Book I
Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

Two Responses to God’s Word

The Way of the Godly Leads to Blessing

The Way of the Ungodly Leads to Destruction

Conclusion

The Narrow Door

²² He went on his way from one town and village to another, teaching, and making his way to Jerusalem. ²³ Someone said to him, “Lord, are only a few going to be saved?”

He said to them, ²⁴ “Strive to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. ²⁵ Once the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open for us!’ He will tell you in reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ ²⁶ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ ²⁷ And he will say, ‘I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’ ²⁸ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown outside. ²⁹ People will come from east and west, from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ And note this: Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

You Have Come to Mount Zion

¹⁸ You have not come to a mountain that can be touched^[a] and to burning fire, to darkness, to gloom, to a raging storm, ¹⁹ to the sound of a trumpet, and to a voice that spoke. Those who heard the voice asked that not one more word be added, ²⁰ because they could not endure what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”^{[b] 21} The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”^[c]

²² Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God; to the heavenly Jerusalem; to tens of thousands of angels in joyful assembly; ²³ to the church of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven; to God, who is the judge of all; to the spirits of righteous people who have been made perfect; ²⁴ to Jesus, the mediator of a new testament;^[d] and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better message than the blood of Abel.