Have you read the first Psalm? It describes two different men—a blessed or happy man in the first three verses, and an ungodly man in the latter three.
It is well to be quite sure as to which part of the Psalm describes any one of us.
Let me tell you of an incident which brought this truth to a man's soul for his eternal blessing.
A city missionary who spent his time visiting taverns, and there seeking to win souls for Christ, was one day reading aloud in the bar of an inn. Suddenly he was rudely assailed by one of the persons present with the remark that he thought too much of himself, and that others could read as well as he.
"No doubt," he said.
"I can read as well as you can. I'm quite ready for a reading match!"
"Very well," said the missionary as he opened his Bible. "The landlord shall be the judge, and those present the jury."
"Now," he said, "will you read first, or shall I?"
"Oh, you read first," said the man.
Whereupon the missionary read the first three verses of the first Psalm, and then, handing the book to his rival, asked him to complete the portion.
This he did, and the landlord was appealed to as to which was the winner.
He declared that they were both very good readers, but that the first man was the better, as he "was more accustomed to it."
"Well, now," said the missionary to his opponent, "can you tell me which of the verses we have read describes you? Are you one of the blessed men of the first three, or one of the ungodly men of the last part? Which?"
In result, God blessed the conversation, and the second reader became a happy man.
And may I ask you, my reader, is it the first or the last part of the Psalm which classifies you?
Are you happy, separate from sinners and an evergreen, or ungodly, exposed to judgment, and about to perish? Which?
What makes the difference?
WHAT YOU THINK OF CHRIST!
If you have received Him as your "all in all" you have passed from the latter verses into the former.
If not, however moral or religious, your place is amongst the ungodly.
If such is the case, may God give you to look to it without delay.
GET RIGHT WITH GOD.
The light of God began to shine into the poor, dark heart of the God-despiser. He remembered the faithful words of the gospel, and beheld for the first time in his life the Christ of the cross as a Savior for him. As the light of God's Word dispelled the darkness, a flood of joy entered his soul, sweeping it clean of infidel doubts and reasonings. With sincere humility he grasped his friend's hand, saying: "Oh, I do believe! May God forgive mine unbelief!"
My reader, where will you spend eternity?