Psalm 1:1-2

Context

This is the first of the 150 psalms in the book of Psalms, and it has no superscription. Many scholars hold that Psalms 1 and 2 together serve as an introduction to the entire Psalter. Psalm 1 speaks of the way of the individual who follows the law, while Psalm 2 celebrates the king whom God has established; Psalm 1 begins with "Blessed is the man," and Psalm 2 ends with "Blessed are all they" (2:12).

Verse 1 describes what the blessed man does not do with three verbs—"walk" (or "follow"), "stand," and "sit"—and verse 2 describes what he does. The word "blessed" renders the Hebrew ashre, the plural form of esher, and carries the exclamatory sense of "how happy!" The word "law" (torah) is understood to refer not narrowly to legal statutes but to the whole of God's instruction, and "meditate" (hagah) carries the sense of murmuring or reciting aloud (the same word used in Joshua 1:8). Verse 3 compares the blessed man to a tree planted by the rivers of water, and verse 4 compares the ungodly to the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Interpretation

• As a wisdom psalm: This reading sees the psalm as following the pattern of wisdom literature such as Proverbs, contrasting two ways—the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked (Proverbs 4:18-19; Jeremiah 17:5-8). A widely known interpretation holds that the three verbs of verse 1 depict a progressive descent ever deeper into evil.
• As a call to a Word-centered life: This reading holds that the source of blessing lies in delighting in God's Word and staying close to it continually, and it treats the passage as a foundation for personal devotional life and meditation on Scripture. It is especially emphasized in the Protestant tradition.
• Christological reading: Some of the Church Fathers, including Augustine, read this "blessed man" as Christ, who kept the law perfectly. Because no human being can fully attain this standard, this interpretation holds that the psalm ultimately points to Christ.

Questions of Application

The application differs depending on whether "nor standeth in the way of sinners" is read as calling for a life walled off and separated from the world or for a life lived within the world without adopting its values. In addition, regarding whether the statement in verse 3, "whatsoever he doeth shall prosper," guarantees success in this life, some point out that it must be read alongside psalms such as Psalm 73, which wrestle with the prosperity of the wicked.

In the Korean Church

The passage is commonly used as the opening text in quiet time materials, early-morning devotional gatherings, and Scripture memorization programs, and a number of gospel songs use it as their lyrics. It is also frequently chosen as the sermon text for the first week of the New Year.

Related Passages

• Psalm 1:3-6
• Psalm 2:12
• Joshua 1:8
• Jeremiah 17:7-8
• Psalm 119:97