Psalm 1

The first poem of the Psalms, Psalm 1 opens Book One of the Psalter (Psalms 1–41). It has no superscription, the heading that gives a title or names an author at the beginning of many psalms. Many interpreters regard it, together with Psalm 2, which immediately follows, as an introduction to the Psalter as a whole.

Structure

• Verses 1–2: The blessed man keeps away from the counsel of the ungodly, the way of sinners, and the seat of the scornful; he delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on it day and night.
• Verse 3: He is like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season and whose leaf does not wither; whatever he does prospers.
• Verses 4–5: The ungodly are like the chaff (the husks of grain) that the wind drives away; they cannot stand in the judgment, nor can sinners stand in the congregation of the righteous.
• Verse 6: The LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Key Verses

• Psalm 1:1 "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners" — the progression of walking, standing, and sitting warns against an ever-deepening association with evil.
• Psalm 1:2 "In his law doth he meditate day and night" — a life that delights in and meditates on God's word is presented as the source of blessing.
• Psalm 1:6 "For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous" — the psalm closes by leaving the outcome of the two ways to God's judgment.

People and Places

No individuals or places are named. The "blessed man" (the righteous) is contrasted with the ungodly, sinners, and the scornful, and the LORD appears as the one who judges between the two ways.

Points for Reflection

• The Hebrew word torah, translated "law," refers not merely to commandments but to the whole of God's instruction. For this reason the poem is classified as a wisdom psalm closely related to wisdom literature. The phrase "meditate day and night" resembles Joshua 1:8, and the image of the tree planted by the water is nearly identical to Jeremiah 17:8 (Jeremiah 17:5–10).
• The movement that begins with "Blessed" in 1:1 ends with "Blessed are all they" in 2:12. Because of this framing, Psalms 1 and 2 are sometimes read as a single unit, and some ancient manuscripts and traditions are reported to have treated the two as one psalm.
• Interpretations differ as to who the "blessed man" is. Church Fathers such as Augustine read him as Christ, while Protestant interpreters generally understand him as any believer who follows God's word.
• Interpretations also differ regarding the prosperity promised in verse 3. Some preachers explain it as a promise of material prosperity, while others see it as the fruit of a life lived rightly before God (see prosperity theology).
• In the New Testament, the contrast between the two ways is read alongside the strait gate and the wide gate (Matthew 7:13–14) and the parable of the house built on the rock. The image of chaff also connects with John the Baptist's words about the wheat and the chaff (Matthew 3:12).

In the Korean Church

The psalm is frequently cited in sermons encouraging meditation on Scripture and the practice of quiet time. Verses 1–2 are often used for Scripture memorization in Sunday schools and similar settings.