Blog Post Title: Day 2: A Sentimental Journey Through Psalm 1:1 and Psalm 1

Blog Post Title: Day 2: A Sentimental Journey Through Psalm 1:1 and Psalm 1

21 January 2014, Tuesday, 1232 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.

1 FIRST READING
Let's read all of the English versions of Psalm 1:1 and prayer journal as we go. 
Go ahead and do yours first. Then, come back and read mine:
Blessed and happy. That sounds good to me. How can I be blessed and happy? 
Blessed and happy will I be if I do not walk in the counsel of the wicked or ungodly. 
I will be happy and blessed if I do not walk according to the counsel of the wicked or ungodly. This means I will not listen to them, their advice or suggestions, or what they claim is wisdom. I should not listen to them or follow their counsel. For, their ways are wicked and ungodly. 
I also shouldn't stand in the path of sinners or go where sinners go. I should not follow the example of sinners. I shouldn't do what they do, in other words. 
If I stand in their way, or stand with them, then I could easily get pulled into following their ways. They are sinners, hence, I would then sin as well. I can do this just fine on my own without standing with those who do or standing in their path or way. 
I also should not sit with, or be in the company of, those who are scoffers, the scornful, mockers, or the sarcastic. 

2 PRAY THE WORD
a Word by word
Lord, I would like to be blessed and happy. 
So, how do I do this? How can I be blessed and happy?
I need to listen to Your counsel, Lord, not to others. Your counsel and advice is found in Your Word, the Bible. I need to be careful whom and what I allow to speak into my life. 
Listening to others can give me poor advice and lead me down the wrong path. 
I shouldn't hang out with the wicked, get in the way of sinners, or sit with anyone who mocks God or the Scripture. 
That last sentence makes me pause. The world is full of those people. That's why it's important not to let my guard down. I must be always watchful and vigilant not to do so. 
b phrase by phrase 
Covered already
c line by line
Covered already
d the entire verse
Covered already. 

3 CROSS-REFERENCES
Make sure to look up each cross-reference for yourself. 
I will comment on some, but not on all. 
Psalm 2:12
Psalm 32:1: Look this up in multiple versions of the Bible. 
Psalm 32:1 / The Message (MSG) / A David Psalm  Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be—
    you get a fresh start,
    your slate’s wiped clean.  
--  MSG: Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.  
When I fail to do anything I'm told to do in Psalm 1:1 in order to be blessed and happy, I have Psalm 32:1 to bring me comfort. After all, I will mess up. I will faith to live in the godly manner, since I am a sinner. However, I am also forgiven and redeemed. I am washed clean of all my stench and wrongdoing. 
Psalm 34:8: Make sure to look up this verse in several translations of the Bible and Word of God. 
Psalm 34:8 / GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good.
    Blessed is the person who takes refuge in him.  
-- GW: Scripture is taken from GOD’S WORD®, © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.  
I am also blessed and happy when I find my refuge in God and in the Word of God. 
Psalm 84:12 / New Century Version (NCV)
12 Lord All-Powerful,
    happy are the people who trust you!  
-- NCV: Scripture taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.  
I am also happy and blessed if I trust You, Lord. 
Psalm 106:3
Psalm 112:1 / Expanded Bible (EXB)
112  Praise the Lord!
Happy [Blessed] are those who ·respect [fear] the Lord [Prov. 1:7; 31:30],
    who ·want [take great delight in] ·what he [his] commands.  
-- EXB: Scripture taken from The Expanded Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 
Every now and then, there is a verse that makes me pause. Psalm 112:1 is one of those. It will be one to meditate on for a long period of time, so I can take in all of its goodness. There is a great deal to be found there and I don't want to miss any of it. 
Fearing the Lord is to respect and revere. 
I am happy and blessed when I revere God and when I want to find and take delight in the Word of God, the Bible. 
Psalm 115:12-15
Psalm 119:1 / Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) 
1  How happy are those whose way is blameless,
who live according to the Lord’s instruction!  
-- HCSB: Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.  
How can I be blessed and blameless? By living according to the Bible and Word of God. 
Psalm 119:2 / GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
2 Blessed are those who obey his written instructions.
    They wholeheartedly search for him.  
-- GW: Scripture is taken from GOD’S WORD®, © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.  
I am blessed and happy if I obey Your Word and search for You, God. 
Psalm 144:15
Psalm 146:5
Deuteronomy 28:2-68
Deuteronomy 33:29
Jeremiah 17:7 / Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
7 The man who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed.  
-- HCSB: Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.  

More cross-references tomorrow.

Write a summary of today's reading, studying, and praying of the Word of Psalm 1:1.