Sarah's Tent

Shalom Sisters! As you probably noticed there has not been a blog on the Tehillim posted for some time. Please accept my apologies. Our family has moved. It wasn't a big move as far as distance, just to another town in the same general area. Because we weren't moving long distance I assumed that I could handle moving, and all my other responsibilities  (including this weekly blog) with no problem I was very wrong!! In addition our son, Samuel who came home from college for the summer, had to be hospitalized with a serious viral condition that affected his heart. He is now home, and doing fine. 

1 Blessed is the man who doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the way of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers;

 2 But his delight is in Yahweh's law; On his law he meditates day and night.

 3 He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.

 4 The wicked are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

 5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

 6 For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked shall perish.

Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked (1:1) What does it mean to sit in the counsel of the wicked. When I was younger and reading this I envisioned a type of peer pressure scenario where an innocent striving to do good was being hounded and tempted by his or her peers who were obviously troublemakers. How could we describe the wicked? A person who is not following Torah, whether they realize it or not, is in wickedness. 

 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. All those who do his work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! Tehillim 111:10  Here the Hebrew word for fear means to have reverence for, to respect. Where do we learn reverence and respect for Him? From the Torah. It is clear from this verse that one of the ways we are blessed is in where we seek our counsel. Whose feet are we sitting at?

There are a few out there who have one foot in and one foot out of the church, and even some others that are completely out but are still holding on to teachers that should have long ago been loosed. Once a man or woman declares themselves for Torah, why then do they still cling to teachers who have contempt for the Instruction of our Elohim? We should not ask, listen, nor accept the counsel of those who bring the Torah of YHWH to nothing! What they say may “sound good”, but they are not coming from the perspective of a Torah based life. No matter how large their following, or how many titles they have, if we listen to those who do not uphold Torah then we are listening to wicked counsel.

A man had a beautiful daughter whose name was Batyah whom he cherished. He built a beautiful home for her. In the home he taught Batyah all about himself and what he expected of her. She loved her father and listened attentively to his instruction. Next door to them lived another man who also had a daughter named Sarida, but she ran a little wild and received hardly any instruction. One day the wild child met Batyah and teased and enticed her with how much freedom she had, and how late she was able to stay up, and all sorts of things that she was able to do that Batyah could not. Batyah began to feel bad. Sarida’s life seemed much more interesting, and she was having fun! Batya decided she wanted to have fun too, so she began to act out and to disobey her father, straying from the things he taught her. Finally, the father called her to him and asked her, “Why are you behaving this way Batyah. Haven’t I told you that you are not to do these things?What has made you suddenly disobey me?”

Batyah replied, “Yes father, but Sarida gets to do so much more than I. She can have fun. Eat whenever and whatever she wants, stay up all night, play all kinds of games. It’s just not fair!” Batyah’s father looked down at her and smiled sadly. “Batyah, “ he replied, “I am not Sarida’s father. I am yours.”  

We have probably all heard something similar from our parents when we complained because our friends got to do something we could not. “Well I’m not so and so’s mother!” In other words, what goes on in another house is not your concern. You are to be obedient to the the rules of this house. When we listen to teachings, or counsel from those who are not keeping Torah, no matter how correct we think their words are, we are listening and following after someone who is not of our house - to wicked counsel. Whose feet are you sitting at? 

For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked shall perish. v.6