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Book I
Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

Two Responses to God’s Word

The Way of the Godly Leads to Blessing

How blessed is the man
    who does not walk in the advice of the wicked,
    who does not stand on the path with sinners,
    and who does not sit in a meeting with mockers.
But his delight is in the teaching[a] of the Lord,
and on his teaching he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted beside streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season,
    and its leaves do not wither.
Everything he does prospers.

The Way of the Ungodly Leads to Destruction

Not so the wicked!
No, they are like the chaff which the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

Conclusion

Yes, the Lord approves[b] of the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 1:2 The Hebrew torah is traditionally translated law, but the term torah also includes other types of instruction besides legal regulations, so here it is translated with the more general term teaching.
  2. Psalm 1:6 Literally knows

The Ways of the Righteous and the Wicked

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked;
nor does he stand in the way of sinners;
nor does he sit in the assembly of mockers.
Instead, in the law of Yahweh is his delight,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
And so, he is like a tree planted by streams of water
that gives its fruit in its season;
its leaf also does not wither.
Therefore all that he does prospers.
Not so the wicked.
Instead, they are like the chaff that the wind scatters.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for Yahweh knows the way of the righteous,[a]
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 1:6 Plural