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Psalms 1

BSB·6 verses ·Old Testament
✦ Tap any verse to open Scripture Explorer — original Hebrew/Greek, commentary, notes & highlights
1Blessedאַ֥שְֽׁרֵי־’aš·rê- — blessed, happy, fortunateH835 — Full Word Study → is the man whoאֲשֶׁ֤ר׀’ă·šer — who, which, that; when, where, becauseH834 — Full Word Study → does notלֹ֥אlō — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → walkהָלַךְ֮hā·laḵ — to go, walk, travel, proceedH1980 — Full Word Study → in the counselבַּעֲצַ֪תba·‘ă·ṣaṯ — counsel, advice, or purposeH6098 — Full Word Study → of the wickedרְשָׁ֫עִ֥יםrə·šā·‘îm — wicked, guilty, morally corruptH7563 — Full Word Study →, orלֹ֥אlō — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → set footעָמָ֑ד‘ā·māḏ — to stand, take a stand, be establishedH5975 — Full Word Study → on the pathוּבְדֶ֣רֶךְū·ḇə·ḏe·reḵ — way, path, journey, conductH1870 — Full Word Study → of sinnersחַ֭טָּאִיםḥaṭ·ṭā·’îm — A sinner; one who transgresses God's lawH2400 — Full Word Study →, orלֹ֣אlō — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → sitיָשָֽׁב׃yā·šāḇ — to dwell, inhabit, settle, remainH3427 — Full Word Study → in the seatוּבְמוֹשַׁ֥בū·ḇə·mō·wō·šaḇ — Seat, dwelling place, settlementH4186 — Full Word Study → of mockersלֵ֝צִ֗יםlê·ṣîm — to mock, scorn, or ridiculeH3887 — Full Word Study →. 2Butכִּ֤יkî — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → his delightחֶ֫פְצ֥וֹḥep̄·ṣōw — Pleasure, desire, delight, or purposeH2656 — Full Word Study → is in the Law of the LORDיְהוָ֗הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, and on His lawוּֽבְתוֹרָת֥וֹū·ḇə·ṯō·w·rā·ṯōw — instruction, teaching, law, guidanceH8451 — Full Word Study → he meditatesיֶהְגֶּ֗הyeh·geh — to mutter, meditate, speak quietlyH1897 — Full Word Study → dayיוֹמָ֥םyō·w·mām — During the day; daytime; by dayH3119 — Full Word Study → and nightוָלָֽיְלָה׃wā·lā·yə·lāh — Night, darkness, the period of darknessH3915 — Full Word Study →. 3He isוְֽהָיָ֗הwə·hā·yāh — to be, become, exist, happenH1961 — Full Word Study → like a treeכְּעֵץ֮kə·‘êṣ — Tree; wood; timberH6086 — Full Word Study → plantedשָׁת֪וּלšā·ṯūl — to plant, transplant, establishH8362 — Full Word Study → byעַֽל־‘al- — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study → streamsפַּלְגֵ֫יpal·ḡê — Stream, watercourse, or flowing water channelH6388 — Full Word Study → of waterמָ֥יִםmā·yim — Water; liquid; fluidsH4325 — Full Word Study →, yieldingיִתֵּ֬ןyit·tên — to give, grant, or bestowH5414 — Full Word Study → its fruitפִּרְי֨וֹ׀pir·yōw — Fruit; produce; offspring; rewardH6529 — Full Word Study → in seasonבְּעִתּ֗וֹbə·‘it·tōw — Time, season, or appointed momentH6256 — Full Word Study →, whose leafוְעָלֵ֥הוּwə·‘ā·lê·hū — Leaf or foliage of a treeH5929 — Full Word Study → does notלֹֽא־lō- — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → witherיִבּ֑וֹלyib·bō·wl — to wilt, fall away, become foolish or vileH5034 — Full Word Study →, andוְכֹ֖לwə·ḵōl — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → who prospersיַצְלִֽיחַ׃yaṣ·lî·aḥ — To prosper, succeed, push forwardH6743 — Full Word Study → in all he doesיַעֲשֶׂ֣הya·‘ă·śeh — to do, make, or accomplish; to act or performH6213 — Full Word Study →. 4Notלֹא־lō- — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → soכֵ֥ןḵên — so, thus, rightly, thereforeH3651 — Full Word Study → the wickedהָרְשָׁעִ֑יםhā·rə·šā·‘îm — wicked, guilty, morally corruptH7563 — Full Word Study →! Forכִּ֥יkî — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → they are like chaffכַּ֝מֹּ֗ץkam·mōṣ — Chaff, worthless husks of grainH4671 — Full Word Study → driven offתִּדְּפֶ֥נּוּtid·də·p̄en·nū — to drive away, thrust, or shake violentlyH5086 — Full Word Study → by the windרֽוּחַ׃rū·aḥ — Spirit, breath, wind, or inner dispositionH7307 — Full Word Study →. 5Thereforeעַל־‘al- — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study → the wickedרְ֭שָׁעִיםrə·šā·‘îm — wicked, guilty, morally corruptH7563 — Full Word Study → will not standיָקֻ֣מוּyā·qu·mū — To rise, stand, or be establishedH6965 — Full Word Study → in the judgmentבַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑טbam·miš·pāṭ — Justice, judgment, or legal decisionH4941 — Full Word Study →, nor sinnersוְ֝חַטָּאִ֗יםwə·ḥaṭ·ṭā·’îm — A sinner; one who transgresses God's lawH2400 — Full Word Study → in the assemblyבַּעֲדַ֥תba·‘ă·ḏaṯ — congregation, assembly, gathered communityH5712 — Full Word Study → of the righteousצַדִּיקִֽים׃ṣad·dî·qîm — Righteous, just person; one who is right with GodH6662 — Full Word Study →. 6Forכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְ֭הוָהYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → guardsיוֹדֵ֣עַyō·w·ḏê·a‘ — to know, understand, perceiveH3045 — Full Word Study → the pathדֶּ֣רֶךְde·reḵ — way, path, journey, conductH1870 — Full Word Study → of the righteousצַדִּיקִ֑יםṣad·dî·qîm — Righteous, just person; one who is right with GodH6662 — Full Word Study →, but the wayוְדֶ֖רֶךְwə·ḏe·reḵ — way, path, journey, conductH1870 — Full Word Study → of the wickedרְשָׁעִ֣יםrə·šā·‘îm — wicked, guilty, morally corruptH7563 — Full Word Study → will perishתֹּאבֵֽד׃tō·ḇêḏ — To perish, be destroyed, or lostH6 — Full Word Study →.
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 1
Chapter Overview

