#4 Holy Wit – Bible Study The Wise and Praising Life (WW – Wisdom and Worship – Psalm 1; Psalm 112; Psalm 150) Scripture Reading (NKJV): Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 112:1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. Psalm 112:4 Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. Psalm 112:6 Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. Psalm 112:7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. Psalm 112:8 His heart is established; He will not be afraid. Psalm 150:1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament! Psalm 150:2 Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Psalm 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD! Psalm 1 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+1&version=NKJV Psalm 112 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+112&version=NKJV Psalm 150 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+150&version=NKJV 1. Wisdom Chooses a Different Path Psalm 1 opens the entire Psalter by describing two fundamentally different ways to live. One path is rooted in reverence for God. The other drifts steadily toward ungodliness, sin, and scorn. The wise person does not merely avoid outward evil; he deliberately delights in the law of the Lord. His mind and heart are shaped by continual meditation upon God’s truth rather than the endlessly shifting opinions of the world around him. This is important because human beings are profoundly influenceable creatures. Whatever consistently forms our thinking eventually shapes our desires, our speech, our priorities, and our conduct. Psalm 1 presents wisdom not merely as information, but as orientation. The wise life is a Godward life. Psalm 1:1–2 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+1%3A1-2&version=NKJV Psalm 111:10 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+111%3A10&version=NKJV 2. The Fear of the Lord Produces Stability Psalm 112 continues the theme by describing the man who fears the Lord. He is not sinless. He is not trouble-free. But he is steady. “He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” That sentence feels increasingly rare in an age fueled by panic, outrage, and perpetual anxiety. Modern life often conditions people to live in a constant state of emotional alarm. Every headline becomes catastrophe. Every uncertainty becomes dread. Yet the Psalms repeatedly describe the person who fears the Lord as rooted and stable. Why? Because reverence places life upon the correct foundation. The wise person understands that circumstances constantly change, but the character of God does not. The fear of the Lord does not eliminate difficulty from life. It steadies believers within difficulty. Psalm 112:1 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+112%3A1&version=NKJV Psalm 112:7–8 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+112%3A7-8&version=NKJV 3. Wise People Become Praising People Psalm 150 closes the Psalms the same way Psalm 111 began: with praise. “Praise the LORD!” The Psalms move repeatedly through grief, repentance, warfare, confusion, joy, thanksgiving, and longing — yet they continually return to worship. This is not accidental. The worshiping life is the mature life. Wise believers eventually learn that praise is not merely emotional enthusiasm reserved for unusually pleasant seasons. It becomes the settled posture of a heart that has spent enough time remembering the greatness and faithfulness of God. The Psalms call believers to praise God: • for His mighty acts, • for His excellent greatness, • for His faithfulness, • for His righteousness, • for His mercy, • and simply because He is worthy. The wise life becomes increasingly occupied with God rather than endlessly occupied with self. Psalm 150:1–2 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+150%3A1-2&version=NKJV Psalm 145:3 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+145%3A3&version=NKJV 4. Worship Is the Proper End of Human Life Psalm 150 ends with one of the broadest calls to worship in all Scripture: “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.” The Psalms conclude there because worship is not peripheral to human existence. Humanity was created to know God, delight in Him, glorify Him, and live in continual acknowledgment of His greatness. Modern people often pursue meaning through achievement, entertainment, status, wealth, distraction, or endless self-construction. Yet beneath all those pursuits remains a restless emptiness that cannot ultimately be satisfied apart from God Himself. The Psalms repeatedly direct the human heart back toward its proper center. Worship is not the loss of human fulfillment. It is the recovery of it. Psalm 150:6 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+150%3A6&version=NKJV Psalm 16:11 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+16%3A11&version=NKJV 5. The Wise and Praising Life Becomes a Witness Psalm 112 describes a righteous person whose life quietly affects others around him. He is gracious. Compassionate. Generous. Steady. Unafraid. The Psalms never present wisdom as cold intellectual superiority. True wisdom produces godly character. Likewise, praise is not meant to remain hidden inside private thought alone. Worship overflows into speech, conduct, gratitude, humility, and faithful endurance. A praising believer becomes a visible testimony in a fearful and cynical world. Not because Christians pretend life is easy. But because they continually return to the greatness of God even while life remains difficult. The wise and worshiping life points beyond itself. Psalm 112:4–6 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+112%3A4-6&version=NKJV Psalm 34:1–3 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+34%3A1-3&version=NKJV Reflection Questions 1. According to Psalm 1, what shapes the wise person’s life differently from the ungodly? 2. Why does reverence for God produce stability during fearful times? 3. How does regular praise help redirect attention away from self? 4. What does Psalm 150 teach about humanity’s purpose? 5. In what ways can a worshiping life become a witness to others? Prayer Points 1. Thank God for His wisdom, faithfulness, and continual care. 2. Ask the Lord to help you delight in His truth rather than the counsel of the world. 3. Pray for a steadfast heart that trusts God during uncertain times. 4. Ask God to cultivate continual praise and gratitude within your life. 5. Praise the Lord for His mighty acts, His greatness, and His enduring mercy. For further study (NKJV): Psalm 19:7–11 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+19%3A7-11&version=NKJV Psalm 63:1–5 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+63%3A1-5&version=NKJV Psalm 146:1–10 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+146%3A1-10&version=NKJV #HolyWitBibleStudy #GordonMcGinnis #WWWisdomAndWorship #Psalm1