Contents
Introduction…………………………………………………………………..….….……. 3
Historical Context………………………………………………………………...………..3
Cultural Context……………………………………………………………………………3
Literary Context……………………………………………………………………………4
Meaning……………………………………………………………………………………5
Significance and Application………………………………………………………………7
Conclusion…………………………………………………………....……………………8
Bibliography……………………………………………............………………………….9
Introduction
Psalms is commonly referred to as a book of wisdom and appropriately so as it is placed between the books
of Job and Proverbs. The first Psalm is the introduction to the entire collection of Psalms and the division of the
bible called the Ketuvim, or writings.1 Scholarly consensus understands the Psalter as a collection of collections of
sung poetic prayers that range over a wide period of authorship, provenance, and redaction.2 Matthew Henry says,
All scripture, being given by inspiration of God, is profitable to convey divine light into our understandings; but this
book is of singular use with that to convey divine life and power, and a holy warmth, into our affections. No one
book of scripture is more helpful to the devotions of the saints than this, and it has been so in all ages of the church,
1 Stephen Breck Reid and Rebecca Poe Hays, Psalms,
https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-9780195393361/obo-
9780195393361-0099.xml#obo-9780195393361-0099-bibItem-0006
2 Stephen Breck Reid and Rebecca Poe Hays, Psalms,
2
ever since it was written and the several parts of it were delivered to the chief musician for the service of the
church.3 Psalms 1 describes how believers can impact their outcomes by choosing the path of the righteous or the
path of the wicked. As the scripture is dissected we will illuminate, elucidate, and apply the major points within to
demonstrate the significance of this psalm.
Historical Context
The collection of Psalms was written by many authors and is believed to have been written over many
years, Some say it was written between the time of Moses, around 1440 BC, and through the period of Babylonian
captivity and even as early as 430 BC.4 Also, some believe that the major contributor to the Psalms was David, who
is to have written seventy-three Psalms.5 As the introduction of the Ketuvim, the third installment of the Tanakh
(Hebrew Bible), the significance of this collection is monumental. However, it is consequential to understand that
the Psalms are not doctrinal statements, historical, or even creeds.
The 150 Psalms are divided into five books (1–41, 42–72, 73–89, 90–106, 107–150) that consist of four
assemblages plus the original worship book. Psalms 1 appears in the first book which was compiled before David’s
death and reflects much of his own experiences. The fivefold division is perhaps meant to be an imitation of the
Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament), suggesting that the book reached its present form through
liturgical use.6
Cultural Context
As we dissect the Psalms we must remember that the early “Christians'' did not have the benefit of being
able to look to the cross to support them. The New Testament did not exist in the times of the Tanakh and a lot of
the despair we see derives from the authors of Psalms experiencing what they felt was the absence of God. We see
this in psalms like 77, 42, and also 102. Israelite society typically consisted of farmers, fishermen, herdsmen, and
artisans. Psalms 1 is thought to have been written close to the time when Nehemiah expelled Moabites and Amorites
from Israel in an attempt to excommunicate corruptions that had seeped into the fabric of the Israelites. The
3 Henry, M. (2005). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible. ([Rev. ed].). Christian
Classics Ethereal Library.
4 Steven J. Lawson, Holman Old Testament Commentary- Psalms 1-75, Broadman and
Holman Publishers, Nashville, 2003, 21
5 Steven J. Lawson, Holman Old Testament Commentary- Psalms 1-75, 20
6 Liberty University, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 3 Feb 2023,
3
Israelites in that time felt honored to be a chosen people and subsequently kept to themselves and did not mingle
with other nations.7
Literary Context
The Psalms are considered poetry and prayer, written to be arranged to music or prayed in worship, and
served as the first hymnal for God’s people. Unlike English poetry which relies on rhyme and rhythm and is difficult
to translate to other languages, Hebrew poetry is easily translated because its basis is parallelism which necessitates
a balance of thought. It is imperative to keep in mind this balance of thought when explicating the Psalms. The
Psalms cover a wide range of emotional stances from sorrow to joy, from happy to sad, and from grief to delight.
They can be designated to several genuses such as the hymn, the lament, the songs of confidence, and songs of
thanksgiving.8 In reading the Psalter we can use both vertical and horizontal processes in our studies. In reading the
Psalms vertically we can focus on the emotion, significance, and view of the individual author to pull the lesson out
of his writing. In reading the Psalter horizontally we can appreciate the collection of emotions, commonalities, and
replication of topics to see that this collection, not only, was designed by God but was given as a gift to assist in
understanding the character of God.
Meaning
As we begin to dissect this psalm to determine the meaning and lesson behind it, the first thing you will
notice is that the psalm is in three divisions. Also, the parallelism that resides within the psalm. You will also notice
that in verses 1-3, we see that the scripture starts with a proclamation of God’s favor resting upon a truly God-
centered life. In the original language, you will see that the word blessed, or es’sher, is repeated. This happens
because it is the Hebrew way of demonstrating plurals. Therefore it should read “O, how very happy” or “the
happiness '.
