How Jesus Leads Us in The Way (Psalm 1:5-6)
- Candice Watters
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; ⁶for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. —Psalm 1:5-6
Jesus, who called Himself The Way (John 14:6), showed us the blessed way of life during His time on earth. Together with Psalm 2, Psalm 1 points to Him. And yet, we see in verse 5, more than one righteous man–we see a congregation. Though the way that leads to life is hard (Matthew 7:14), many will stand in the judgment (Revelation 7:9). Not all will perish on the last day.
Who makes up this righteous congregation? And what is this way of theirs that “the Lord knows”? We see elsewhere in Scripture that no one is righteous, none do good (Psalm 53:1, 3). Isaiah 53:6a says, “all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way.” Because of the fall, by nature we go our “own way,” and that way is “the way of the wicked.”
Where then is our hope? The rest of Isaiah 53:6 tells us: “and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6b). Jesus alone lived a perfect, righteous life. Because of His death on the cross in our place, everyone who is trusting in Him is forgiven and covered by His righteousness. In fact, His righteousness becomes our righteousness (Isaiah 53:11). But also, He calls believers to follow in the way He walked, the way of righteousness. When we strive to do so, our effort is evidence that we are saved.
What does it mean in verse 6 that Yahweh “knows the way of the righteous”? It can’t mean that He is unaware of the wicked man’s ways. He is God—He knows all things. Instead, says Alec Motyer, the emphasis in the original language justifies a rendering, “How Well Yahweh knows!” He is intimately aware of, and maintains a caring relationship with the righteous (Psalms by the Day, 12). Yahweh’s attention to the righteous is that of a loving heavenly Father. Not only does He show us the way to live that will be blessed, He helps us to walk in it.
We have the Spirit within us helping us. We, the sheep of His pasture, can ask the Good Shepherd to teach us His ways and paths, even as we praise Him for leading us in paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3). We walk in His ways because it is His will. And because it is His will, we must walk in His ways—striving with all of the strength He provides to be killing sin. As Paul wrote in Philippians 2:12-13, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Jesus set the expectation to walk in righteousness (John 14:15), and His Spirit gives us the power to obey. Thanks be to God that for those who are in Christ Jesus, the day of judgment holds no terror, only righteous fear and trembling.
For Reflection
How does knowing that Jesus perfectly obeyed the Father in your place encourage you?
What cultural distractions and trivialities tempt you to walk in the way of the wicked?
Thank God that He knows your ways and can help you to walk in His ways. Ask Him to increase your desire, and your ability, to obey Him.
