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First Book—Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1[a]

True Happiness in God’s Law

I

Blessed is the man who does not walk
    in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the way[b] of sinners,
    nor sit in company with scoffers.(A)
Rather, the law of the Lord[c] is his joy;
    and on his law he meditates day and night.(B)
He is like a tree(C)
    planted near streams of water,
    that yields its fruit in season;
Its leaves never wither;
    whatever he does prospers.

II

But not so are the wicked,[d] not so!
    They are like chaff driven by the wind.(D)
Therefore the wicked will not arise at the judgment,
    nor will sinners in the assembly of the just.
Because the Lord knows the way of the just,(E)
    but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 1 A preface to the whole Book of Psalms, contrasting with striking similes the destiny of the good and the wicked. The Psalm views life as activity, as choosing either the good or the bad. Each “way” brings its inevitable consequences. The wise through their good actions will experience rootedness and life, and the wicked, rootlessness and death.
  2. 1:1 The way: a common biblical term for manner of living or moral conduct (Ps 32:8; 101:2, 6; Prv 2:20; 1 Kgs 8:36).
  3. 1:2 The law of the Lord: either the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, or, more probably, divine teaching or instruction.
  4. 1:4 The wicked: those who by their actions distance themselves from God’s life-giving presence.

BOOK ONE(A)

True Happiness

Happy are those
    who reject the advice of evil people,
    who do not follow the example of sinners
    or join those who have no use for God.
Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord,
    and they study it day and night.
(B)They are like trees that grow beside a stream,
    that bear fruit at the right time,
    and whose leaves do not dry up.
They succeed in everything they do.

But evil people are not like this at all;
    they are like straw that the wind blows away.
Sinners will be condemned by God
    and kept apart from God's own people.
The righteous are guided and protected by the Lord,
    but the evil are on the way to their doom.

BOOK I

(Psalms 1–41)

Psalm 1

The Two Ways

Happy are those
    who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
    or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law they meditate day and night.
They are like trees
    planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
    and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.

The wicked are not so,
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish.

BOOK 1

The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.

Blessed is the person who (A)does not walk in the (B)counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the [a](C)path of sinners,
Nor (D)sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his (E)delight is (F)in the Law of the Lord,
And on His Law he meditates (G)day and (H)night.
He will be like (I)a tree planted by [b]streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its [c]leaf does not wither;
And [d]in whatever he does, (J)he prospers.

The wicked are not so,
But they are like (K)chaff which the wind blows away.
Therefore (L)the wicked will not stand in the (M)judgment,
Nor sinners in (N)the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord [e](O)knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of (P)the wicked will perish.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 1:1 Or way
  2. Psalm 1:3 Or canals
  3. Psalm 1:3 Or foliage
  4. Psalm 1:3 Or all that he does prospers
  5. Psalm 1:6 Or approves; or has regard to

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

Blessed is the one(A)
    who does not walk(B) in step with the wicked(C)
or stand in the way(D) that sinners take(E)
    or sit(F) in the company of mockers,(G)
but whose delight(H) is in the law of the Lord,(I)
    and who meditates(J) on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree(K) planted by streams(L) of water,(M)
    which yields its fruit(N) in season
and whose leaf(O) does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.(P)

Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff(Q)
    that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand(R) in the judgment,(S)
    nor sinners in the assembly(T) of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over(U) the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.(V)