parresia

St. Augustine on the PsalmsPsalm

St. Augustine on the Psalms

Psalm 1:1

"Blessed is the man that hath not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly" (ver. 1). This is to be understood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Man. "Blessed is the man that hath not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly," as "the man of earth did," who consented to his wife deceived by the serpent, to the transgressing the commandment of God. "Nor stood in the way of sinners." For He came indeed in the way of sinners, by being born as sinners are; but He "stood" not therein, for that the enticements of the world held Him not. "And hath not sat in the seat of pestilence." He willed not an earthly kingdom, with pride, which is well taken for "the seat of pestilence;" for that there is hardly any one who is free from the love of rule, and craves not human glory. For a "pestilence" is disease widely spread, and involving all or nearly all. Yet "the seat of pestilence" may be more appropriately understood of hurtful doctrine; "whose word spreadeth as a canker." The order too of the words must be considered: "went away, stood, sat." For he "went away," when he drew back from God. He "stood," when he took pleasure in sin. He "sat," when, confirmed in his pride, he could not go back, unless set free by Him, who neither "hath gone away in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of pestilence."

"Blessed" is how the author of this Psalm chose to begin. There is a strong promise of grace to those who obey God's command. Those blessings are foreshadowed in part in the beatitudes. How foolish are we when we foresake those blessings? And how futile our sin is, do we believe it will bring us happiness? Does the appetite for sin sit so strong on our tongue that we MUST taste? Even as time and time again we taste nothing but bitterness and bile after sinning....the next time we so often expect that there must be some sweetness there. The Psalmist tells us clearly, there is no sweetness other than in the blessings of God, for where will one find grace that can match, or love that can compare? Each day may I make it my goal to avoid walking in the counsel of the wicked, may I not sit in the seat of mockers. God be with me.