Last summer we traveled to the home of my husband’s aunt in Tennessee. Her house is nestled in what we southerners call a “holler,” a term that technically refers to a small valley between mountains but which we use for a place that’s tucked down in the woods somewhere and hard to find without precise directions.
This particular holler is home to a grouping of houses belonging to my husband’s extended family, as well as a really lovely creek that runs throughout. When we visited in August, we took the kids wading in the creek and caught crawfish for hours. We enjoyed a full day of warmth and play and the freedom that comes with zero cell reception.
The creek that weaves through the family’s property is like any you might find where you live—it widens at points and narrows at others. The creek bed is filled with of an endless supply of rocks worn down by the long passage of water. Your bare feet would find both tiny pebbles and small boulders, all slick with moss and the mystery of how they got there. The banks are flanked by trees—so much so that the sky above is dense with foliage where the branches reach across and touch each other. It’s all remarkably unremarkable in the way water has carved its way through the holler, and yet we’re drawn to its simplicity.
While wading in the creek and searching for whatever the underbelly of the rocks might reveal, I noticed the tangling of tree roots that had worked their way down the sides of the creek bank. Periods of high water had likely eroded parts of the bank, exposing the parts of the trees we don’t normally see. Though intricately tangled, the roots all seem to be seeking a path to the water. If we could peel back all the layers of sediment and soil, we’d see that the trees are anchored in the bed of the creek.
In Psalm 1, the psalmist likens a blessed man to a tree that is planted by a stream of water. By blessed, he means happy in God because his delight is in the law of the Lord, and he meditates on it every morning and evening. In contrast to the wicked who progressively give themselves to sin while heading down a path to destruction, the righteous man flourishes with fruitfulness because he is constantly nourished by the Word of God. His end is known and cared for by God. Those who reject the law of the Lord receive judgment and a destructive end.
It’s not a difficult metaphor to decipher. A tree planted by a stream has an endless supply of nourishment. A heart rooted in Scripture has an endless supply of nourishment. Both bear fruit for the benefit of those around them from the nourishment they receive. The picture we’re given in Psalm 1 is incredibly important in the way we frame our days as believers. We cannot sustain on little trickles of rain here and there. We need to be planted right next to the source of nourishment, rooted deeply into the supply what sustains us.
At first blush, we might read Psalm 1 and repudiate our laziness for not seeking time to read the Bible regularly. And, we’d be right to do so if we’ve been ignoring the sustenance of Scripture. But there’s another consideration when it comes to Psalm 1 and resolving to be a tree planted by a stream. First, you must identify who you are in the psalm. And once you’ve realized that at some point you were the wicked who loved your sin, then you can see that the only difference between the rooted tree and the windblown chaff is Jesus.
The only difference between the rooted tree and the windblown chaff is Jesus. Share on XWe live on the opposite side of the gospel story from the psalmist who penned Psalm 1, and yet, I think the stark need for a Savior is evident in the old words of the psalmist. When we read this psalm, we should run for the creek banks and drive those roots down deep into the sustenance of Scripture because we know without a shadow of doubt that Jesus is the One who gave us His righteousness to wear when He took on our sin at the cross. The only thing that separates you and me from those who run headlong into their rejection of Christ is Christ Himself. Scoffers, sinners, wicked–such were all of us. Though we rejected Him, we can now stand like a tree by a creek in the holler with roots that run down deep, nourished by the words of the Lord who transferred us from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of the Son He loves (Col. 1:13).
Psalm 1 can help us set the tone for the new year; it is both a warning and an encouragement in how we are nourishing our souls. We can be happy in the Lord because of what He’s done for us through Christ, and we should delight in His word day and night. If you’re resolving to anchor yourself more faithfully in the Word this year, do it not to be righteous or blessed but because you already are.
If you’re resolving to anchor yourself more faithfully in the Word this year, do it not to be righteous or blessed but because you already are. Share on XBlessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
-Psalm 1
Glenna Marshall is married to her pastor, William, and lives in rural Southeast Missouri where she tries and fails to keep up with her two energetic sons. She is the author of The Promise is His Presence (P&R) and Everyday Faithfulness (Crossway), and Memorizing Scripture (Moody). Connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Glenna, your message that I am enough in this moment brought a sting of tears to my eyes, sent a chill through my body, and then turned into a warmth in my heart. Thank you for the reminder I didn’t realize that I needed today.
I’m so glad it was encouraging to you, LeeAnne! ❤️