Psalm 1

Blessed (Happy, fortunate, prosperous and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes] nor stands submissive and inactive in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down to relax and rest where the scornful and the mockers gather.

But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates, ponders and studies by day and by night.

And he shall be like a tree firmly planted and tended by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper and come to maturity.

Not so the wicked, those disobedient and living without God are not so.  But they are like the chaff (worthless, dead and without substance) which the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked (those disobedient and living without God) shall not stand justified in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God).

For the Lord knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly, those living outside of God’s will, shall perish, end in ruin and come to nought.

Psalm 1 (Amplified Bible)

This psalm is a contrast of the righteous and the unrighteous.  However, it is also a good example of what happens when we deal with our mental and emotional turmoil following God’s plan vs. the world’s plan.  I’m not making a statement regarding what types of treatment belong in which camps.  Honestly, the only way for you to know how God would have you proceed when it comes to dealing with your depression is to seek Him and ask Him.

In Psalm 1, those that follow the plans of the Lord and those that follow the ways of the world are compared to trees and chaff.  Trees remain upright, staying in the same place (at the feet of the Lord).  Chaff blows around in the wind from here to there.  May land in a good place this time, but once the wind blows again there are no guarantees as to where it will land next time.

The tree, however, is consistent. Stable. Upright. Growing in strength.  It isn’t flittering off to here or there.  It stays by its source of nourishment.  In doing so, it grows fruit, it is tended and cared for, and it prospers.  In other words, if we seek the Lord first His word, via Psalm 1, offers us some promises:

• We will be nourished and cared for
• We will grow, gain maturity and have fruit
• We will gain more and more stability
• Our efforts will be rewarded

For myself, those promises are dear to me and a great reminder on those days when the struggle is getting a little hard to bear.