5:23-24
I have tasted your goodness and put my trust in you.
Assured of great promises, the Lord is my hope
Who strengthens my soul when I feel I cannot cope.
From deep waters you bless and refresh and make new.
Bearing fruit throughout every season of my life,
Love and joy never diminish, only increase.
Gentleness, goodness, and a great harvest of peace
Bring forth even in the midst of turmoil and strife.
Planted by the rivers as a bountiful tree,
Faithfulness and meekness rooted in self-control
Add to the fruitful harvest that restores the soul,
As fruit of the spirit abounds beyond all we see.
Even in times of drought, my leaves will remain green:
The boundless bounty of this vibrant garden scene.
We close with a musical rendition of the Verse of the Day from Jeremiah 17:7-8:
The following was published a year ago and is revised and re-posted here:
In reflecting on the Verse of the Day for November 19, 2017, an expression came to mind that I generally associate with this particular passage, and so once again we have the Verse of the Day and the Word or Phrase for the Day Combo.
Here are the opening verses of one of my favorite psalms:
Psalm 1: 1-2 (AMP):
[Book One] [The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.] Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers). But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night.
The First Psalm is especially meaningful to me in that it is the first passage of scripture that I “learned by heart.” We, thus, introduce the “Phrase of the Day.” I recall committing the entire psalm to memory in the mid-fifties, back in the day, in what we called “junior high school.” I vividly remember that Mrs. Little, the local undertaker’s wife, gathered kids from the neighborhood in a kind of impromptu Vacation Bible School in her home, which was located behind “Little’s Funeral Parlor.” She told us to memorize Psalm 1, which I did and still “know by heart” to this day.
Here is the entire psalm in the King James Version which I committed to memory:
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.
Recently I came across a discussion of idioms on EnglishStackExchange.com where someone asked if “learn by heart” and “learn by rote” meant the same. In making the distinction between these two expressions, one writer commented that “[to] go over many times is the process of ‘rote learning’; I learned it by heart is the effect it produced or the quality of learning that was acquired.” Learning by heart means to learn something so well that it can be written or recited without thinking; to memorize something.
Another writer went on to say: “Learning by heart — which may be somewhat of a dying tradition — means to learn something so deeply that it becomes part of our core: it fills us; it changes us. The difference might be less in technique than in what we do with the acquired information.”
In the years that have transpired since the first time I recited the passage, I have come to identify with the man so described as “blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable” in the Amplified Bible:
In a previous blog post I express my identification with this individual in the following self-portrait:
Talk about a Man
Psalm 1
Talk about a man that show is blessed—I’m the man.
Talk about a man that show is blessed—I’m the man.
At first I couldn’t, but now I see God’s master plan.
To study the Word of Life show is my delight.
To study the Word of Life show is my delight.
I’m all the time thinking about it—day and night.
Planted by the rivers of water, my roots reach deep.
Planted by the rivers of water, my roots reach deep.
By the still waters the Good Shepherd leads his sheep.
In God all His promises are yes and amen.
In God all His promises are yes and amen.
I been truly blessed since I can remember when.
The Word of God soothes my soul like a healing balm.
I’m the man they talking about in that First Psalm.
In thinking about the phrase “to learn by heart,” I recall another related verse which was the first verse in a set of 25 scripture memory cards that I later committed to memory as well:
Psalm 119:11 (NKJV):
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
Today, more than 60 years have passed since I first encountered the First Psalm in all of its beauty and learned it by heart, the Word of God remains deeply implanted within me.
Listen to a musical version of this beautiful psalm offered by the Sons of Korah:
The Verse of the Day for October 21, 2017 comes from Psalm 40:8 in the King James Version:
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
In reflecting on this verse, my mind immediately went to the First Psalm, the first passage of scripture I ever committed to memory when I was in grade school, more than 60 years ago, back in the day, in what we called “junior high school.” I remember that Mrs. Little, the local undertaker’s wife, gathered kids from the neighborhood and told us to memorize Psalm 1, which I did and still recall by heart to this day.
Psalm 40:8 echoes the sentiments expressed in the opening verses of the First Psalm:
Psalm 1:1-2:
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.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
In the years that have transpired since the first time I recited the passage, I have come to identify with the man so described as “blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable” in the Amplified Bible:
I express my identification with this individual in the following poetic self-portrait:
Talk about a Man
Psalm 1
Talk about a man that show is blessed—I’m the man.