Chapter Overview

Psalm 1 serves as a magnificent prologue to the entire Psalter, presenting two fundamental ways of life: the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly. This opening psalm does not address God directly in prayer, but rather speaks to us about the conditions for true blessing and the consequences of rejecting God's word. The psalmist uses vivid imagery—from trees bearing fruit to chaff blown by wind—to illustrate that our choices determine our destiny, and that genuine prosperity comes through devotion to the Lord's law, not through the counsel of those who reject Him.

Verses 1–2: The Blessed Life Defined

The psalm opens with a powerful word: Blessed. This blessing comes to the person who actively avoids three progressive stages of ungodliness. First, he does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly—he refuses to seek advice or direction from those who deny God. Second, he does not stand in the way of sinners—he does not pause or settle into a lifestyle of willful sin. Third, he does not sit in the seat of the scornful—he does not position himself among mockers who openly ridicule faith and righteousness.

Instead, the blessed person's delight is in the law of the LORD (verse 2). This is not grudging obedience, but genuine joy in God's word. The verb meditate suggests deep, continuous reflection—not merely casual reading, but pondering God's truth day and night. This reveals that true happiness flows from a heart that treasures God's word above all other counsel.

Application: Examine your inner circle and the voices you listen to most. Are you being shaped by worldly wisdom that ignores God, or are you feeding your soul on Scripture?

Verses 3–4: The Fruit of Both Ways

The consequences of these two paths become starkly visible. The righteous person is like a tree planted by the rivers of water (verse 3). This is not a tree struggling in rocky soil, but one with constant access to nourishment. It bringeth forth his fruit in his season—there is fruitfulness, productivity, and blessing. Even his leaf shall not wither; there is vitality and endurance. Whatever such a person does shall prosper. This does not promise earthly wealth or the absence of trials, but rather that God's hand rests on all his endeavors for the fulfillment of His purposes.

By contrast, the ungodly are not so (verse 4). They are like the chaff which the wind driveth away—worthless, insubstantial, and easily scattered. They have no root, no stability, and no lasting fruit.

Application: Consider the long-term fruit of your choices. What legacy are you building—roots deep in God's truth, or a life easily swept away by circumstances?

Verses 5–6: The Final Judgment

These concluding verses reveal the ultimate outcome. The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment (verse 5)—they will be unable to justify themselves before God's righteous throne. They will not stand in the congregation of the righteous—they will be separated from God's people forever. But the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous (verse 6). The Hebrew word for "knoweth" suggests intimate knowledge and favor; God acknowledges and affirms His own. Conversely, the way of the ungodly shall perish—their path leads to destruction.

Application: Take comfort that God knows your way and guards it. Live accordingly, knowing that eternity depends on where your heart rests today.

Application for Today

Psalm 1 invites us to examine our spiritual diet and relationships. In our culture of endless voices, competing ideologies, and constant distraction, we must actively choose to delight in God's word above all other counsel. True blessing—a life bearing fruit, standing firm, and pleasing to God—belongs to those who treasure Scripture and let it shape their thinking and choices. What will you feed your soul today?

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