April 23, 2023 – Psalm 1

Lesson Date: April 23, 2023

Focal Scripture Passage: Psalm 1:1-6

AIM: To lead students to discuss what it means to follow the two paths of life described in Psalm 1, and to encourage them to choose the right path.

Before class: Read the notes on Psalm 1 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Locate a picture of a large tree growing beside a body of water.  Pop some popcorn and collect one tiny piece of the popcorn husk.  Bring that to class.  For Option 2 below, if you have a student with a “dramatic flair,” enlist him or her to tell the introductory story found on page 30 of the Sunday School Member Quarterly.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Option 1: Ask the students if they have ever gone to the grocery store checkout to find several lanes filled with customers waiting to check out.  Ask: “How do you decide which lane to get in?” (they probably choose the one they think will be the shortest).  Ask: “Does that always work out for you?  Does your lane always move faster than the others?” (no, many times the lane we choose stops moving while customers in other lanes check out quickly and leave the store before we do).  Stress the fact that the choice we make determines the outcome or result.

Tell the students the same thing can happen in a highway traffic jam: we choose the lane we think is best, but often the other lane moves while we sit still.  Our choices have consequences.  Unfortunately, when we choose a lane, we don’t know what the outcome will be.

Option 2 – Tell the introductory story found on page 30 of the Sunday School Member Quarterly, or call on the student you previously enlisted to tell it.

For both options: Tell the students that just as we sometimes come to a literal fork in the road or choices of which lane to take, there are times in our lives when we must choose the path we will follow.  Some of those choices are very minor and insignificant (like which lane to get in), but others can literally impact the rest of our lives.

