September 20, 2026 - The Blessed “One” – the Word, the Way, the Son, Their Hope and Our Refuge

Sep 20, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Kissing the Son as Sovereign

The Psalms reveal a choice: bow to Christ’s authority or face futility. Psalm 2 ends with a call to “kiss the son,” an act of surrender to Jesus as King. This isn’t casual affection but total allegiance—like subjects pledging loyalty to a ruler. To “take refuge in him” means trusting His reign over every corner of life, not just spiritual compartments. Jesus’ lordship isn’t partial; He claims all nations, relationships, and decisions. Where have you withheld your “kiss”? [59:23]

“Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed… Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”
(Psalm 2:1-2, 11-12, NIV)

Reflection: What area of your life feels “off limits” to Jesus’ authority? How might bending the knee in that space bring freedom instead of restriction?

Day 2: Roots in the Stream of Scripture

The blessed life isn’t about avoiding sin but sinking deep into God’s Word. Psalm 1 compares those who meditate on Scripture to trees planted by streams—steady, nourished, unshaken. “Meditate” here isn’t passive reading but muttering, chewing, and wrestling with truth until it reshapes desires. Jesus modeled this: His words during temptation, ministry, and crucifixion flowed from a heart saturated in Scripture. What roots you will determine what fruit you bear. [35:10]

“Blessed is the one… whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.”
(Psalm 1:1-3, NIV)

Reflection: What practical step could help you move from skimming Scripture to “muttering” it throughout your day? Where do you need God’s Word to redirect your desires?

Day 3: The Laughter of Heaven Over Earth’s Plots

Human rebellion against God isn’t just futile—it’s laughable. Psalm 2 depicts rulers scheming to dethrone God, yet Heaven responds with divine amusement. Their posturing is like toddlers declaring war on the ocean. Jesus’ resurrection proved no plot—political, religious, or cultural—can undo His reign. When anxiety over global chaos or personal opposition overwhelms you, remember: the King still sits, and His purposes cannot be thwarted. [40:38]

“The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, ‘I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.’”
(Psalm 2:4-6, NIV)

Reflection: What current “plot” against God’s people (in culture, your community, or your life) feels intimidating? How does Heaven’s perspective shift your fear to faith?

Day 4: From Chaff to Fruitful Inheritance

Psalm 1 contrasts two destinies: the rooted tree and windblown chaff. Chaff—the husk stripped from grain—is weightless, rootless, and destined for fire. Without Christ, human striving is equally empty. But through Jesus, the true “blessed one,” we’re grafted into His fruitfulness. Our calling isn’t to manufacture purpose but to abide in the One who said, “Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance.” Fruit flows from surrender, not strain. [37:45]

“Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment… For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.”
(Psalm 1:4-6, NIV)

Reflection: Where have you been striving like “chaff” instead of abiding like a tree? What would it look like to trust Christ’s fruitfulness in that area?

Day 5: Asking for the Nations

Psalm 2:8 is a blank check: “Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance.” Jesus claimed this promise, commissioning His church to disciple all peoples. Praying for nations isn’t abstract—it’s claiming territory from drug-addicted neighborhoods to unreached tribes. Like the early church in Acts 4, we pray boldly when we see Christ’s authority over every ethnicity, subculture, and broken system. What “nation” has He placed on your heart to claim? [58:15]

“Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.”
(Psalm 2:8, NIV)

Reflection: Which specific group or place feels impossible to reach with the gospel? How can you begin “asking” for them this week?

Sermon Summary

Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 stand together as the doorway into the Psalms. The bookends make that clear: Psalm 1 begins, “Blessed is the one,” and Psalm 2 ends, “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” The two psalms set out two ways. One way delights in and mutters over God’s instruction day and night. The other way meditates on vanity, plots emptiness, and finally comes under judgment.

The blessed man of Psalm 1 is first a picture of Jesus. Jesus did not walk, stand, or sit under sin’s influence, even though he went among sinners. Jesus delighted in the Word, carried Scripture in his heart, answered Satan with Scripture, and reached for Scripture even from the cross. Jesus is the tree planted by streams of water, fruitful in season, whose life does not wither and whose work truly prospers.

Psalm 2 makes the connection even clearer. The nations rage against the Lord and his Anointed, his Messiah, his Christ. The early church already read Psalm 2 this way in Acts 4, naming Herod, Pilate, the Gentiles, and leaders of Israel as those who gathered against Jesus. God’s King is not threatened by the kings of the earth. God installs his King on Zion, calls him Son, promises him the nations as his inheritance, and gives him the rod of iron.

Jesus enters Jerusalem as King, is lifted up on a cross under the words “King of the Jews,” and reigns in a way the world did not understand. Jesus is the Son to whom the Father gives the ends of the earth. Jesus is also the refuge for all who bend the knee, kiss the Son, and submit to his rule. The Psalms are not merely moral advice for better living. The Psalms first lead the eyes to Jesus, then teach his people how to pray in light of him.

