Psalm 1 — Sitting Beside the Stream

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers. But his delight is in the Torah of Adonai, and on His Torah he meditates day and night.”— Tehillim (Psalm) 1:1–2

A Whispered Reflection

Sometimes I catch myself drifting. It’s not rebellion—just small distractions that tug at the edges of the soul. A conversation that gossips a little too easily.A headline that stirs more fear than faith.A busy day that forgets to breathe.

And then I read this psalm, and it feels like God’s hand resting gently on my shoulder—no scolding, just a quiet, “Come back, beloved. You belong near the water.”

The Hebrew word ashrei (אַשְׁרֵי) means “blessed,” but it carries the sense of deep alignment—of a life flowing in rhythm with God’s heart. This kind of blessing isn’t about having what we want; it’s about being where we’re meant to be.

To delight in the Torah is not to labor over laws, but to find joy in the heartbeat of God’s instruction. When I let His Word wash over me—not as a task but as communion—something within me begins to breathe again. The rabbis said to “meditate” (hagah) is to murmur softly, to let the Word roll on the tongue like a lullaby. Maybe that’s what the Spirit means when He whispers, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

When I rest there, I feel like a tree planted by streams of water. Not rushing, not proving. Just rooted, nourished, alive.

A Glimpse of Grace

Maybe blessing isn’t a prize for perfect people. Perhaps it’s what happens when we stop running and let grace find us. Yeshua said, “Abide in Me.”I imagine He smiled as He said it—because He knew the joy that waits for those who do.

We are not called to chase righteousness as if it’s far away; we are invited to dwell in it. To sit under the shade of mercy. To let the Word become our resting place again.

Heart Reflection

If we were sitting together now, with a pot of tea and an open Bible, I might ask softly:

• When was the last time you felt truly planted, not performing?

• Where have you been drinking from that leaves your soul dry again?

• Could you linger with one verse this week—not to analyze it, but to let it hold you?

May you find your way back to the stream, dear heart. May the Word become water to your roots. And may you feel, even now, the gentle smile of the One who planted you by His grace.

Shalom and grace, always.