TWO WAYS OF LIFE
Key verse: 1:2a
NIV
BOOK IPsalms 1–41Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the one(A)
who does not walk(B) in step with the wicked(C)
or stand in the way(D) that sinners take(E)
or sit(F) in the company of mockers,(G)
2 but whose delight(H) is in the law of the Lord,(I)
and who meditates(J) on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree(K) planted by streams(L) of water,(M)
which yields its fruit(N) in season
and whose leaf(O) does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.(P)
Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the one(A)
who does not walk(B) in step with the wicked(C)
or stand in the way(D) that sinners take(E)
or sit(F) in the company of mockers,(G)
2 but whose delight(H) is in the law of the Lord,(I)
and who meditates(J) on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree(K) planted by streams(L) of water,(M)
which yields its fruit(N) in season
and whose leaf(O) does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.(P)
Cross references
- Psalm 1:1 : S Dt 33:29; Ps 40:4; 128:4
- Psalm 1:1 : Ps 89:15
- Psalm 1:1 : S Job 21:16; Ps 10:2-11
- Psalm 1:1 : S Ge 49:6
- Psalm 1:1 : Ps 26:9; 37:38; 51:13; 104:35
- Psalm 1:1 : Ps 26:4
- Psalm 1:1 : S Job 11:3; Pr 1:22; Isa 28:14; Hos 7:5
- Psalm 1:2 : Ps 112:1; 119:16, 35; Ro 7:22
- Psalm 1:2 : Ps 19:7; 119:1; Eze 11:20; 18:17
- Psalm 1:2 : S Ge 24:63
- Psalm 1:3 : Ps 52:8; 92:12; 128:3; Jer 11:16; Zec 4:3
- Psalm 1:3 : Ps 46:4; 65:9; Isa 33:21; Jer 31:9
- Psalm 1:3 : S Nu 24:6; S Job 14:9; S Eze 17:5
- Psalm 1:3 : Ps 92:14; Eze 47:12
- Psalm 1:3 : Isa 1:30; 64:6
- Psalm 1:3 : S Ge 39:3
- Psalm 1:4 : S Job 13:25; Isa 40:24; Jer 13:24
- Psalm 1:5 : Ps 5:5
- Psalm 1:5 : S Job 19:29
- Psalm 1:5 : Ps 26:12; 35:18; 82:1; 89:5; 107:32; 111:1; 149:1
- Psalm 1:6 : Ps 37:18; 121:5; 145:20; Na 1:7
- Psalm 1:6 : S Lev 26:38; Ps 9:6
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Book OneThe Way of the Righteous and the Wicked
1 Blessed is the man[a]
who (A)walks not in (B)the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in (C)the way of sinners,
nor (D)sits in (E)the seat of (F)scoffers;
2 but his (G)delight is in the law[b] of the Lord,
and on his (H)law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like (I)a tree
planted by (J)streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its (K)leaf does not wither.
(L)In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like (M)chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked (N)will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in (O)the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord (P)knows (Q)the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
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Footnotes
Cross references
- Psalm 1:1 : Prov. 4:14, 15
- Psalm 1:1 : Job 21:16
- Psalm 1:1 : Prov. 1:10
- Psalm 1:1 : Ps. 26:4; Jer. 15:17
- Psalm 1:1 : [Ps. 107:32]
- Psalm 1:1 : Prov. 1:22; 3:34; 19:29; 21:24; 29:8; [Isa. 28:14]
- Psalm 1:2 : Ps. 112:1; 119:35, 47, 92
- Psalm 1:2 : Ps. 119:1, 97; Josh. 1:8
- Psalm 1:3 : Jer. 17:8; Ezek. 19:10; [Num. 24:6; Job 29:19]
- Psalm 1:3 : Ps. 46:4
- Psalm 1:3 : Ezek. 47:12; [Isa. 34:4]
- Psalm 1:3 : Gen. 39:3, 23; [Ps. 128:2; Isa. 3:10]
- Psalm 1:4 : See Job 21:18
- Psalm 1:5 : Ps. 5:5; 76:7; Nah. 1:6; Luke 21:36; Eph. 6:13
- Psalm 1:5 : [Ezek. 13:9]
- Psalm 1:6 : Ps. 31:7; 37:18; 144:3; Nah. 1:7; [John 10:14; 2 Tim. 2:19]
- Psalm 1:6 : Ps. 37:5
1 Blessed is the man[a]
who (A)walks not in (B)the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in (C)the way of sinners,
nor (D)sits in (E)the seat of (F)scoffers;
2 but his (G)delight is in the law[b] of the Lord,
and on his (H)law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like (I)a tree
planted by (J)streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its (K)leaf does not wither.