Talk about a man that show is blessed—I’m the man.
At first I couldn’t, but now I see God’s master plan.
To study the Word of Life show is my delight.
To study the Word of Life show is my delight.
I’m all the time thinking about it—day and night.
Planted by the rivers of water, my roots reach deep.
Planted by the rivers of water, my roots reach deep.
By the still waters the Good Shepherd leads his sheep.
In God all His promises are yes and amen.
In God all His promises are yes and amen.
I have been so blessed since you can remember when.
The Word of God soothes my soul like a healing balm.
I’m the man they talking about in that First Psalm.
Now that I think about it, that experience occurred around the same time as another related experience when I asked if I could “join the church.” In order to become a member of the church, you had to be at least twelve years old. Shortly after turning twelve, on a bright and sunny Sunday morning, I walked down the aisle at Carter Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal (C.M.E.) Church and shook the minister’s hand, but I recognized, even then, that sometime significant had happened that was more than just a formality.
In the Jewish tradition there is a rite of passage called the bar mitzvah for young men and the bat mitzvah, for young girls. The term literally means “son/daughter of the commandment.” This religious initiation ceremony is conducted for a Jewish boy who has reached the age of 13 and is regarded as ready to observe religious precepts and thus eligible to take part in public worship.
Accepting Jesus Christ as my savior and my expressing my desire to “join the Church,” happened about the same time which I feel may have represented a kind of rite of passage similar to the bar mitzvah. Certainly, I did not realize what may have occurred at the time, but I wanted to share some of my thoughts while reflecting on the First Psalm and its significance in my life.
Today’s post concludes with a musical version of this beautiful psalm by the Sons of Korah:
Each day I try to begin with a time prayer, offering thanks to God for awakening me to see the dawning of a brand a new day. Today, June 17, 2017, by the grace of God, marks my 75th birthday. I now understand to a much greater degree the words of the elderly from my youthful days of growing up in the Church, as they expressed their gratitude to God for being “clothed in their right mind, with a reasonable portion of health and strength.” Oh, yes, I am truly grateful for being blessed with “a healthy body and a sound mind.”
As is so often the case, when waxing reflective, I also wax poetic. In many instances I have composed a new poetic piece on my birthday. In fact, even before identifying the poet coming alive inside me, the first poem I intentionally wrote was an occasional piece entitled “Upon Turning Twenty-one.” Today that tradition continues as I would like to share a birthday medley of poems of celebration: Something old, something new, and something laced with a taste of the blues:
A few months ago, a dear friend, spiritual daughter, fellow writer with a passion for the written and spoken word, Johari Parnell Mitchell introduced me to a new poetic form called the “Golden Shovel.” I was intrigued by the phrase “Golden Shovel” which I recognized as part of the subtitle of a celebrated poem by Gwendolyn Brooks: “We Real Cool—The Pool Players. Seven at the Golden Shovel.” Johari shared her excitement with having read a collection of “Golden Shovel” poems by Nikki Grimes, One Last Word. She talks about this fascinating book on her Facebook discussion “The Writing Life.” Her infectious enthusiasm stimulated me with a desire to try out this new form. Before the weekend was over, Johari had given me a copy of the book, and I left with a determination to master this new form which I later found had these stipulations:
The poet is to take a short poem in its entirety or selected lines from a poem by a poet whose work the writer admires. Each word in the line or lines is to serve as the end word in the new poem. The words should be kept in the same order. The topic of the new poem does not have be the same as the poem offering the end words.
In my haste to write in this new form, I selected one of my own pieces, not realizing that it should have been the work of another poet; not that I do not admire my own works, I simply did not think about that. As it turned out, the poem I selected was a Miltonic sonnet composed on my 40th birthday. The “Golden Shovel” I completed used the same end words as end words as well as the same beginning words in the same order, resulting in a kind of “book-end sonnet” of sorts. In any case, I had fun, and I share this work, combining “something old and something new”:
I Sing in My Garden
Oh, sing unto the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, bless his name; Proclaim the good news from day to day. Psalm 96:1-2
I sing in my garden and reap the good,
The bounty of living these forty years.
