1 Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
What stood out for you in this passage? What do you think it means? How might you apply it to your life?
Psalm 1: "Blessed" points not first to health and wealth but to the assurance of living under the faithful care of the Lord. The verbs "walk," "stand," and "sit" describe progressively greater association with the ungodly. The righteous person is like a well-watered tree; in lands without much rain, trees were planted near the bank so their roots could reach water. The wicked are like chaff, useless husks that even the lightest wind carries away. For application, the psalm offers a principle rather than a guarantee of success, with success measured by God's blessing rather than wealth. Meditating on and memorizing the Psalms plants our roots deeply into the life-giving water of God's Word.
