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 1

(Psalms 1-41)

Great blessings belong to those
    who don’t listen to evil advice,
who don’t live like sinners,
    and who don’t join those who make fun of God.[a]
Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings
    and think about them day and night.
So they grow strong,
    like a tree planted by a stream—
a tree that produces fruit when it should
    and has leaves that never fall.
Everything they do is successful.

But the wicked are not like that.
    They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
When the time for judgment comes, the wicked will be found guilty.
    Sinners have no place among those who do what is right.[b]
The Lord shows his people how to live,
    but the wicked have lost their way.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 1:1 Or “The one who does not follow the advice of the wicked or turn onto Sinners Road or stay at Scoffers’ House is blessed.”
  2. Psalm 1:5 Or “The wicked will not be allowed to sit as judges nor sinners in the meeting of good people.”