Probably written by King David.
1
O, how happy are those who do not follow the advice or examples of the ungodly;
Or live the same life as unbelievers;
Or join in with the contemptuous, disdainful, and arrogant.
2
But instead enjoy the direction and instruction, of the I AM, and thinks about and studys them day and night, in good times and in bad.
3
Those who choose this path/life style are like trees carefully planted along irrigation canals. They never fail to produce fruit in the right season, and their leaves never wither or fall off (they are never disgraced, humiliated, faint, weak, feeble or frail in character, wimpy, or despised). These people succeed in everything they do.
I have a few fruit trees. Here in the alpine desert of Northern Nevada, it is often spring-like warm in February with blizzards in March. My trees put out lots of blooms that are subsequently frozen off... every. Single. Year. Out of eight trees we might get actual fruit off one each year; a different tree each time. So frustrating.
(A successful life is one where you are surrounded by people who love you and you are doing work that you love that makes a difference in the world. Being a homemaker, waitress, plumber, banker, generous millionaire, etc can all fit this definition.)
The person who lives the lifestyle of turning his back on evil and studying his Bible and following God's instructions isn't like my fruit trees. They produce fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control- Galatians 5:22-23) in their lives reliably all the time. And, just like the cause and effect of the law of gravity, they will always succeed.
How? First of all, someone so in tune with God and His Word will only try to do things within God's will. Their life focus won't be on getting rich and powerful, but on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. And they WILL succeed in gaining these characteristics. This may very well look like successful businesses (who wouldn't want to shop at a store or go to a restaurant where the owners are loveing, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, generous, faithfulness, gentle and self-controled? And God does tell people to open businesses to serve and take care of others), or promotions at work, etc., as well as getting along with your neighbors and building strong families. Their goals and methods will be righteous and pure and the result will be success. Simple law of physics.
4
A lesson in farming; after grain is harvested, (before machines were invented), it would be scattered on a threshing floor where the farmer would beat it with a stick to loosen the shell- called chaff (much like the shell of an egg, or an orange peel). Chaff is paper thin and worthless, inedible; much like dust or tiny bits of straw. The farmer would then throw the grain up in the air and the wind would blow away the chaff, while the heavy, delicious grain fell straight down to the floor again. We now resume your previous programming...
But those who do not follow God are different; they are like chaff (empty and worthless) that the wind blows away.
Who would want to do business with, be married to, live nextdoor to someone who is hateful, grumpy, argumentive, impatient, cruel, stingy, disloyal, harsh, or irrational? These people can never succeed. Even if, through ungodly means, they manage to gain wealth, they will eventually loose it... And their family and friends. They will die bitter and alone
5
And so the ungodly will have no excuse, be condemned and punished in the day of judgement, and will be kept separate from God's people.
6
Because I AM carefully guides and protects those who listen to and follow Him, but those who choose to ignore God find all their plans fail and they are ruined.
James 4:8 says that if we walk towards God He moves closer to us, much like the father in the story of the prodigal son; when the son decided to go towards his dad the Dad ran to meet him.
Many places in the Bible tell us that God is our good shepherd, taking care of and guiding us like sheep. We are loved and protected.
By the same principle, if we walk away from God He turns His back on us. Oh, He will try to encourage us to turn around and come towards Him, but we wont have His protection or guidance for anything outside His will (and His will is for everyone to follow Him- 1 Timothy 2:3-4 among many other scriptures). We have to rely on our own understanding and wisdom. I don't know about you, but that's a terrifying thought! I've been known to do some pretty stupid things! God never has.
For this Psalm set to music: