As the Psalmist begins to tell us how to obtain the blessed life, he starts with what we should NOT do. He begins by telling us that we should not live according to the customs, values, and lifestyles of people who are opposed to God and his commandments. In this sermon, Fr. Toms demonstrates that we must base our lives on the word of God, because all other paths lead to unhappiness and danger. The counsel of the ungodly always leads us to seek happiness in the wrong way and in the wrong things.