Psalm 1:5-6

“Therefore the wicked will not rise in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”

The psalmist shows us that all wicked will not escape nor will survive from the coming divine wrath of Yahweh. Even though the wicked became involved in the community of followers of Yahweh in Christ, they cannot evade God’s judgment. There is a saying, “you can run but you cannot hide.” This applies to all haters of Christ Jesus, enemies of Yahweh, all proud of themselves, and to all who have sinned against God.

The guilty are sentenced to eternal damnation without relief unless they repent from their sins and put their trust in Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior, there is no hope for them.

This also teaches us that God knows who is fake and genuinely His. The idea of “fake it ‘till you make it” will not work. Wicked people will always be exposed to their sins, and the righteous ones will always be affirmed by Yahweh, “For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous” ones.

The righteous ones are those who follow the will of Yahweh and His word. It is not just about doing what is good and right, though it is good to do good things, it is about doing what glorifies God even though we are not approved by many, even we are being rejected by the world, even if we are being persecuted by the wicked, and even if it seems or we feel God is absent.

The righteous will always be saved and forgiven by God through grace. The righteous will always be kept by the hands of Christ from this condemned and wicked world.

And lastly, this psalm teaches us that there is only One, great, and holy Judge who can bring righteous justice and forgiveness to all sinners like us and that is Yahweh. He is also the One who can provide a way for guilty sinners to be saved and that is through Christ Jesus His one and only begotten Son, who lived holy, and died on the cross on man’s behalf to show God’s justice and mercy, buried and resurrected on the third day, ascended to heaven reigning as sovereign King over all things both heavens, earth, and the universe.

Only in Christ, we can be righteous and acceptable in the sight of God. Without Christ Jesus in our lives as Lord and Savior, God will always see us as His enemy.

Thus, eternal judgment is certain for the wicked, yet forgiveness and eternal life is sure and available for the righteous in Jesus alone not in anyone else. And there is God, the One and holy who cannot be mocked and manipulated.

Come and be blessed in the LORD through Christ Jesus. Amen.