Is it alright to hang with the world? Psalm 1-2

Psalms 1:1

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

As the Psalms begin God lays the first verse in the first Psalms somewhat as a theme for the rest of the book.  The entire first Psalm outlines God's message in the book: Follow God and receive blessings, in time; Don't follow God and receive wrath, in time.   The first verse Psalms up where we need to be in regard to faith.  We are to practice faith in God and avoid companionship with the world and the world's system.   This is a theme throughout all of Scripture.  The nation of Israel failed to here this warning.   The main reason they lost the promise land and suffered God's loving hand of chastisement was because of their failure to avoid the counsel of the wicked, the path of the sinners and the seat of the scoffers.  Note what God says to the nation through the prophet Isaiah: 

Isaiah 2:6

For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob,

Because they are filled with influences from the east,

And they are soothsayers like the Philistines,

And they strike bargains with the children of foreigners.

Make no mistake, if you believe in God and follow Him you will have to live separate from the world.   When we get close to the world's counsel, path or seat we fall into the world's philosophy and habits.  God knows us ... He made us.   He knows we can easily be lead astray.  He knows that we are easily influenced.   We are blessed when we stay clear of the world's teaching and thought.