Psalm 1 Walking, standing, sitting

The book of Psalms is a collection of songs and poems, 150 in all

When I was at secondary school my English teacher, Mrs Radley if memory serves tried very hard to enthuse the class with the timeless qualities of Shakespeare, and in particular Romeo and Juliet (the play we had to study), and how remarkable that hundreds of years later people still find inspiration from Shakespeare

And now - drum roll please - 26 years later here is about a third of the speech that we had to memorise for homework

I fear too early for my mind mis gives some consequence yet hanging in the stars may bitterly something or other
Hey - I was not that interested and never really saw eye to eye with the English department at school!
Ok I've looked it up and the whole speech goes -

I fear too early, for my mind misgives

Some consequence yet hanging in the stars

Shall bitterly begin his fearful date

With this night’s revels, and expire the term

Of a despisèd life closed in my breast

By some vile forfeit of untimely death.

But he that hath the steerage of my course,

Direct my sail. On, lusty gentlemen.

thanks Wikepedia :-)

However - I'd say that Shakespeare is a very poor second to the Bible both in terms of inspiration and longevity.

Consider the heart warming Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall lack nothing, he makes me walk in green pastures and beside still waters and refreshes my soul
Take the intimate Psalm 137 Lord you examine me and you know me,
Or the sorrow of Psalm 51 Have mercy on me oh God
Or the despair of Psalm 24 My God, My God why have you forsaken me?

Anyway - let us start from the first song

Psalm 1

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked, or stand in the way sinners take or sit in the company of mockers.
But whose delight is in the law of the LORD.

There is a bit of a tale here - walking the same way as the wicked can occur on a journey but the choice is to walk the same pace, standing in the company of sinners shows that a level of comfort with the company has built up, and sitting and mocking those on their faith journey is surely having fallen from the law of God.

What does it mean to delight in the law of the LORD? How do you meditate day and night on the law?

Such a person though is like a tree planted close to a river but in good soil and bearing good fruit.
A wicked person though is a bit like dead leaves (it is autumn when I am writing this and there are a lot of dead leaves flying in the wind)