her than the course for which
conscience pleads; a little want of integrity in business dealings; a
little compromise with the ways of the world, followed by a
prosperity which brings no blessing, these prove often that the
enemy's arts are still the same.

But, thank GOD! There is a true prosperity which comes from Him and
leads towards Him. It is not only consistent with perfect integrity
and uncompromising holiness of heart and life, but it cannot be
attained without them, and its enjoyment tends to deepen them. This
divine prosperity is GOD'S purpose for every believer, in all that he
undertakes; in things temporal and in things spiritual, in all the
relations and affairs of this life, as well as in all work for CHRIST
and for eternity, it is GOD'S will for each child of His that
"whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

Yet many of His children evidently do not enjoy this uniform
blessing; some find failure rather than success the rule of their
life: while others, sometimes prospered and sometimes discouraged,
live lives of uncertainty, in which anxiety and even fear are not
infrequent. Shall we not each one at the outset ask, How is it with
me? Is this blessed prosperity my experience? Am I so led by the
SPIRIT in my doings, and so prospered by GOD in their issues, that as
His witness I can bear testimony to His faithfulness to this promise?
If it be not so with me, what is the reason? Which of the necessary
conditions have I failed to fulfil? May our meditations on the First
Psalm make these conditions more clear to our minds, and may faith be
enabled to claim definitely all that is included in this wonderful
promise!

THE NEGATIVE CONDITIONS OF BLESSING
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly."

More literally, O the blessings, the manifold happiness of the man
whose character is here described in the first and second verses of
this Psalm! He is happy in what he escapes or avoids, and happy and
prospered in what he undertakes.

The first characteristic given us is that he walks not in the counsel
of the ungodly, the wicked. Notice, it does not merely say that he
walks not in wicked counsel: a man of GOD clearly would not do this;
but what is said is that he "walketh not in the counsel of the
wicked." Now the wicked have often much worldly wisdom, and become
noted for their prosperity and their prudence, but the child of GOD
should always be on his guard against their counsel; howeve