Each note seems to evoke a stream of tears
That fall, not because of some somber mood
But flow from a heart filled with gratitude.
The folk song of the farmer thrills my ears
Each time plowing, planting or harvest nears.
I compose my song, having understood
Lyrics I did not know when I was young,
When life was uncertain, my song unsure.
Now from my green garden I garner truth.
A song of conviction flows from my tongue.
I am seasoned and strengthened to endure,
Knowing the best lines are yet to be sung.
June 17, 1982
I Sing in My Garden a New Song
He has given me a new song to sing, A hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord. Psalm 40:3
Good, so good, O taste and see the Lord is good. Years, days of praise in the endless flow of years. Tears, from joy and pain fill my bottle of tears. Mood indigo rises to a brand new mood. Gratitude–Bedrock of life is gratitude. Ears placed near the lips of God, listening ears. Nears—Look up for the day of redemption nears. Understood—understand, then be understood. Young at heart: while I mature, I am still young. Unsure—once–Now rooted, no longer unsure. Truth makes me free. I am free in Christ, the Truth. Tongue—all my days I praise with more than my tongue. Endure—victory awaits all who will endure. Sung–soon and very soon a new song will be sung.
June 17, 2017
The final selection in my birthday medley is a blues sonnet inspired by Psalm 1, the first passage of scripture I ever committed to memory back in the day in the mid-fifties as an adolescent. The first Psalm, which I still know by heart, continues to be a source of encouragement and strength:
Talk about a Man Psalm 1
Talk about a man that show is blessed—I’m the man.
Talk about a man that show is blessed—I’m the man.
At first I couldn’t, but now I see God’s master plan.
To study the Word of Life show is my delight.
To study the Word of Life show is my delight.
I’m all the time thinking about it—day and night.
Planted by the rivers of water, my roots reach deep.
Planted by the rivers of water, my roots reach deep.
By the still waters the Good Shepherd leads his sheep.
In God all His promises are yes and amen.
In God all His promises are yes and amen.
I have been so blessed since I can remember when.
The Word of God soothes my soul like a healing balm.
I’m the man they talking about in that First Psalm.
From the depths of my soul, I offer thanks to God for the blessing of knowing Jesus Christ as my savior and having experienced the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. All that I write on my birthday or any day for that matter, indeed, all that I do is an attempt to express to God, my Father, just how grateful I am for all He has done for me. Recently I discovered this song which expresses in part my thoughts today, as David Huff offers “My Song of Praise”:
In reflecting on the Verse of the Day for November 19, 2016, an expression also came to mind that I generally associate with this particular passage, and so once again we have the Verse of the Day along with the Word or Phrase for the Day Combo.
This familiar passage opens one of my favorite psalms:
Psalm 1: 1-2 (NKJV):
[BOOK ONE: Psalms 1—41] [The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly] Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
The First Psalm is especially meaningful to me in that it is the first passage of scripture that I “learned by heart.” We, thus, introduce the “Phrase of the Day.” I recall committing the entire psalm to memory in the mid-fifties, back in the day, in what we called “junior high school.” I vividly remember that Mrs. Little, the local undertaker’s wife, gathered kids from the neighborhood in a kind of impromptu Vacation Bible School in her home, which was located behind “Little’s Funeral Parlor.” She told us to memorize Psalm 1, which I did and still “know by heart” to this day.
Here is the entire psalm in the King James Version which I committed to memory:
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.
Recently I came across a discussion of idioms on EnglishStackExchange.com where someone asked if “learn by heart” and “learn by rote” meant the same. In making the distinction between these two expressions, one writer commented that “[to] go over many times is the process of ‘rote learning’; I learned it by heart is the effect it produced or the quality of learning that was acquired.” Learning by heart means to learn something so well that it can be written or recited without thinking; to memorize something.
Another writer went on to say: “Learning by heart — which may be somewhat of a dying tradition — means to learn something so deeply that it becomes part of our core: it fills us; it changes us. The difference might be less in technique than in what we do with the acquired information.”
In the years that have transpired since the first time I recited the passage, I have come to identify with the man so described as “blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable” in the Amplified Bible:
In a previous blog post I express my identification with this individual in the following poetic self-portrait:
Talk about a Man
Psalm 1
Talk about a man that show is blessed—I’m the man.
