Psalm 1
PSALM 1
1 Psalm 1 deals with two ways or paths: the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked4 (verse 6). These are the only two ways in life; there is no middle way.
Blessed is the man. . . (verse 1). The RIGHTEOUS are “blessed” by God. To be “blessed” means to be under God’s care and protection; it means to be at PEACE,to be content, to be happy (Matthew 5:3–12). It does not mean, however, that one’s life will be free of sorrow and suffering; neither does it mean that one will always experience material prosperity. The blessings of God are, above all, spiritual. They begin in this life; they will be fully realized in the next.
Notice that the righteous man does two things: he separates himself from the way of the wicked5 (verse 1), and he joins himself to the way of God (verse 2). Both actions are necessary if one is to stay on the path of righteousness.6
2 The righteous person delights in the law of the LORD7 and meditates on it throughout his waking hours. To meditate on the LAW doesn’t mean just having a “quiet time” once a day; it means consciously applying God’s law to one’s daily life. Neither does it mean just memorizing and studying the Lord’s word—though these activities are important; it means, above all, putting the Lord’s word into practice (see Matthew 7:21; James 1:22,25).
Notice that the righteous person doesn’t obey God’s law only as a duty or obligation; the righteous person takes delight in the law. For the believer, following the law is not a burden, it’s a blessing. God gave us the law for our good, for our happiness; therefore we can “delight” in it. To obey the law brings freedom, well-being, and a clear conscience; it leads to fellowship with God. For believers, to obey the law is a delight indeed.
3 The righteous man—the blessed man—is like a tree. The Lord provides water (John 4:10–14), and as a result the tree bears fruit (John 15:16). Whatever he does (in accordance with God’s will) prospers—that is, it bears “fruit.”8
4–5 The wicked, however, amount to nothing; they bear no lasting fruit. They are blown away like chaff. They may not be “blown away” in this life, but they surely will be in the next—in the final judgment when God judges all mankind. Then the wicked will not be able to stand; they will not be able to withstand God’s JUDGMENT (Revelation 6:15–17). They will not be included in the assembly of the righteous (verse 5)—that is, the community of believers who are accepted by God and enjoy His fellowship both now and forever (Revelation 21:27).
6 This concluding verse highlights once more the two contrasting ways that men and women can take in this life: one way that is “watched over” by God, and the other way which “perishes.” And we can understand that if the “way” of the wicked perishes, the wicked perish as well.
In choosing between these two ways, the most important question to ask is: Where do they lead? One way leads to life, and the other leads to death (see Deuteronomy 30:15–20; Matthew 7:13–14). The concept of the afterlife is not well-developed in the Old Testament, but from the teaching of the New Testament we can understand that the “life” and “death” referred to here are in fact eternal life and eternal death. When making the choice between these two ways, therefore, the stakes are very high. Are a few moments of sinful pleasure on earth worth the loss of ETERNAL LIFE in heaven? This is the most important question any man or woman can ask—and Psalm 1 gives the answer: no; nothing is worth the loss of eternal life with God in heaven.
