Unfolding the Deck Chair: Finding Stability in God’s Blessing

Life can often feel like Charlie Brown’s dilemma with the deck chair—we “can’t even get mine unfolded.” Some things just don’t seem to be working for us. Sometimes things seem to be spiraling out of control. We all face moments when trouble comes and the wind blows, making us feel unstable. But we don’t have to live there! Psalm chapter 1 provides a profound contrast between the blessed man and the ungodly, showing us that finding a position where God can bless, meet our needs, and encourage our hearts is a choice we make.

The “blessed” man in Psalm 1:1 enjoys the favor of God—a deep happiness in Jesus regardless of circumstances—because he is planted, thriving spiritually, and bearing fruit (Psalm 1:3). The ungodly, however, are “not so,” and are instead “like the chaff which the wind driveth away” (Psalm 1:4). This contrast answers the crucial question: What does a person look like when they are no longer blessed?

The Ungodly Man Has No Stability

The ungodly man is like the chaff—the worthless outer husk separated from the valuable wheat on the threshing floor. The chaff is dead, without roots or life, and is easily blown and driven away by the slightest breeze.

This is a picture of an unstable person—someone who is constantly up and down, swinging from one extreme to another. Such a person needs spiritual help through consistency, which the godly man finds in three constant areas:

Consistent Walk with People: The blessed man is intentional about his associations: he “walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1). We need to walk with godly people and seek godly counsel, avoiding those who scorn God’s Word and try to be “in charge” instead of letting God lead.
Consistent Worship and Praise: The blessed man’s “delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:2). We need to love, live, and read the Bible consistently, allowing it to guide our lives and change us. This meditation—chewing on the Scripture—is the nourishment that prevents us from withering.
Consistent Work and Prospering: The blessed man is like a tree that “bringeth forth his fruit in his season” and “whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3). This prosperity is God blessing the work of our hands and demonstrating that our faith is real. Just as Abraham showed his faith through works (James 2:14), we demonstrate our salvation. We put ourselves in a position to be blessed by confessing sin (Proverbs 28:13) and seeking God’s will (3 John 1:2).

An unstable person, conversely, allows their flesh and desires to dictate their life, proving the truth: “No man is free who is not a master of himself.”

The Ungodly Man Has No Control

The ultimate consequence of instability is lack of control, especially when facing the truth of eternity: “Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment…” (Psalm 1:5).

Cannot Stand Before God: When the ungodly man, who has refused Christ, faces judgment, he will not be able to stand up and justify himself. He will be found to be the chaff—the worthless refuse—that is destined to be gathered up and burned in the fire of divine wrath (Matthew 3:12). His doom is fixed because he said “no” to Jesus Christ in this life.
Cannot Steady Against Temptation: For the believer, although we face problems bigger than ourselves, Jesus is bigger than all our troubles. The ungodly man, however, faces temptation and trouble with no roots and no consistency, and is constantly “blown away.” We must be steadfast and unmovable in the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). We need to stand fast in one spirit, striving for the faith of the gospel (Philippians 1:27).
A Lesson in Discipline: We must watch out that when God blesses us, we don’t become undisciplined and lose that blessing. The man without God’s blessing is un-steady, un-settled, and constantly in spiritual decline because the nourishment of the Word is missing and his emotional life is up and down.

The Ungodly Man Has No Acceptance

The ungodly man not only cannot stand before God’s judgment but also cannot stand “in the congregation of the righteous” (Psalm 1:5). He has no acceptance among God’s people.

No Commendation from the Righteous: The righteous—those who are striving to please the Lord—are interested in what is right and in the redeemed of the Lord. The congregation is not interested in the praise of an ungodly man, nor are they interested in investing in his vanity or his open rebellion against God.
Wickedness Not Accepted: A lost man who embraces his sin, or even a saved man who is openly rebelling or living in anger and scorn, would not be accepted into the fellowship of the congregation because of their unrighteousness. We must strive to live in a way that is right and responsible.

As Queen Elizabeth I lamented on her deathbed, “All my possessions for a moment of time.” Though she possessed great earthly wealth, she could not buy salvation or peace in the face of death. Today, you can find that peace and calmness by admitting to God that you are a sinner, believing that Jesus died on the cross for your sin, was buried, and rose again, and calling upon Him by faith to save you. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). Don’t look elsewhere for the blessing of God when it can be found in the Book. Start each day with God.