As we move to the clauses of the first verse we will see the negative narrative of what the godly person
does not involve themselves in. First, he does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, meaning he will not circum to
secular ideologies of the world nor the values of the ungodly. He disposes of the thought that man is what the world
revolves around, and not God, which causes man to pursue his own moral compass and standards of pleasure.
7 Henry, M. (2005). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible. ([Rev. ed].). Christian
Classics Ethereal Library.
8 Liberty University, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 3 Feb 2023, https://academic-eb-
com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/levels/collegiate/article/Psalms/61680
4
Secondly, He does not stand in the way of sinners. This implies that his behaviors oppose those who live sensual
lifestyles and participate in carnal activities. He does not appear as sinners appear and therefore is separated from
them. Finally, he does not sit in the seat of mockers. This means he does not affiliate with those who do not
associate themselves with God and his standards. His close relationships are with those who have the same beliefs
and moral compasses. As you will also notice in these clauses, each one becomes increasingly evil using ungodly,
sinner, and finally mockers. Also, each action by the blessed man shows more comfort by using walking, standing,
and finally sitting.9
Verse 2 moves us to a more positive view of the “blessed” man and what he does involve himself in. He
delights himself in the law of the Lord and meditates on his law day and night. There is some ambiguity here as to
what is meant by law in the b clause because the “H” is not capitalized as it normally is when referencing God.10 In
The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible it is 8451 with a meaning of Torah or statue or precept.11
The best understanding with respect to this reference would be to delight in compliance with divine desiderations.
Verse 3 uses 3 metaphoric references to depict the believer who embraces obedience to God’s word, “That
person is like a tree planted by the streams of water, which yields fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not
wither.”. (KJV) As stated in “Psalms” by Tremper, “To unpack this figure (technically a simile), the picture suggests
life, productivity, fruitfulness, health.”. It also gives the result of what to expect when the believer obliges God’s
word, “whatever they do prospers.”.12 It is imperative to understand that prosper in this sense means pushing
forward, breaking out, or coming (mightily).13 In understanding the Hebrew sense the scripture should then read
Whatever he does he pushes forward, breaks out, or comes mightily. Also, Goldingay and Tremper imply that the
9 Maclaren, Alexander. The Expositor’s Bible: The Psalms, Vol. 1 Psalms I.-XXXVIII. Edited by
W. Robertson (William Robertson) Nicoll. Project Gutenberg, 2013.
10 Longman, Tremper, III. Psalms. Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2014. Accessed February 18,
2024. ProQuest Ebook Central.
11 James Strong, Strong's Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville:
Thomas Nelson, 2009), s.v. "law."
12 Longman, Tremper. Psalms : An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, Illinois:
InterVarsity Press, 2014.
13 James Strong, Strong's Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville:
Thomas Nelson, 2009), s.v. "prosper."
5
godly also face the possibility of withering as well, not because they are ungodly, but because they are godly.14 This
illustration lends strength to the already strong statement made by the author using the metaphors listed above.
Verses 4-6 give the depiction of the ungodly, which happens to be the reverse of the righteous both in
integrity and ideology.15 In particular, whereas the righteous are like valuable, useful, fruitful trees, they are like the
chaff which the wind drives away, the very lightest of the chaff, the dust which the owner of the floor desires to have
driven away, as not capable of being put to any use.16 It is believed by some scholars that Verse 4 clause a parallels
verse 3, whereas the blessed man shall prosper in all he does but the ungodly are not so and is compared in value to
portions of a crop that is thrown into the wind. The comparison is very profound as the chaff is the opposite of the
tree. The tree has abundant water being planted by the river but the chaff is dry with no connection to the earth.17
Verse 5 sticks with the instability of the ungodly and parallels the word “standing” to compare the ways of
the sinners and the ways of the righteous. The sinner will not stand (endure) God’s judgment. Maclaren states, “Such
is indeed a true picture of every life not rooted in God and drawing fertility from Him.”. 18 It is unclear what
judgment here means as the limpidity of the afterlife comes in the New Testament. The b clause of verse 5 reflects
on the absence of sinners in the congregation of the righteous. The congregation of the righteous may refer to the
faithful Israelites as opposed to the unfaithful who disregard God’s promise by breaking his laws.
In looking at the 6th and final verse of the psalm we see the introduction of God displaying the knowledge
of the way of the righteous as if He is the manufacturer of it. The fact that the Lord watches over the righteous
means that they will be safe, while the psalmist concludes with the warning that the way of the wicked shall perish.19
The emphasis of this motif is increased by the fact that it is also taken up from verse 1. Likewise the “faithful” and
14 Goldingay, John. Psalms /. Grand Rapids,: Baker Academic, 2006.
15 Maclaren, Alexander. The Expositor’s Bible: The Psalms, Vol. 1 Psalms I.-XXXVIII. Edited
by W. Robertson (William Robertson) Nicoll. Project Gutenberg, 2013.
16 Goldingay, John. Psalms /. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Academic, 2006.
17 Longman, Tremper. Psalms : An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, Illinois:
InterVarsity Press, 2014.
