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BOOK 1

The Way of the Righteous and Wicked

How blessed is the man who (A)does not walk in the (B)counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the (C)way of sinners,
Nor (D)sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his (E)delight is (F)in the law of [a]Yahweh,
And in His law he meditates (G)day and (H)night.
And he will be like (I)a tree firmly 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 drives away.
Therefore (L)the wicked will not rise in the (M)judgment,
Nor sinners in (N)the congregation of the righteous.
For Yahweh [e](O)knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of (P)the wicked will perish.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 1:2 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
  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, has regard to

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