Quite a few years ago I took an entire year to process Psalm 1. Today, looking through the lens of prayer, I ask myself if it has something to teach me on prayer. Will it enable me to seek God?

It shows me that prayer can enable me to live a godly life. Prayer is ordained by God to draw me to Him and I can experience His presence, power and transformation.

I can choose from two lifestyles and I need God’s help to live for Him. It starts by making a commitment to follow God.

Happy are those
    who reject the advice of evil people,
    who do not follow the example of sinners
    or join those who have no use for God. – Psalm 1:1 GNT

To do that I make another commitment to saturate myself with God’s Word.

Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord,
    and they study it day and night. – Psalm 1:2 GNT

Why is this so important? It provides me with accountability. I am giving concrete expression to what I will do before the Lord. It also allows me to plead with God on the basis of my commitment. I can ask Him for His power, grace and wisdom. I can call on Him to empower me to be the person that looks like I follow Him.

They are like trees that grow beside a stream,
    that bear fruit at the right time,
    and whose leaves do not dry up.
They succeed in everything they do. – Psalm 1:3 GNT

In fact, I am sustained by Him. No matter what I face or what part of the world experience I am in, God will sustain and bless me. He will supply me with everything I need. In turn, whatever I do for Him will not be in vain but will be used and honoured. I am content in my walk with Him. It is important for me to express my contentment as it keeps me from envying evil people. They do not have a God like I do – merciful, kind, loving, good, gracious, powerful and righteous. They do not have a guide, a lamp and a light for their life in the world. They are not continually sustained with strength and power from the Holy Spirit. They do not have a source of hope and comfort.

I want to express my confidence in God’s judgement of the wicked and at the same time I express my confidence that God will keep me secure.

The righteous are guided and protected by the Lord,
    but the evil are on the way to their doom. – Psalm 1:6 GNT

Now I can turn my prayer attention to those who have not chosen to follow God. I can ask God to open their eyes to see how He can be the difference in their lives and that He can be trusted to keep His promises. I can ask God to show them the fruit of sin cannot compare to the blessings of God. I pray that they can see the road they are travelling on leads to nothing now and nothing in eternity.  I pray that the Holy Spirit can provide powerful and precious insight into who God is.

Lastly, I end with praise, I praise the characteristics of God by taking these truths and turn them back to God.

• He is the God who makes me happy (1:1).
• He is the God who enables me to reject the advice of evil people (1:1).
• He is the God who has given me joy in His Word (1:2).
• He is the God who has revealed to me His truth (1:2).
• He is the God who is worthy to be studied day and night through His Word (1:2).
• He is the God who continually supplies all I need (1:3).
• He is the God who enables me to bear fruit (1:3).
• He is the God who sustains me in all the circumstances of life (1:3).
• He is the God who allows me to succeed in all I do for Him (1:3).
• He is the God who is not disturbed by evil (1:4).
• He is the God who sees all, even the evil (1:4).
• He is the God who will judge the sinner (1:5).
• He is the God who is intimately involved in the lives of the righteous (1:6).
• He is the God who leads His people in the right and just way (1:6).
• He is the God who never abandons His people (1:6).
• He is the God who will bring the evil to an end (1:6).

“For as soon as God’s dread majesty comes to mind, we cannot but tremble and be driven far away by the recognition of our own unworthiness, until Christ comes forward as intermediary to change the throne of dreadful glory into the throne of grace.” – Calvin