The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-03-30
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Day OF the Righteous-Ps. 1:1-6-Lesson
for April 8, 1899.

walketh not in the counsel OF the ungodly, nor
standeth in the way of sinners, nor stitch in
the seat of the scornful-Ps IL
THE TINE OF Psalm l is uncertain II is q
preface to the whole first book. which was prob
ably collected by Solomon, and therefore must
have been written as early as b. C. 1000
THE AUTHOR is unknown, but very probably
was Solomon himself, as Perowne argues But
there Is nothing in 1t that would prevent David's
being the author.
LESSON NOTES
!. BLESSED is the man." The book of
Psalms, like the sermon on the mount,
opens with benediction.
THAT walketh not" etc. The verb
is in the present tense. 1.-The negative
side of the righteous mans charac-
ter, his decided aversion from evil, is
regarded as an already accomplished
fact, and therefore put in the perfect"
Q. "But his delight is in the law of the
Lord" Bad men may sometimes obey
the law but only the good man delights
in it, To delight in Gods law, to love
it, is certain proof of good man.
This delight does not look at what the
law promises nor what it threatens but
at this only, that 1.-THE law is holy, just
and good" SIN the law" 1t was the
written Word of God, SO far as then
known, and hence to us, the whole BIZ
BILE; for while the commandments are
the law stated in words the rest of the
Bible gives that law as illustrated and
enforced in the history of nations and
individuals. ''Of the Lord" The original
word is Jehovah" i. e., the self-exist-
ent, living, eternal God. ''And in His
law doth He mediate" A strict aorist
is wont to mediate. The quiet solilo-
guy of one who is searching and think
ing. As the meditation is, such is the
man prov. $50. Meditation is the
tombstone of the Christian; it is a spir-
itual index. As the index shows what
is in the book SO meditation shows what
is in the heart DAY and night" When
ever opportunity offers.
8. And he shall be like tree.' The
points of resemblance are many and
striking. The tree is an organic whole,
with the properties of life, growth and
fruitfulness; it has, moreover, the ele-
ments of grandeur, beauty and per-
petuity. ''By thestreams of water" The
original word denotes 'every flowing
stream, especially the brook that issues
from spring, and every channel which
one leads from a spring over the sur
face of the ground" winter torrents and
great rivers, such as the Nile and the
Euphrates, being excepted. The palm
tree often tlourishes in the desert, but
it's roots always strike down until they
reach the living water. The Christian
is sometimes planted in the desert, but
God always sends the streams of living
water to nourish him. "Like a tree
planted" The righteous man is not a
wild tree, but a tree chosen, planted,
cultured by God, suggesting Gods I'M
ceasing care and providence. He is
planted in that place which will best
promote his fruitfulness. So Christ
says: II have chosen you, and planted
you John 1910, where planted" is
the true rendering Of ordained. !"
sand it is no small thing, in
world where so many are out Of
place, or without any place at all, to be
assured that any man who chooses may
do his work and develop his character
in place Of Gods choosing" "That
bringeth forth it's fruit in it's season. +"
Fruitfulness, bearing the fruits of the
Spirit-love, joy, peace, etc. (Gal. 5:22,
23), and 'every good word and work" is
constant characteristic of the right
eous man. Fruit is the infallible test
4. sand whatsoever he doeth shall
| prosper" Here is transition from
the figure of tree to a person. Holt
ness is happiness, security, stability,
fruitfulness; and holiness is based solely
on the law of God. The righteous man
here described will have true prosper
ity. A world of such people would
be the happiest and most prosperous
world imaginable. But are like
the chaff." Light, shifting, worthless,
useless, dead, easily carried away. The
threshing floors were usually on high
exposed spots, where the wind would
sweep over them the more freely. The
chaff, ''the wind driveth away" The
very winds that brought life to them at
first will destroy them when they will
prove themselves ,haff
5. therefore. Because they are
hopelessly worthless The end will be
the natural result of the life. "Shall not
stand in the judgment. They shall not
stand as acquitted, not stand the trial
safely, in Gods righteous judgments, at
oil times and in all places where Gods
estimates of mems character are mani
tested, His providential judgments, but
chiefly the great day of judgment
Matt. 25). ''In the congregation of the
righteous. They shall not be reckoned
or regarded as belonging to the right
eous; that is, in all places where the
righteous, as such. are assembled, they
will have no place, especially in the last
day when they shall be gathered to-
| gether to receive their reward.
6. For" There is much in this little
for" There is always n reason for
what God says and does. 1.-The Lord
knoweth,"i i. e., regards with watchful
care and love. Knows from the be-
ginning to the end. The way of the
righteous" j. e., the tendency and issue
Of their character and conduct He
knows their struggles to overcome; He
knows their prayers for help; He knows
how bitterly they repent OF their fail.
ures; He knows where to lead them, the
doors of usefulness, the secret ways
into better life and larger usefulness,
''The way of the wicked" Their life,
their whole course of action. "Shall
perish" II contains in itself the ele
/ manfs Of min The WAY itself Is ruin