18 Maclaren, Alexander. The Expositor’s Bible: The Psalms, Vol. 1 Psalms I.-XXXVIII. Edited
by W. Robertson (William Robertson) Nicoll. Project Gutenberg, 2013.
19 Longman, Tremper. Psalms : An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove:
InterVarsity Press, 2014.
6
the “faithless” reappear from verse 5 but in the reverse order, symbolizing the contrast between their destinies.20
This also means that the “faithless” form a bracket around verses 5-6, around verses 4-6, and around the psalm as a
whole. Verse 6 neatly sums up the psalm’s delicate balance of the emphasis on the faithful and the faithless.”.21
Significance andApplication
This Psalm still holds a great level of significance in the Christian church today.It is the guide to telling us
what a “blessed” life looks like and the reward we should see if we have lived in this way. Psalms 1 gives us insight
in the character of God while acknowledging that we have the choice to not choose the way of the Lord. It was the
choice to not follow God’s ways that disrupted the relationship between God and His people in the Garden of Eden.
It shows just what Maclaren states, “Every course of life but that of the man who delights in and keeps the law of the
Lord comes to a fatal end, and leads to the brink of a precipice, over which the impetus of descent carries the
reluctant foot.”.22 It arrives at its position as the introduction to the Psalter based on the wisdom shown in the psalm.
It is a call for believers to place focus on those things that are important to God.
As we look to the application of this psalm we are confronted with the temptation we run across regularly
and become increasingly comfortable with, being in the circle of that which does not present the reward of life. We
have to relentlessly ask ourselves what company we are keeping. Oftentimes it is the people we are around and other
times it is the things that we do. Are we giving more focus to Netflix, Social media, nightlife, or to God’s word? Are
we really focused on what can give us life?
Some will ask, how do I know what will give me life? According to Psalms 1, it can be uncovered in God’s
law and the central motif of that is the gospel of Christ. This can be done by reflecting on His word. This can happen
in several ways, Studying the word of God, reading God’s word, and memorizing God’s word. These three things
help us to illuminate those things that are not synchronized with God’s word. Once we have identified those things
that do not give us life we can make corrections and adjustments to ensure we stay on the path of righteousness.
We must also ensure to keep God at the center of everything, We must be mindful of those things that we
allow into our system that do not give life. God should be the nucleus of every theological axiom. God should be the
20 Maclaren, Alexander. The Expositor’s Bible: The Psalms, Vol. 1 Psalms I.-XXXVIII. Edited
by W. Robertson (William Robertson) Nicoll. Project Gutenberg, 2013.
21 Goldingay, John. Psalms /. Grand Rapids : Baker Academic, 2006.
22 Maclaren, Alexander. The Expositor’s Bible: The Psalms, Vol. 1 Psalms I.-XXXVIII. Edited
by W. Robertson (William Robertson) Nicoll. Project Gutenberg, 2013.
7
epicenter, His glory is all that matters, and liturgy, adulation and, adoration, should all encompass this fact. Psalms 1
displays how believers can worship God in alignment with how God declares to be worshiped.
Conclusion
The New Testament and the Old Testament share a major common point, The only path to salvation is
through God. The first psalm shows all believers a picture of the summation of God. By understanding what this
psalm teaches us we can understand who God is. He has always wanted His children to be connected to him. His
desire is that believers delight in Him, and thus, God has created the rubric for us to find happiness, to be blessed, to
be saved. It begins with being wise about whom you keep company with, not allowing those who don’t follow His
law to consume time that could be spent with Him. It includes what we spend our time doing. Being careful to find
God in all we do by meditating on His word in every moment. It is by following this rubric that we can be like the
tree planted by the river bearing fruit in it’s season and receive our reward.
Bibliography
Goldingay, John. Psalms /. Grand Rapids.: Baker Academic, 2006.
Goldingay, John. Psalms for Everyone. Pt. 1, Psalms 1-72. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013.
Henry, M. (2005). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible. ([Rev. ed].). Christian Classics Ethereal
Library.
James Strong, Strong's Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009), s.v.
Lefebvre, Michael. “‘On His Law He Meditates’: What Is Psalm 1 Introducing?” Journal for the study of the Old
Testament. 40, no. 4 (2016): 439–450.
Liberty University, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 3 Feb 2023, https://academic-eb-
com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/levels/collegiate/article/Psalms/61680
Longman, Tremper. Psalms : An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2014.
Longman, Tremper, III. Psalms. Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2014. Accessed February 18, 2024. ProQuest E-
book Central.
8
Maclaren, Alexander. The Expositor’s Bible: The Psalms, Vol. 1 Psalms I.-XXXVIII. Edited by W. Robertson
(William Robertson) Nicoll. Project Gutenberg, 2013.
Stephen Breck Reid and Rebecca Poe Hays, Psalms, https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-
9780195393361/obo-9780195393361-0099.xml#obo-9780195393361-0099-bibItem-0006
Steven J. Lawson, Holman Old Testament Commentary- Psalms 1-75, Broadman and Holman Publishers, Nashville,
2003,
9
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