Talk about a man that show is blessed—I’m the man.
At first I couldn’t, but now I see God’s master plan.
To study the Word of Life show is my delight.
To study the Word of Life show is my delight.
I’m all the time thinking about it—day and night.
Planted by the rivers of water, my roots reach deep.
Planted by the rivers of water, my roots reach deep.
By the still waters the Good Shepherd leads his sheep.
In God all His promises are yes and amen.
In God all His promises are yes and amen.
I been truly blessed since I can remember when.
The Word of God soothes my soul like a healing balm.
I’m the man they talking about in that First Psalm.
In thinking about the phrase “to learn by heart,” I recall another related verse which was the first verse in a set of 25 scripture memory cards that I later committed to memory as well:
Psalm 119:11 (NKJV):
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
Today, more than 60 years have passed since I first encountered the First Psalm in all of its beauty and learned it by heart. Indeed, the Word of God remains deeply implanted within me.
Listen to a musical version of this beautiful psalm offered by the Sons of Korah:
A couple of days ago, instead of sharing the Verse of the Day, I chose to share the Word for the Day on May 27, 2016 when we looked at the word “unflappable” and noted how it applied to us. After reviewing my notes and upon further reflection, I have chosen to continue the discussion of this distinctive adjective and other related terms. We, thus, have “Unflappable 2—more in store” on the Word for the Day on May 29, 2016.
Take a look at this definition of the term on YouTube:
The previous blog entry also mentioned the term “unflappability”, a character trait demonstrated by those who remain composed and having sound judgment at all times, being impossible to fluster. An individual described as being unflappable exemplifies “unflappability”: remaining composed and level-headed at all times, being impossible to fluster.
Other related terms include the adjective “un·flapped,” meaning not upset or confused, unperturbed. Some additional forms include nouns “unflappability” and “unflappableness,” along with the adverb “unflappably.”
Following the initial post on “unflappable,” I reviewed some notes from a previous teaching that I had heard, and I came an acrostic that I had composed in connection with four attributes of spirits of wickedness: Fear, Lust, Anger, and Pride.
Often when these negative emotions are stirred up in situations that believers encounter, we become anything but “unflappable” under circumstances where we should remain confident and assured, unmoved, but we fail to maintain our state of “unflappability.” In such situations we need to respond to the tactics of the adversary of our souls and “unflap” the enemy by moving in the opposite spirit. Although you cannot find the verb “unflap” in the Official Scrabble Dictionary, I am coining the term and using it in a spiritual context.
We “unflap” the enemy by learning to be unflappable. To come out of the cave—those dark caverns of our minds that the enemy constantly seeks to lure us into, we must move in the opposite direction and “FLIP the FLAP.” When we encounter Fear, we move forward in Faith; In situations where Lust abounds, we respond with Love; Where we find “Anger” we walk away “In Peace”; Where Pride seeks to dominate, we counter with a “Pure heart of Humility:
Fear to Faith
Fear is said to be the only thing that defeats the promises of God. In a recent blog entry posted on Friday the thirteen, I commented that expression, “Do not fear” or some variation of “Fear not” occurs 365 times in the Bible, corresponding to a daily memo from God to have no fear. When we encounter the precursors of doubt and worry that too often culminate in fear, recall the comforting exhortation to Philippians 4:6
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
We, of course, recall the acronym for fear: “false evidence appearing real” recognize that evidence is something that is seen Instead of reacting in fear, based on what we see, as believers must learn to act or move out in faith which is defined In Hebrew 11:
Hebrews 11:1, 6
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Lust to Love
In the ongoing spiritual battle that confronts believers every day, we endeavor to walk in the spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Titus 3:3 (NLT) reminds us:
Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.
1 John 2:15-17 (NLT) offers this reminder of the source of lusts or inordinate affections, excessive inner yearnings that draw us away from God’s heart:
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
In the same way that love is the perfect antidote to fear, in that perfect love casts out all fear, Love also counters Lusts.
Anger to abiding “In Peace”
In the midst of times of intense pressure and opposition, situations that we encounter may arouse anger within us, but the Psalmist exhorts us:
Psalm 4:4
Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah
Psalm 37:8(NLT) repeats this message:
Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm.
