ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 TUSITE SEPITEMA 12

Blessed Is The Man

MONŪ‘IA Ā, ka ko e tangata ko ē

PSALM 1:1-2

BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO WALKS NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE WICKED, NOR STANDS IN THE WAY OF SINNERS, NOR SITS IN THE SEAT OF SCOFFERS; BUT HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF THE LORD, AND ON HIS LAW HE MEDITATES DAY AND NIGHT.

SAAME 1:1-2

1 MONŪ‘IA Ā, ka ko e tangata ko ē Kuo ‘ikai fou ‘i he fakakaukau ‘a e faka‘otuamate, Pe tu‘u ‘i he hala ‘o e kau faikovi, Pe nofo ‘i he nofo‘anga ‘o ha‘a manuki: 2 Ka ko e Lao ‘a Sihova ‘a ‘ene manako, ‘Io, ‘i he lao ‘o‘ona ‘oku ne fakalaulauloto ‘aho mo e pō.

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

Ko e ongo saame ‘oku kamata’aki ‘a e Tohi Saame, ko e fakamatala ki he Misaia mo hono kakai. Ko e Saame ‘uluaki, ‘oku fakamatala ki ha tokotaha, “ko e tangata” ‘oku ‘asalei [MONŪ‘IA] pea ko e Saame ua, ‘oku fakamatala ki ha kulupu, ko e ‘asalei ‘oku kumi hufanga ki he ‘Alo ‘o e ‘Otua (Saame 2:12). Ko Kalaisi ‘a e tangata monu’iaa, ‘oku ‘ikai fou ‘i he fakakaukau ‘a e faka‘otuamate, Pe tu‘u ‘i he hala ‘o e kau faikovi, Pe nofo ‘i he nofo‘anga ‘o ha‘a manuki: he Ka ko e Lao ‘a ‘ene Tamai ‘oku fakalaulauloto ki ai (1:1-2). Ko Ia ‘a e ‘akau fua ma’u pe (1:3). ‘I he Saame 2, ko e tangata tatau, ko e Pani ia ‘a e ‘Otua (2:2), ko e Foha kuo fakatupu ‘e he Tamai (2:7), ‘oku ne hau ki he tu’i kotoa mo e ngaahi puyle’anga kotoa ‘aki ha sepita ukamea (2:8-11). ‘Oku "’Asalei” ‘akinautolu kotoa pe ‘oku hufanga kiate Ia, “He ‘oku tokanga‘i ‘e Sihova ‘a e hala ‘o si‘i faitotonu na, Ka ko e hala ‘o e kau faikovi ‘e ‘auha” (1:6).

Ko e Malanga ‘i he Mo’unga, ‘oku toutou ha ai ‘a e “MONŪ‘IAA” ko e ngaahi kupu’i lea ‘oku nau fakama’opo’opo kotoa ‘a e ngaahi Saame ‘e 150. Tautefito ki he kolosi, na’e fakatahataha’i ‘e Sisu ‘a e ngaahi Saame mo e malanga ‘i he mo’ungaa. MONŪ‘IAA ka ko e tangata ko ee, ‘a e ‘Alo ‘o e ‘Otuaa, ‘a hotau Misaiaa. Pea MONŪ‘IAA, ka ko kitautolu ‘oku tau mo’ui mo tu’u ‘etau falala ‘iate Iaa.

"‘E Sihova Mohu-hōsitē, Monū‘ia ā ka ko e tangata ‘oku falala kiate koe” (Saame 84:12).

[ENGLISH]

The opening two psalms are a poetic unit about the Messiah and his people. Psalm 1 begins by describing an individual, "the man," who is ashrey ("blessed"), and Psalm 2 concludes by describing a group, the ashrey who take refuge in God's Son (2:12). Christ is this blessed man who does not walk, stand, or sit with the wicked, but delights in constant meditation on his Father's word (1:1-2). He is the tree who yields ongoing fruit (1:3). In Psalm 2 this same man is the Lord's Anointed (2:2), the Son begotten of the Father (2:7), who rules over all kings and kingdoms with a rod of iron (2:8-11). "Ashrey are all who take refuge in him," for he will make them part of the righteous, whose way the Lord knows and who will not perish (1:6).

The Beatitudes, with their repeated "Blessed are..." phrases, encapsulate the message of all 150 psalms. Especially on the cross, Jesus embodies both the beatitudes and the psalms. Blessed is that man, God's Son, our Messiah. And blessed are we who live and trust in him.

"O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!" (Ps. 84:12).