02/10/2022

BLESSEDNESS OF THE GODLY AND TRIUMPH OF THE KING

TEXT: Psalms 1:1-6; 2:1-12

The book of Psalms is a collection of many hymns, songs, poems and prayers used in temple
worship by the Israelites. The Hebrew title for Psalms is ‘thallium’, meaning “praises”. The
English word ‘Psalm’ is a derivative of the Greek word ‘psalmoi’, meaning, “songs to the
accompaniment of stringed instruments”. Thus, a psalm is a song of praise. As a collection
of songs, its rich contents, edifying messages, prayers, praises and prophesies were
composed by many inspired writers whose emotional experiences of pain, fears, joys, faith
and desires portray human frailties, need for and dependence on God.
Our text focuses on the declaration of God’s blessings upon the righteous, His curse upon
the wicked, the predicted sovereignty of Christ and His eventual conquest as King in spite of
the negative perception and attitude of His enemies. In view of Christ’s anticipated triumph,
His adversaries are admonished to embrace Him lest they face His wrath. This study reminds
us that if believers maintain godliness, fulfil their prayer obligations, all conspiracies and
intrigues against Jesus Christ, His Church and the gospel will fail (Philippians 2:8-11).

Question 1: What is a psalm and what are the subjects of the book of Psalms?

TESTIMONIES OF SCRIPTURE CONCERNING THE GODLY (Psalms 1:1-6; 112:1; 40:4;

The book of Psalms opens with the pronouncement of divine blessing upon the godly.
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in
the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful”. A life of godliness demands
renunciation of evil and continual avoidance of all forms of positional intimacy – walking,
standing and sitting – with the sinful. Living by the counsel or yielding to the dictates of
sinners who are inspired and controlled by the god of this world is destructive as evident in
the cases of Amnon and Jehoshaphat (2 Samuel 13:1-14,23-29; 1 Kings 22:30-33; Ephesians
2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:4).
Besides, God created and redeemed believers so that He could be the sole Owner and
Controller of their lives (Isaiah 43:7,21; Romans 14:7,8). He says, “…for I the LORD am
holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine… and ye are not
your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in
your spirit, which are God’s” (Leviticus 20:26; 1 Corinthians 6:19,20). Thus, He commands
all His children to be separate and distinct in lifestyle from those of unbelievers in the world.
Everyone can become God’s children and enjoy divine blessings or blessedness by obtaining
His forgiveness through repentance and faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ. “Blessed is
he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom
the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile” (Psalm 32:1,2).
It is also clear from Christ’s teaching that those who first seek and enter God’s kingdom and
possess His righteousness will continue to receive other blessings throughout their lifetime.
God hates friendship of believers with the world or the ungodly who scorn righteousness
and holy living (Proverbs 15:8,9). He expects every believer to join other Bible-believers in
fellowship and prayers in His family so they can experience spiritual growth and victory over
temptations as they “delight” in regular and daily intake and internalisation of “the law of
the LORD” (Psalm 1:2; Matthew 4:4; Psalm 119:9,11; Joshua 1:8). Aside daily meditation,
obedience to His word and childlike trust enhance spiritual stability, prosperity, progress
and fruitfulness (Joshua 1:8; James 1:25; Jeremiah 17:7,8). “And he shall be like a tree
planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also
shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3). There are
inexhaustible blessings encapsulated in eight-fold blessedness Christ has pronounced on
the godly (Matthew 5:3-10). Obviously, God is concerned with the physical, spiritual, material
and ministerial progress and prosperity of the righteous (3 John 1:2).
However, a sharp contrast exists between the godly and the ungodly. “The ungodly are
not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away” (Psalm 1:4). Sin begets crisis
and instability, and the sinner is the primary victim. Since “God is angry with the wicked
every day” (Psalm 7:11), the whirlwind of His fury unsettles them, their families and secular
endeavour. Guilt makes the wicked to be on the run when no one is pursuing.
Unlike the righteous, sinners lack the presence and protection of God. “The wicked are
like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There
is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isaiah 57:20,21). A sinner transits from earthly
trouble to eternal torment at the end of life if there is no repentance and faith in Christ’s
sacrifice for salvation (Isaiah 55:6,7; 1 John 1:8,9). “Therefore the ungodly shall not stand
in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous” (Psalm 1:5). Heaven
is reserved for the righteous; the abominable will be barred from gaining entrance into the
holy city of God (Revelation 22:15). While the way of the righteous is directed and blessed by
God, sinners who choose the evil path without retracing their steps will perish (Psalm 1:6).

Question 2: What blessings has God reserved for the righteous and what are the
warnings for the ungodly?

