SEEK DAY ONE DEVOTIONAL

The largest book in the Bible, positioned right in the middle, is the book of Psalms. It contains 150 chapters, each a unique musical expression of praise, prayer, and faith. While reading the entirety of Psalms is incredibly important and helpful for your walk with Christ, for the next 21 days we will focus on one chapter a day from across different parts of the book.

Psalms is paramount in shaping our theology of worship, but it also awakens awe and wonder for God, opens our eyes to spiritual warfare as author John Eldredge writes, “We live in a love story in the midst of war”, and teaches us to pray with authenticity and faith in our Lord and Savior. Psalms is as much a book of prayers as it is a book of songs.

I’ve have prayerfully selected the specific chapters to give us a sample of the wide range of themes represented throughout the book, that will reveal the power and goodness of God to you, empower your prayer life, and ultimately help you see Jesus. As you read each chapter, I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding, and take your time to prayerfully ask, “What does this chapter say about God?” My prayer is that this devotional will be a launching pad for you to encounter the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit like never before in this new year. Let’s begin.

Psalm 1:

When we think of the book of Psalms, famous chapters come to mind first—Psalm 23, 91, 27, 139, and 51 (don’t worry, we’ll get to those in the days to come). Even so, Psalm 1 is a unique place to begin the book. It is pure wisdom literature, the kind of writing that would fit seamlessly into Proverbs.

This chapter draws a clear distinction. There’s no beating around the bush: we must reject the ideologies of the world and its broken systems, and live in devotion to the Lord and His Word. This brings true satisfaction and real value to your life. The wicked are those who spend their lives following their own ways and desires; and they end up like chaff, empty and without lasting meaning.

Psalm 1 harmonizes with what Jesus declares in the Sermon on the Mount:

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
—Matthew 7:13–14 (ESV)

Both the psalmist and Jesus resound with the same message: living consecrated unto God is the only way to find true peace, blessing, and life itself. Consecration is unpopular in a world full of compromise. It is a hidden life, not empty religious piety or rigid discipline, but a yielded heart receiving life from the river of the Holy Spirit. This kind of life grows from a careful meditation on God’s Word, your daily bread.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the opportunity to seek You first in this new year. I want to delight in Your Word and follow Your way today. Open my heart to receive all that You have for me. Thank You that my life can be like a tree planted by rivers of living water, and that in You is everything I need. In Jesus’ name, amen.