Psalm Meditation 981
Fifth Sunday in Lent
April 7, 2019

Psalm 1
1 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.
4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
(NRSV)

I am a fan and proponent of including as many people as possible in conversation and activity. One of the ways to do that is to use language that includes, at the very least doesn’t exclude, people. One of the simplest ways is to change singular references to plural. Most of the time that works and doesn’t make any difference Sometimes attempts at inclusion end up changing the emphasis of a text. I use the New Revised Standard Version as my reference point since it was the best available at the time I began writing these meditations. I also use the Revised Standard Version in preparing meditations.

In the RSV the first three verses, those referring to those who turn away from wickedness are singular, and those referring to the wicked are plural. The NRSV uses an inclusive plural throughout. It doesn’t make a lot of difference in the full meaning of the psalm, however it does make the point that the righteous option is one that fewer people choose. Righteousness takes a singular focus as opposed to going along with the crowd of the wicked.

That is a long introduction to the psalmist’s encouragement to those who make the choice to ignore the easy way, the crowded way, the way that always seems to have resources, the way that leads toward ease and comfort. The psalmist encourages those who delight in the law of the LORD. Each one may feel left out and excluded from the herd mentality of those seeking the easy way. The psalmist encourages each one to stand firm knowing that each one is nourished and sustained in the life-giving stream of the presence of God. God supports and sustains the one who stands firm in the way of God.

April 1, 2019
LCM