TRIUMPH OF CHRIST, THE SAVIOUR AND KING (Psalm 2:1-6,9; Acts 4:23-31; Revelation
12:5-11; 19:11-16; John 3:16; Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:4-6)

Psalm two is messianic in content and gives prophetic descriptions of the Messiah’s life,
death, resurrection and future reign. Though it has no title to show the writer like many
other psalms whose writers are anonymous, David is mentioned as its writer in Acts 4:25. It
commences with prophetic rage and rejection of Christ by the heathen, the Jews and their
rulers. “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of
the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and
against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their
cords from us” (Psalm 2:1-3).
This prophecy found partial fulfilment during the intense persecution of the early church
by Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles and the people of Israel, which prompted allusion to it
in a prayer session for God’s intervention and deliverance (Acts 4:24-31). Present-day threats
to gospel preaching should not appear as a surprise but inspire believers to pray for divine
intervention in a way that will lead to further spread to people in other places. This is how
the Church will overcome all machinations and plot against the gospel, since the Lord
assures that “…the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” because of His divine presence
(Matthew 16:16; 28:20).
Resistance to Christ’s reign and authority will continue until His Second Coming when
the Antichrist and his armies, empowered by the devil, will physically fight against the
establishment of His millennial reign on earth. Christ will crush their rebellion and reign
triumphantly as King (Revelation 19:11-21). “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh:
the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and
vex them in his sore displeasure” (Psalm 2:4,5). God will pour His wrath upon them and
Christ will “dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel”, subdue and establish His millennial
rule and reign with His saints (Psalm 2:9; Revelation 2:26,27; 12:5; Jude 1:14,15; Revelation
19:15,16). In spite of the plots of His enemies, the prediction concerning Christ’s Second
Coming to reign on earth as King for a thousand years at the end of the seven-year great
tribulation period will be fulfilled to the letter. “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill
of Zion” (Psalm 2:6).

Question 3: Explain the Scripture’s revelation on the triumph of Christ as King.

DECREE ON CHRIST’S SONSHIP AND PROMISED WORLDWIDE DOMINION (Psalm 2:7-

God’s timeless and unchanging “decree” reveals Jesus Christ as His only begotten Son.
“I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have
I begotten thee” (Psalm 2:7). Some people scorn at this truth. However, unbelief of sceptics
cannot undo the fact that, one, God the Father declares Christ to be His only begotten Son
(Hebrews 1:5; Matthew 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7; Luke 3:22; 9:35); two, Christ refers to
Himself as the Son of God (John 1:18; 3:16,18; 5:25; 9:35; 10:36; Revelation 2:18); three,
the apostles refer to Him as God’s Son (Matthew 16:16; John 1:34; 6:69; Acts 3:26; 13:33);
four, angels affirm this truth (Luke 1:32,35); five, the devil refers to Jesus as the Son of God
(Matthew 8:9; 14:33; Mark 3:11; 5:7; Luke 8:28).

Question 4: Mention some Bible references that reveal Christ as the only begotten Son
of God.

The truth about Christ’s sonship affirms His incarnation through the virgin birth to
redeem humanity from sin and its consequences. “Then said Mary unto the angel, How
shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:
therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of
God” (Luke 1:34,35; Matthew 1:21). Two, the whole essence of the synoptic gospels is to
prove the sonship of Christ for everyone to believe and be saved. “But these are written,
that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye
might have life through his name” (John 20:31). It is Satan who creates doubt in peoples’
heart about Christ’s sonship (Matthew 4:3,6; Luke 4:3,9). “Whosoever denieth the Son, the
same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also”
(1 John 2:23). Three, as Son, all sinners are commanded to pray to Him for their salvation
and all believers are to worship and honour Him (1 John 3:23; John 8:36; Hebrews 1:6; John
5:23). All who are saved by the Son becomes sons and daughters of God (1 John 3:1,2).

Question 5: State the implications of the truth that Christ is the Son of God.

As part of the decree, God gave His Son a promise of inheriting and possessing the entire
unbelieving world of men in answer to prayer. “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen
for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession” (Psalm
2:8). Christ both prayed and sacrificed His life to redeem all people (Hebrews 5:7-9; 2:9).
Having accomplished the redemption of humanity at Calvary, He has commanded believers
to be devoted to fulfilling the great commission through unrelenting intercession for and
practical action of rescuing sinners into His kingdom. He reigns in the heart and life of all
who receive Him as Lord and Saviour now and will reign literally as the triumphant King
during the millennial kingdom and in heaven forever.

Question 6: Explain the importance of prayer in soul-winning.

While believers reach out to the common people in the society with the gospel, we must
not forget to meet with people of high social status and urge them to be converted and serve
Christ. “Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve
the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Psalm 2:10,11). We must enjoin everyone
to embrace and seek the Son for salvation from sin and thereafter trust Him for grace for
holy living until the end to avoid being judged with the rebellious.

Congregational Songs
GHS 33