1 Blessed is the man
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree
    planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish. – Psalm 1:1-6 ESV

The Psalms are a collection of lyrical poems intended to be accompanied by stringed instruments when read. Written over a period of 1,000 years by a variety of different authors, the Psalms reflect Israel’s rich history and provide a backdrop to their relationship with God. The Psalms come in a range of styles, from laments to hymns of praise. Some are songs of thanksgiving, offering gratitude to God for His protection and provision. Others are “songs of ascent” to be sung by faithful Israelites as they made their way to Jerusalem for one of the three annual festivals prescribed in the Law of Moses. There are also psalms of wisdom, victory psalms, royal psalms praising Israel’s Messiah, and songs of Zion

The authors include well-known characters such as Moses, David, and Solomon, as well as lesser-known individuals like Asaph, Heman, and Ethan. In the Hebrew Bible, this book is called Tehillim, which means “praise songs.” When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek (Septuagint), the translators used the Greek word psalmos, which means “song sung to a harp. The English title of the Book of Psalms comes from the Greek title Psalmoi.

This first of the 150 Psalms is a mere six verses long but serves as a powerful preface for the rest of the book. The author's name is unknown, but many have speculated that it may be one of the 70-plus Psalms penned by King David. Regardless of who wrote the Psalm, its content is simple and straightforward, providing a stark contrast between the way of the righteous and that of the wicked. The former delights in the law of the LORD, while the latter faces judgment from God for their godless behavior.

The blessed man is the one who refuses to emulate the ways of the wicked, choosing instead to focus his attention on pleasing God by faithfully meditating on and adhering to His law. The imagery contained in this Psalm is important because it portrays the godly life as a journey. Verse one states, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked…” (Psalm 1:1 ESV). The Hebrew word for “walk” is hālaḵ which means “to go.” It can be used literally or figuratively to convey the idea of motion or progress. A blessed man does not conduct his life based on ungodly counsel or advice. His actions are not influenced by input from the wicked. Verse 1 describes three kinds of potentially distractive and destructive characters. The first is the wicked (rāšāʿ). The second is sinners (ḥaṭṭā').  Finally, there are the scornful (lûṣ). Each word is designed to provide a different shade of color or hue intended to paint the least-attractive portrait of the prevailing cultural norm. The wicked are the godless masses who operate according to secular philosophies and humanistic values. Their worldview is man-centered and focused on standards of morality that promote personal pleasure over sacrifice and compromise and convenience over conviction and commitment. These individuals live their lives in an atmosphere of self-deluded autonomy and personal preference.

The term “sinners” was often used of criminals or lawbreakers. These were the kind of people who violated the commands of God either knowingly or unintentionally. Their lifestyle was marked by godless behavior that stood in direct opposition to His rules for righteous conduct. A blessed man refuses to associate with such people. To stand among them is to make a conscious decision to consider their godless behavior as not only acceptable but worthy of imitation.

The scornful refers to the arrogant and prideful who refuse to view their behavior through the lens of God’s righteousness. Rather than exhibiting shame for their actions, they mock their detractors and boast about their spiritual superiority.

The author seems to be addressing the issue of guilt by association. Godly people choose to surround themselves with people who share their values and encourage God-honoring behavior. It is no small matter that the author emphasizes “delight in the law of the LORD” (Psalm 1:2 NLT). This isn’t about rule-keeping or forcing oneself to obey a set of onerous and unpleasant regulations. It’s about delight (ḥēp̄eṣ) – a pleasurable and pleasing determination to do what God prefers rather than obeying the desires of the flesh. 

Godly people choose to be godly because they know it results in blessedness. It is preferable because it is profitable. It not only brings joy to God, but it results in blessings on all those who choose to live in obedience to His will. The psalmist described the benefits of such a life.

They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do. – Psalm 1:3 NLT

The prophet Jeremiah picked up on this idea.

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
    and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
    with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
    or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
    and they never stop producing fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:7-8 NLT

The fruitfulness is not a reward for good behavior; it is the outcome of a of a deeply rooted, God-centered lifestyle. His emphasis is not on the actions done but on the fruit produced, which only God can make happen. Jesus taught this concept when He said, “I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 BSB). Fruitfulness is the byproduct of faithfulness, not hard work.

But the psalmist uses the wicked as a counterpoint. Their lifestyle produces nothing of lasting value. Their “fruit” is worthless and of no benefit to anyone. He compares them to “worthless chaff” (Psalm 1:4 NLT). Chaff was the part of the grain that was separated during the threshing process and discarded because of its non-nutritive value. The apostle Paul described these fruits as “the works of the flesh” and he goes on to describe them in graphic detail.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,  idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. – Galatians 5:19-21 NLT

It’s not that the godless are fruitless, but that their fruit is devoid of quality and value. It is damaging rather than life-giving. It kills rather than fills. It tears down but can’t build up. The path of the godless is a lteral dead-end that results in judgment and condemnation.

They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
    Sinners will have no place among the godly. – Psalm 1:5 NLT

The Psalms could not have started in a more in-your-face, attention-getting manner. From the very beginning, this collection of worship songs established the stark contrast between two lifestyles that result in two distinctly different outcomes. The way of the wicked results in judgment and not just death, but eternal separation from God the Father and those who chose the path of righteousness.  The psalmist couldn’t have made the contrast any more vivid and threatening.

For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
    but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. – Psalm 1:6 NLT

Those who choose the narrow path of righteousness will one day reap a reward; not for their behavior but for their faithfulness to trust God’s will and obey His Word. But those who choose the broader and more appealing path of personal gain and unbridled pleasure will find themselves headed to a dark and deadly destination.

There are only two paths to choose in this life. One leads to eternal life and the other to death and destruction. Once again, the apostle Paul preached the reality of this two-path choice that every person faces in this life.

For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. – Philippians 3:18-21 NLT

But Paul was not alone in his assessment of the two paths. The apostle Peter concurred and painted a rather dark picture of those who claimed to be Christ followers but who were misleading the faithful with their pious-sounding lies and lives that produced death rather than life.

These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed. Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deception even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals. They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse. They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong. – 2 Peter 2:12-15 NLT

The Proverbs speak to this matter of paths and choices, and warns that the decision one makes has eternal ramifications. So choose carefully and wisely.

The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the godly will flourish.

There is a path before each person that seems right,
    but it ends in death. – Proverbs 14:11-12 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.