Chapter 1
6 verses — switch translations with the toolbar below.
Scripture
KJV1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
Overview
Psalm 1 presents a stark contrast between two ways of life. The blessed man avoids the counsel, path, and seat of the ungodly and instead delights in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. He is compared to a fruitful tree planted by rivers of water. The ungodly, by contrast, are like chaff that the wind drives away, unable to stand in the judgment. The psalm establishes the foundation for the entire Psalter: the righteous prosper, the wicked perish.
Key Themes
The Two Ways — Righteous and Wicked
The psalm presents only two paths in life — there is no middle ground between walking with God and walking with the ungodly.
Delight in God's Word
The blessed man's secret is not mere avoidance of sin but active, joyful meditation on Scripture — his life is rooted in and nourished by the Word of God.
The Certainty of Divine Judgment
The ungodly will not stand in the judgment — God knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Study Questions
The psalm describes a progression — walking, standing, sitting — in the company of the ungodly (v. 1). What does this teach about how compromise develops gradually?
What does it mean to 'delight' in God's law and meditate on it 'day and night' (v. 2)? How is this different from mere duty?
How does the tree metaphor (v. 3) illustrate the relationship between rootedness in Scripture and fruitfulness in life?
Why are the ungodly compared to 'chaff' (v. 4), and what does this image communicate about a life without God?
How does this psalm serve as an introduction and interpretive key to the entire book of Psalms?
Connection to Christ
Jesus is the truly blessed man of Psalm 1 — the one who perfectly delighted in the Father's will, never walked in the counsel of the ungodly, and bore fruit in every season. He is also the tree of life planted by living water. All who are 'in Christ' share in His blessedness and fruitfulness.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Psalms 1. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?