Psalm 1
During his recent ministry in Australia, D.A Carson gave a series of sermons on preaching from the psalms. He took five psalms and worked out through them. In the first one, he begins at the beginning of the Psalter and works through Psalm 1. In his own words, he is trying to "Work through the psalm and then think about the psalm in the larger canonical framework." So he begins by working through each of the verses in straight forward exegesis. He makes some theological reflections along the way. Once he is done with that, he does what we normally do not hear when someone works through Psalm 1. He asks some penetrating questions regarding the polarities found in this psalm and our sin stained reality. Based on it, he then works out a way to put this psalm in the larger canon and thus gives answers to the problems we face in putting the two together, namely, passages on moral absolutes and narratives of admitted moral ambiguity. This thus leads us ultimately to our only hope - the cross. Carson thus gives us a model for preaching this psalm faithfully, without tending ourselves to any particular polarity found in the canon, but holding both the standard and the grace of God in equal tension as found in Scripture. It is thus an excellent resource for all pastors and preachers.
Link : Psalm 1
OUTLINE:
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Psalm 1
- Introduction
- The righteous person (v1-3)
1. Described negatively (v.1)
o What the righteous person is not
o The progression from receiving counsel to scoffing
2. Described positively (v.2)
o What the righteous person is
o Intentional break from the expected antithesis but one simple antithesis suffices
o Reflection on how one’s delight in the Word affects who one is.
3. Described metaphorically (v.3)
o Explanation of the imagery used.
o “He prospers” does not refer to the prosperity gospel but rather is working things out in the world of the metaphor.
o Making note of the same metaphor found else where in the canon
- The unrighteous person (v4-5)
- Strong negation of everything said so far regarding the righteous. (v.4a)
- They are instead like the chaff :
o Lifeless
o Rootless
o Fruitless
o Insignificant
o Not enduring
o Useless
- Unpacking of the metaphor (v.5)
- Summarizing contrast (v.6)
o Antithesis between the way of the righteous and the way of the unrighteous
o Note of this polarity at the beginning of the Psalter.
- Working out the psalm in the larger canonical framework
o Figuring out this type of antithetical ways of thinking when we are such mixed bags.
o Theological reflections that place this psalm in the canon of Scripture, to preach it faithfully :
(i) Recognizing how our culture is biased and how that inclines us to read Scripture in a particular way.
(ii) Recognizing that part of the contrast between different parts of Scripture is grounded in literary genre.
(iii) Recognizing that the preacher in New Testament who is most powerfully given to Wisdom polarities is the Lord Jesus Christ.
o How to put the two together, namely, passages on moral absolutes and narratives of admitted moral ambiguity :
(i) The need for both these in the canon for our theology and experience
(ii) An Illustration from I John where these two powerfully come together.
(iii) The ultimate hope being found in the cross alone.