Tell the class the title of today’s lesson is Two Paths.  Tell them as we study Psalm 1, we will learn about two possible paths in life and the destinations of those paths.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind the students that we have had three lessons focusing on prophecies in the Psalms about Jesus Christ.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (Christ’s Eternal Kingdom).
   • Tell them our next two lessons are about the blessings of righteous living.
2. The Righteous Path – What it Avoids.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Psalm 1:1.
   • Note that the first word of Psalm 1 is blessed.
   • Ask: “What do you think it means to be blessed?”
   • Tell the class that many people equate blessing with wealth, but the word simply means happy; it conveys the idea of deep-seated joy and contentment.
   • Ask: “Do you want to be happy?”
   • Tell the students that verse 1 names three things the one who is blessed (happy; the righteous person) avoids.
   • Ask the class to identify those three things.
   • Explain the following:
     • The word walketh refers to one’s manner of life or behavior.
     • The word counsel means advice.
     • The ungodly are lost people.
   • Ask: “Do you take advice from lost people? How much influence do their opinions have on the way you live your life, do your work, raise your children, treat your spouse, and spend your time?”
   • Stress the fact that if we follow the world’s advice, we will not be happy and blessed.
   • Explain the following:
     • The word way refers to a road or well-worn path.
     • The word sinners refers to those who disobey God.
     • The way of sinners, then, is the path or direction followed by sinful people who do not obey God.
   • Ask: “What do you think it means to stand in the way of sinners?” (spend time with them, walk the same path with them, and observe their sinful behavior).
   • Stress the fact that if we stand around with sinners, we will pick up their wicked habits.
   • Explain the following:
     • The words sitteth and seat indicate that you settle in, make yourself comfortable, and remain for an extended amount of time.
     • The word scornful refers to those who mock, ridicule, deride, and scoff at the things of God.
     • The scornful are those who reject and make fun of the truths of the Bible, such as atheists and evolutionists.
   • Ask: “Who do you sit with? Do you choose to spend a lot of your time with people who mock and ridicule the things of God?”
   • Stress the fact that if we sit with scoffers, we will become negative, argumentative, unbelieving people.
   • Note the downward path portrayed in this verse: following the advice of sinners may entice us to stand around where they do their wicked deeds, which may draw us into close relationships with scornful lost people; it all starts with following their advice.
   • Summarize: If we want to be blessed, we must choose the righteous path, which avoids the advice, behavior, and companionship of ungodly people.
3. The Righteous Path – What it Embraces.
   • Tell the students that whereas verse 1 tells what the blessed (happy) person avoids, verse 2 tells what the blessed (happy) person embraces.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Psalm 1:2.
   • Explain that the word delight means to draw pleasure from something.
   • Ask: “What do you really enjoy? What brings you pleasure? Sports?  Hobbies?  Leisure time?  TV shows?  Work? Family?”
   • Tell the class all of those things are fine; but if we want to be truly happy, those things should not be what delights us most.
   • Ask: “According to this verse, what should bring us real pleasure?” (the law of the Lord; in other words, the Bible).
   • Stress the fact that if we want to be truly happy, we must delight in the Bible.
   • Explain that the word meditate means to think or ponder.
   • Ask: “What do you think about most of the time?”
   • Stress the fact that if we want to be truly happy, we must think about what the Bible says.
   • Summarize: If we want to be blessed, we must choose the righteous path, which embraces the Bible and what it says.
4. The Righteous Path – Its Destination.
   • Tell the class that verses 1-2 tell us how to live if we want to be blessed, while verse 3 describes the destination and blessings that come from such a godly life.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Psalm 1:3.
   • Direct the students’ attention to the picture of a large tree growing beside a body of water.
   • Ask: “What is significant about the tree being planted by rivers of water?” (it is well watered and well nourished).
   • Ask: “Is this a sickly, withered tree?” (no, it is healthy and fruitful).
   • Read Jeremiah 17:7-8 for another depiction of this blessed state.
   • Ask: “What do you think it means, in modern terms, to be like a healthy, fruitful, well-watered tree?”
   • Direct the class’ attention to the last phrase of the verse: “whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
   • Ask: “What do you think that means? Is this a promise that we will never have trouble?” (no, but God will bless everything we do if we are living according to His Word).
   • Direct the students’ attention to the picture of the tree again.
   • Stress the fact that if we avoid evil and delight in the Bible, we can be like that tree: sturdy, unmoving, lush, and fruitful.
   • Summarize: If we follow the righteous path, God can bless us with strength, stability, and fruitfulness.
5. The Ungodly Path.
   • Tell the class that verses 1-3 are about the blessings of following the righteous path, but in verse 4 the subject changes.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Psalm 1:4.
   • Explain that the phrase, “The ungodly are not so,” means that the ungodly (unsaved) person does not follow the path described in verses 1-2 or experience the blessings described in verse 3.
   • Ask: “What is chaff?” (the useless husk of the grain).
   • Explain the following:
     • Direct the students’ attention to the tiny piece of popcorn husk you have brought.
     • Explain that in ancient times useless chaff was separated from useful grain by throwing it up in the air.
     • The good grain was heavy so it fell to the ground while the wind carried the chaff away.
   • Show the picture of the tree again.
   • Stress the fact that the tree is sturdy, stable, and enduring; that’s how the Bible describes godly people.
   • Place the popcorn husk in the palm of your hand, and then blow it away.
   • Ask: “Is the chaff sturdy, stable, or enduring?” (no).
   • Tell the class that’s how the Bible describes ungodly people.
   • Ask: “Which do you want to be; a strong and fruitful tree or useless chaff?”
   • Ask a volunteer to read Psalm 1:5.
   • State that judgment is coming and each of us will one day stand before God.
   • Ask: “How will the ungodly stand up to God’s perfect judgment?” (they won’t: they will have no defense and no hope).
   • Ask: “Will they be able to stand among the righteous?” (no).
   • Tell the students that we live in a sinful world right now, but one day the Lord will forever separate the godly (saved) from the ungodly (unsaved); when that happens, sinners will have no place among the righteous.
   • Summarize: The ungodly path is worthless, unstable, and leads to certain judgment.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the students of the introduction concerning the choice between two different paths.  Tell them Psalm 1 describes two very different paths and the results of following those paths.  Explain that verse 6 is a summary statement.  Read Psalm 1:6.

Ask: “What does this verse say about the way (manner of life, behavior) of the righteous?” (God knows it).  Explain that the word “know” doesn’t only mean God is aware of what we are doing; it also means He oversees the path of our life, He cares about how we behave, He has intimate knowledge of our life, and He loves us enough to guide us along the right path.

Ask: “What will happen to the way of the ungodly?” (it will perish).  Tell the class the ungodly will perish and their way of life will perish with them.

Stress the fact that Psalm 1 presents a stark contrast between the righteous path and the ungodly path: the godly path leads to blessing and happiness, but the ungodly path leads only to destruction.  Tell the class Jesus said it this way: the ungodly “shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matt. 25:46).

Ask: “Two very different paths have been presented in Psalm 1, along with the results of following those different paths.  Here is the important question: which path do you choose?”

Someone present in your class may have never trusted Jesus Christ as Savior.  That means they are doomed to follow the path of destruction unless they turn from their sin and place their faith in Jesus Christ.  Urge them to do that.  Urge those who are saved to avoid the things described in verse 1 and delight in God’s Word as described in verse 2.  Voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: If anyone has trusted Christ as Savior today, tell them to make that public at the end of this morning’s worship  service.  Ask everyone to memorize Psalm 1:1-2.  Encourage them to spend time every day this week reading the Bible and thinking about what it says.