The call is not to admire Jesus from a distance or to keep him as Lord over only the safe parts of life. The Son is King over sexuality, finances, relationships, habits, ambitions, and every place where control is quietly taken back. The contrast remains sharp: God’s people can chew on his Word and be shaped by Christ, or they can let the culture, opinion makers, business empires, and empty pursuits shape their inner life.

The nations are also on the Son’s heart. The nations are not only far away. The nations are in schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, dorms, subcultures, and immigrant communities close by. God’s promise to give the Son the nations calls the church to ask, pray, and prepare to make disciples among every people.

Key Takeaways

1. Kiss the Son as King [01:02:08] Jesus is not asking for distant admiration or selective agreement. The kiss of Psalm 2 is submission, the bending of the knee before the King God has installed. Areas held back from Christ are not neutral territory, because lordship means he has authority over all of life. Peace and confidence grow where control is surrendered again. [62:08]
2. Meditate on what truly shapes life [01:03:40] Psalm 1 uses the picture of muttering and chewing over God’s Word until it gets deep into a person. The world also meditates, but it meditates on vanity, empty things that eventually become wicked. Jesus, the Word made flesh, reshapes a life that is intentionally given to Scripture rather than casually formed by the culture. [63:40]
3. Jesus is the truly blessed man [52:36] Jesus alone fulfills Psalm 1 without sin, without compromise, and with perfect delight in the Father’s instruction. His righteousness is not merely an example placed out of reach. His righteousness becomes the refuge and standing of those who are in him. His perfect life also shows what fruitful humanity looks like. [52:36]
4. Ask God for the nations nearby [01:05:49] The Father has promised the nations to the Son, and that promise includes peoples and subcultures close at hand. The gospel does not automatically move into every pocket of a city, school, or workplace. Prayer must become specific enough to see people groups, ask for breakthrough, and accept responsibility to disciple those God brings.

## [65:49]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[26:34] - Introduction to Psalms 1 and 2
[32:01] - Jesus in the Law, Prophets, and Psalms
[33:14] - Psalm 1 and 2 as Bookends
[34:40] - The Progression of Sin
[35:28] - Meditating on God’s Instruction
[37:45] - Two Contrasting Ways
[38:18] - Nations Against the Anointed King
[41:21] - The Son Receives the Nations
[45:11] - Acts 4 Prays Psalm 2
[49:54] - Jesus as the Blessed Man
[55:26] - Jesus Installed as King
[61:31] - Bending the Knee to Jesus
[63:40] - Choosing What Shapes the Heart
[65:49] - Asking for the Nations

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Psalm 1:1–3

Verse 1: “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,” [33:35]

Verse 2: “but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.” [35:28]

Verse 3: “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” [52:36]

Psalm 2:1–2, 6–8, 12

Verses 1–2: “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.’” [38:18]

Verse 6: “‘I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.’” [40:20]

Verses 7–8: “I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, ‘You are my son; today I have become your father. Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.’” [41:21]

Verse 12: “Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” [43:16]

Acts 4:24–26

Verse 24: “When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. ‘Sovereign Lord,’ they said, ‘you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.’” [45:47]

Verses 25–26: “‘You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.”’” [46:55]

Luke 24:44

“He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’” [32:01]

Observation questions

What progression is described in Psalm 1:1, and how do walking, standing, and sitting show increasing comfort with sinful influence? [34:07]
What does Psalm 1 place in contrast with the influence of wicked people: what does the blessed person delight in and meditate on?
What repeated word or idea connects the beginning of Psalm 1 with the ending of Psalm 2, and what does that suggest about the relationship between these two psalms? [33:35]
In Psalm 2, who gathers against the Lord and his Anointed, and what does Acts 4 identify as the fulfillment of that opposition? [47:20]

Interpretation questions

Psalm 1 describes a person whose life is deeply rooted, fruitful, and enduring. How does seeing Jesus as the truly blessed man change the way believers hear this psalm—not merely as an impossible standard, but as a picture of Christ and life in him? [01:00:18]
Psalm 2 calls rulers and nations to “kiss his son.” Why is this more than admiration or affection, and what does it mean for a person to recognize Jesus as the King God has installed? [42:43]
Acts 4 uses Psalm 2 as a prayer when the early believers faced threats. What does their prayer show about how believers can respond when Jesus is opposed in their world? [48:03]
Psalm 2 says that the nations are the Son’s inheritance. How does this promise help believers see people in nearby schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, and distinct communities? [01:06:08]

