“For the Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”  Ps 1:6.

Back in my childhood days many homes had a large framed picture on the wall depicting the narrow way that leads to life and the broad way that leads to destruction. Often we stood studying that picture. The broad way, I recall so well, was  a  wide,  smooth road with many laughing people enjoying each other’s company along the way. The road was lined with various places of entertainment, theaters, dance halls, taverns, dope dens and the like. No one took notice of the fact that at the end of the road was thick darkness, smoke and fire. The narrow way had the cross at the outset, and beyond that a narrow gate. Homes and churches lined the way, but the way itself was winding, steep, rugged, leading through dark canyons and over steep hills. Along the way lurked lions and hidden snares. It was by no means an easy way. But from the far end of the way shone a bright light of eternal glory.

There is a marked similarity between that picture and our text, since they both speak of two ways, the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly. But there is also a definite difference between the two, for the picture was intended as a warning, while our text is intended as an incentive to the true believer in Christ Jesus.

The Lord knows the way of the righteous.

The key word is knows. Jehovah knows the way of the righteous man, but He does not know the way of the ungodly sinner. As a result, the righteous one inherits eternal life, while the sinner perishes in his sins. This causes the Psalmist to cry out, O the blessedness! Thrice blest is the righteous man now and forever! (verse 1).

If you will consult your English dictionary, you will find that even there the word ‘know’ has various meanings. This is much more true in Scripture, where the word has a very rich meaning.

Take note of Gen. 4: 1, where we read that Adam knew his wife. Out of that intimate knowledge children were born.

In I John 2:3 we are told, “And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” The first know refers to our experience. The second know speaks of intimate love, surrender, fellowship. We experience that the love of God is spread abroad in our hearts by the fact that we desire to be pleasing to Him.

God says of Abraham in Gen. 18:19, “For I know him.” In the previous verse the Angel of Jehovah had visited Abraham, had eaten and communed with him, and was now revealing to him the secrets of God’s heart. God will bless Abraham in such a way that this blessing will carry on throughout his spiritual seed in their generations.

This is in harmony with Rom. 8:29, where we read, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate.” God knows with an eternal determination of love for His people, whereby He claims them as His own to bless them in His covenant fellowship forever.

Many more references could be cited. In your daily devotions be sure to take note of that word know in the Scriptures.

In our text we are told that God not only knows the righteous, but He also knows ‘heir way. It is exactly because God knows His people from eternity that He declares them righteous through the death of His dear Son on the cross, makes them worthy to be called His sons and daughters, and prepares for them an inheritance in the heavens.

The obvious implication of the text is, that God does not know the way of the ungodly. O yes, He has determined that way also, even from eternity. He directs that way by His providence, so that the wicked serve their purpose for the salvation of the saints. But God always looks down upon them in His wrath, and ultimately judges them according to all their ungodly deeds which they commit against Him.

They deliberately put God out of their thoughts, yet they can never escape His all-seeing eye. They transgress all His commands by indulging in hatred, stealing, slander, sinful lusts, breaking the Sabbath, swearing, inventing and serving their own gods, as if God in heaven does not know, yet He keeps record of all their deeds. They think they are getting away with their ungodly walk, but God is only giving them over to their sins until the day of His just retribution.

We read of pagan young people who indulge in sexual relationships before they are married. The boys gain esteem by getting a large number of girls involved in their sex life. The girls readily give themselves to promiscuity. As you can imagine, this dissipation often results in a forced, undesirable marriage that is headed for disaster.

But are the so-called ‘Christian’ nations, which boast of their culture any better, especially with their modern means of birth control and abortion? The epidemic of social diseases in our own country is a sad commentary on that which is done in secret, and not always so secret at that. These are the ungodly who are visited already in this life for their ungodly deeds. And this is one aspect of their ungodly walk. How about so many members of the church who listen to hard rock, attend theaters, and read novels that are saturated with sex and all the horrors of sin? How about our own young people?

Thus speaks the Lord to wicked men: My statutes why do ye declare?

Why take my covenant in your mouth, Since ye for wisdom do not care?

For ye my holy words profane, And cast them from you in disdain.

   God knows the way of the righteous.  God has planned every step of that way in sovereign love and wisdom.  God leads His people along that way, over Calvary, through the narrow gate of Christ’s righteousness.  God enlightens His children by His Holy Spirit, creates the new life of Christ in them, brings them to conversion, to faith, to a sincere love and devotion to Him.

Sometimes Father leads His child through trials and bitter afflictions. At those times God may seem far away from them; it becomes difficult to pray. Satan attacks with sore temptations that seem too great to resist. Asaph says in Psalm 73, “My feet were almost gone (from under me); my steps had well nigh slipped.” And sometimes we do slip and fall into sin, much to our shame. Yet in those trying times the Lord preserves His own, purifies them as by fire, so that they come forth stronger and better Christians. We can say, as Asaph said after his trials, “Nevertheless, I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”

The way of the ungodly shall perish. At the end of their way is everlasting hell fire, where God defends His Holy Name and visits the sinner for all his sins in just retribution.

The way of the righteous ends in eternal blessedness, for at the end of their way stands Father’s House with its many mansions, and Christ with the victor’s wreath in His hand, to reward every man according to His works of grace. O the blessedness! Thrice blessed is he who loves and keeps God’s commands.