Pull up a chair

The opening psalm in this three-thousand-year-old collection is the preface to the whole book of Psalms. It’s the trailer that offers a sneak peek at the adventure

without giving too much away! The psalmist has chosen the setting, the characters, and the tensions that lie between them. He introduces four concepts that will develop throughout the next 149 poems: God, the wicked, the righteous, and himself. We watch as he unrolls the blueprint for the entire Psalter, and he does it with a story of contrasts . . .

We are introduced to a pathway, shadowed by scorn, darkened by conceit. To travel it is to keep in step with those whose lives are vain. Companions on this road are slow moving; they are comfortable standing aloof. They easily pull up chairs to jeer at those who look weak.

And we wonder: What is the result of a life that sits down with these advisers as friends?

We’re invited to consider an alternative route that is startling in its contrast. The atmosphere along this way shimmers with delight. The Guide on this path speaks to us through a text that values peace over popularity, humility over pride. Its wisdom pours stability into his frame. It gives purpose to his days and, rather than scrutinizing others, lets him see their needs. His mind comes alive. He discovers deep-rooted contentment—“blessing.”

The conclusion to this song reverberates through the Psalter—sitting around belittling those who aren’t us, that’s absurd. Today, let’s turn to the psalmist’s source of joy, and live the life we’ve been gifted.