How about this statement from Ecclesiastes 7:9 (HCSB):
Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools.
James 1:19 (NIV) offers these words of wisdom:
[Listening and Doing] My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
When we find ourselves in midst of situations that generate anger, we counter anger when we walk “In Peace.” The lines from the spiritual assure us:
We shall walk through the valley in peace;
we shall walk through the valley in peace.
Refrain:
If Jesus himself shall be our leader,
we shall walk through the valley in peace
The first blog entry discussing “unflappable” spoke of maintaining the peace of God in stressful situations whereby believers learn to “Hold Your Peace.” Without question, the peace of God only comes from the God of Peace through His Son, the Prince of Peace.
Pride to “Pure Heart of Humility”:
Pride, the most dangerous of emotions, if left unchecked, can lead to destruction, as indicated in the closing lines of “Dangerous Emotions”:
Each deadly emotion yields deadly consequence.
Pride, described as the most dangerous of them all,
Leads to destruction and goes before a downfall.
In thinking about pride, I recall the first poem that I wrote, long before I recognized my poetic inclination and seriously pursued developing the poet’s craft and art. As a sophomore in college, I enrolled in a poetry appreciation course taught by a well-known poet and teacher who asked the class to write a couplet, and these two lines came to mind:
Beware, Pride locks the heart and keeps the key.
Take care that Pride has not a lock on thee.
Among the seven negative attributes that God hates, “indeed, seven are repulsive to Him” . . . the first being “A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], (Proverbs 6:16-19).
Those who walk in pride are despised in God’s eyes, but those who walk with a pure heart in humility bring a smile to God’s face: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Proverbs 18:12 tell us:
Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.
More than 40 years after the first couplet that I wrote regarding pride, I wrote another two lines with this message:
We know that when we touch the heart of God,
We show that true humility is the key.
As believers each time we “flip the flap” and move in the opposite spirit when confronted by Satan and the forces of evil, we “unflap” the enemy and score a victory: Now thanks be unto Christ who always causes us to triumph in Christ, thus being “unflappable” each time.
To close out our discussion of “unflappable” here is “Tree” by Justin Rizzo, inspired by Psalm 1, the first passage of scripture I ever committed to memory and which expresses my ultimate desire and prayer to be like the man so described:
The Verse of the Day for March 21, 2016 comes from Jeremiah 17:7-8 in the Holman Standard Bible:
The man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed. He will be like a tree planted by water: it sends its roots out toward a stream, it doesn’t fear when heat comes, and its foliage remains green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit.
This passage echoes truths expressed in the First Psalm (KJV), one of my favorite psalms.
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.
When I think of the First Psalm in the King James Version, I recall the first passage of scripture I ever committed to memory. More than 60 years ago, back in the day, in what we called “junior high school,” I remember that Mrs. Little, the local undertaker’s wife, gathered kids from the neighborhood and asked us to memorize Psalm 1, which I did and still recall by heart to this day.
About seven years ago, Dr. John Tetsola commented about the power of “The First Word,” and his remarks inspired this poem which also makes reference to the First Psalm, the “First Word” for me:
The First Word
When you’re in a difficult situation, go back to ‘the first word.’ It still works. Dr. John Tetsola
Though only a child, I heard the word of the Lord.
Just like Samuel, I clearly heard God speak to me:
I still remember the power of “the first word.”
The desire to read and to learn by heart God’s Word:
Planted deep within my soul seeds of destiny.
Though only a child, I heard the word of the Lord.
Early years of famine and drought God has restored.
My Shepherd ever sets a table before me.
I still remember the power of “the first word.”
From an early age God became my shield and sword,
As the Psalms inflamed a passion for poetry.
Though only a child, I heard the word of the Lord.
The sound words of the First Psalm could not be ignored:
“Planted by the rivers of waters, like a tree. . .”
I still remember the power of “the first word.”
Striving toward the finish, ever pressing forward,
I now fondly recall glimpses of God’s glory.
Though only a child, I heard the word of the Lord:
I still remember the power of “the first word.”
Listen to a musical version of this beautiful psalm offered by Kim Hill.
Correspondingly, here is an expression of Jeremiah 17:7-8 set to music:
The Verse of the Day for March 21, 2018 is found in Jeremiah 17:7-8 in the New International Version:
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