Psalm 1:6
“For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”
King James Version (KJV)
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This is the final verse of Psalm 1, summarizing the two ways the psalm has set forth and revealing that the difference between them rests on the LORD's personal knowledge of the righteous.
What Does Psalm 1:6 Mean?
Psalm 1:6 brings the whole psalm to a close by contrasting two roads and their final ends -- the LORD intimately knows the way of the righteous, while the way of the ungodly comes to ruin. This single verse gathers up everything the psalm has been building: the blessed tree and the worthless chaff, the two companies and the two attitudes, all resolve into two ways with two destinations.
The key word is "knoweth." In the Hebrew way of speaking, to know is not merely to be aware of facts; it carries the warmth of personal relationship and watchful care. The LORD does not simply observe the path of the righteous from a distance -- He knows it, walks it with them, and keeps it under His attentive love. Their way is secure because it is held by God Himself. By contrast, "the way of the ungodly shall perish." The road that is not known by God leads nowhere; it dissolves like the chaff carried off by the wind. The verse leaves the reader at a fork, having shown that the difference between the two paths is ultimately the difference between being known and held by God or being left to a way that vanishes. The psalm thus ends not with a threat but with an invitation to walk the road God Himself watches over.
In the Original Language
The verb yada', "to know," implies intimate, relational knowledge and care rather than mere intellectual awareness -- the LORD personally watches over and is committed to the way of the righteous.
Cross References
“The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”
- Nahum 1:7
“The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
- 2 Timothy 2:19
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction.”
- Matthew 7:13
Application
Take comfort that the path of the faithful is not walked alone -- the LORD personally knows and watches over it -- and let that assurance steady you when the way of the world seems to prosper.
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