(L)In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like (M)chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked (N)will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in (O)the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord (P)knows (Q)the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Footnotes
Cross references
- Psalm 1:1 : Prov. 4:14, 15
- Psalm 1:1 : Job 21:16
- Psalm 1:1 : Prov. 1:10
- Psalm 1:1 : Ps. 26:4; Jer. 15:17
- Psalm 1:1 : [Ps. 107:32]
- Psalm 1:1 : Prov. 1:22; 3:34; 19:29; 21:24; 29:8; [Isa. 28:14]
- Psalm 1:2 : Ps. 112:1; 119:35, 47, 92
- Psalm 1:2 : Ps. 119:1, 97; Josh. 1:8
- Psalm 1:3 : Jer. 17:8; Ezek. 19:10; [Num. 24:6; Job 29:19]
- Psalm 1:3 : Ps. 46:4
- Psalm 1:3 : Ezek. 47:12; [Isa. 34:4]
- Psalm 1:3 : Gen. 39:3, 23; [Ps. 128:2; Isa. 3:10]
- Psalm 1:4 : See Job 21:18
- Psalm 1:5 : Ps. 5:5; 76:7; Nah. 1:6; Luke 21:36; Eph. 6:13
- Psalm 1:5 : [Ezek. 13:9]
- Psalm 1:6 : Ps. 31:7; 37:18; 144:3; Nah. 1:7; [John 10:14; 2 Tim. 2:19]
- Psalm 1:6 : Ps. 37:5
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
INTRODUCTION TO THE PSALMS
The Psalms are Hebrew poetry. Many were written to be sung. Hebrew poetry does not rhyme; its chief characteristic is parallelism: In the second line the ideas or thoughts that have nearly the same meaning--many times with a little progression added--are repeated (Ps 4:1) or the opposite is given. Some psalms are like envelopes--they end with the same phrase with which they began (Ps 1
3). Some are structured as acrostics--the beginning of each verse or section follows a letter in the Hebrew alphabet (Ps 119).
King David wrote many of the psalms. He is the one who brought music and psalms into temple worship. He organized the temple worship and appointed the Levites as musicians. Other Psalms were written by the prophets, various musicians serving in the temple, and the anonymous.
The Psalms flow through the course of Israel's history. They constitute a kind of inner history which runs parallel to the recorded events. Most of them are poems or songs of prayers, praise, gratitude, and repentance to God. They tell us that God is intimately involved in Israel's history. He is the Creator of heaven and earth; he is the Redeemer; he is the Ruler of history; he is the one worthy of praise and honor and thanksgiving. As we study the Psalms, let us turn our hearts to him and learn from the Psalmists to praise and thank him and to lay before him all of our fears and anxieties and worship the LORD God. (Sarah Barry)
1. The way of the righteous (1-3)
The righteous do not listen to the advice of the wicked, and do not hang around those who deny God or those who are immoral, and they do not join in with the people who treat God and his people with contempt. Rather, their joy is in God's word- the law of God they meditate on day and night. Like a fruitful tree planted by the waterfront, their life is deeply rooted in God's word and is nourished and strengthened by it. They become prosperous in all they do, for the LORD watches over and blesses them. They are the ones who are truly blessed.
2. The way of the wicked (4-6)
However, the way of the wicked is like a chaff of the wind that blows away. All their busy activities will be like chasing after the wind- nothing that will lead them nowhere. Their life has no root, no meaning, and no fruit. They seem to be free and wise, but are restless wanderers on earth and will face destruction and judgment in the end.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for redeeming me from the empty way of life by the precious blood of Jesus. Help me to walk closely with you by meditating on your word with delight.
One Word: God's word is my delight
