Psalm 1: A Call To Worship for the Soul

Author’s Note: I write this not to prove how holy or righteous I am, or to preach. If anything, I write this for my own benefit because I need Jesus every hour of every day. I need the gospel just as much as the next person. I pray you are edified.


PSALM 1
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight in in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but like chaff the winds drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.


For many who grew up in the Church as recently as the late-1980s and throughout the 1990s, there was a Call to Worship. It was usually a greeting and the worship leader or a congregant would read aloud a couple of verses. Some of our more high-Protestant brethren would utilize a liturgy as their Call to Worship. All churches would read a passage of Scripture as it pertained to praising God, worship in general, or a soul-affirming reminder of Why We Are Here On This Day. It was a way to allow our hearts to be tranquil and our minds to stop racing and prepare ourselves, congregationally and individually, for a time of worship not just in song, but growth in His Scripture.

With the Book of Psalms, many of them written by David, we have the ultimate collection of songs, reflective poems, dirges, and imprecatory prayers, all of which ultimately point to the power of the Lord God Almighty. It is the ultimate book of worship songs. Before there were hymnals, there was the Book of Psalms. Psalms are revered so such to an extent that some Protestant denominations will only sing psalms, or psalters, as their musical worship.

So I think it’s divine sovereignty that before we dive deep into a book of worshipful poetry, we read what we refer to as Psalm 1, which is a Call To Worship for the soul. It seems to be David’s way of saying, “This is why this book exists. Before we go any further, we need to all understand this.” 

In other words, if you want to really worship and not just to check that box on a Sunday… How’s your soul? How’s your spirit? Even if you are a follower of the Lord, how is your spirit, dear follower?

Do you seek wisdom from everything and everyone before going to the Ultimate Authority or do you use the Scriptures, the instruction of the Lord, as your foundation? Do you do so joyfully, striving to keep it in your heart and mind knowing God wants our joy, our peace, to be found in Him? That doesn’t mean you can’t gain wisdom from other books and other sources. We all are granted common knowledge and wisdom through mathematics, science, and other things by God’s grace. The Bible is not the only authority (solo scriptura), but it is the ultimate authority (sola scriptura). Therefore, if there is something of this world that contradicts the ultimate authority of Scripture, we are to go with what Scripture says. This applies to things such as our money, our sexuality, our view of marriages – all which are forms of worship to our Lord and King.

Let me ask this lovingly but firmly: Do we treat Christianity as some quaint philosophy to enjoy on a Sunday or do we see it as the Way, the Truth, and the Life and we cannot know God through any other means? Do we just want to focus on the red letters in the New Testament (the words of Jesus in many New Testament printings are in red) or are we to be bold and realize there are no red letters without all the letters in the Old Testament and the rest of the letters that fill the New Testament, which ALL point to Jesus?

A Christianity without a firm foundation in the Truth is not Christianity. I don’t care if they call themselves Baptist or Presbyterian or Lutheran or Anglican or Episcopalian or non-denominational. If your nourishment does not come from the living waters of the Lord Jesus (which David knew who Jesus was), then you will wither away and be blown to and fro by winds of randomness, which ultimately leads to calamity in the here and hereafter.

I find it fitting the David ends the First Psalm by pointing out that the “wicked” will not be the judges nor will they be in the congregation when the roll is called up yonder. Rather, the Lord knows who the “righteous” are and the wicked will perish. And, even then, David knows the righteous are made righteous by a saving faith in God, the ultimate Messiah, who is Jesus. They may have not known the literal name of Jesus, but they knew Who He Was and Is and Will Always Be. Our Savior King.

My fellow worshipers who claim the name of Jesus… What do we worship when we think no one else is looking? What do we worship Monday through Saturday? What do we worship on Sunday after the church service has concluded? We are all called to worship the Lord Jesus Christ with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Do we?

Grace and peace.