Application questions

“Kiss the Son” means bending the knee before Jesus as King. Is there an area of life—such as sexuality, finances, relationships, habits, ambitions, or control of the future—that is difficult to surrender to him? What would renewed submission look like in one concrete step this week? [01:03:00]
Psalm 1 calls God’s people to delight in and meditate on his instruction day and night. What voices, media, habits, or conversations most shape your inner life right now? What simple practice could help God’s Word have a stronger voice this week? [01:03:36]
The danger in Psalm 1 is not only openly joining evil, but gradually becoming casual about where one walks, stands, and sits. Where might you be growing too comfortable with attitudes, entertainment, relationships, or patterns that are shaping you away from Christ? [01:09:44]
Jesus is the refuge for all who come to him. When you feel guilt, fear, pressure, or uncertainty, where do you normally look first for safety or relief? What would it look like to take refuge in Jesus in that situation?
The Father has promised the nations to the Son, including peoples and subcultures nearby. What specific group in your school, workplace, neighborhood, or city may be overlooked or unfamiliar to you? How could this group begin praying for them by name? [01:06:41]
Asking God for people also prepares God’s people to receive and disciple them. If God brought someone from that nearby group into this community, what might welcoming them, listening well, and helping them follow Jesus look like? [01:11:03]

Sermon Clips

42s

#KissTheSon

“If I go back and read this now through Jesus and through me as the blessed one, seeing Jesus as the one, the man. Couple of things, so maybe you can think of more, but here's three things. Number one is this. Have I truly kissed the son and taken refuge in him? Not have I admired him from a distance, not have I said I like his moral teachings, but have I have I bent the knee and said you are my sovereign, you are my ruler.”

40s

#MeditateOnJesus

“The second thing is do you delight and meditate, hagah, chew on it, mutter over it. Just let it consume you. Spend yourself letting it shape you by God's word. And by God's word, yes, the Old Testament. Yes, the Psalms. Yes, the New Testament. But Jesus also is God's word incarnate. Are you delighting in Jesus? Are you meditating on Jesus? Allowing him to shape you, and are you intentionally avoiding the stuff that is vanity, the stuff that is empty?”

34s

#ChooseGodsWord

“And so we have to choose who are we going to just allow the ways of the world, the kings and the rulers and the business people and the and the opinion creators and the academics. Are we gonna allow them to kind of shape and we're gonna mutter and we're gonna meditate on the things that are vanity, the things that are empty because they're gonna be things that are wicked ultimately? Or are we going to say, no. I'm gonna focus on meditate on delight in God's word?”

51s

#SurrenderToJesus

“Lord, for some of us here, we just know that we have not bent the knee to kiss the sun. Maybe in all of our life, maybe in a very specific area of our life. And today, you want us to say there's only there's only confidence, there's only peace when we've kissed the son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and said he is king. And maybe it's something we gave to you, Lord, but we have somehow allowed our control it to be snuck back and we've taken it back from you. Would you reveal that to us and we submit it again. We bend the knee again.”

36s

#JesusIsLord

“He's lord of all in your life. And so if you still have some things over here that you're saying kings of the earth, your wisdom, and and I'm I'm still gonna let you have control over that. Yeah, Jesus. I'm all yours except still there's some of my sexuality that I'm I'm not bending the knee to. Jesus, you've got all of me except, yeah, there's still some of my finances here. Jesus, you've got all of me, but you know what? There's some stuff with my my wife that just, you know, I just gotta figure that out in the flesh, you know.”

30s

#JesusFromEternity

“You know, Jesus wasn't an afterthought. Jesus has been with the father and the son, the son and the holy spirit, Jesus being the son, has been, of the godhead from all eternity. And so when things were created, Jesus was there. When when things were happening in what we call the old testament, Jesus was there. And so for god to put clues about Jesus that are fulfilled later is shouldn't be surprising to us.”

47s

#PrayForTheNations

“Lord, for some of us it's just like, yeah, I see. I can pray now the Psalms in Jesus' name. Lord, we can we can worship you and adore you as as the the anointed one, as the king, as the one who's our refuge. We we praise you. We also thank you that you protect us, that you have modeled, set a example for us. And Jesus, we pray in alignment with you and we as the body of Christ now are asking the father, give the nations, to the son. And we're praying, Lord, would you send out workers into the harvest field? The the laborers are few. The harvest is is rich, and it's deep, and it's wide.”

59s

#ReachTheNations

“And, Lord, I pray that we would begin to intentionally ask for the nations, for the subcultures, for the people groups right here in our backyard. Yes, around the world. But Lord, we wanna start right here as well in our backyard. You brought the nations here. 70 some languages spoken in our high school. Lord, the nations are here. And you care about them. And when we ask, Lord, I feel like we are saying, we're asking. So, if you give them to us, to the body of Christ, then we're gonna be responsible. We're not gonna just, say glad to hear it, but we're going to disciple them. So, would you help us to make a commitment to join you in your heart for the ends of the earth, your heart for all the nations.”

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