Introduction
The book of Psalms is a magnificent book that contains the praises of God’s people throughout the ages. It contains psalms of praise, confession, and even wisdom psalms that reflect the wisdom literature of the Bible. One of the most important Psalms is Psalm 1 which prepares the reader to read the entire Psalter, as it guides the reader to wisdom and blessing that comes from heeding God’s Word. Thus, a right understanding of Psalm 1 best prepares readers to study the book in its entirety. The structure, context, and language of the Psalm 1 beautifully asserts that the one who delights in the Lord’s instruction and avoids the wicked at all cost is blessed bountifully by the Lord.
Background and Location
The book of Psalms is a collection of song or poems from various authors compiled into a single volume that contains five books of psalms within. Longman and Garland state, “The psalms were gathered in separate collections that were eventually brought together into one book under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.”[1] The Psalmists are scattered across the story of the Old Testament with many of their works compiled into the one hundred and fifty songs contained in the book of Psalms.
The purpose of the psalms varies. Individually the psalms were written for different occasions by different authors in various time periods.[2] An example of this is the occasion of Psalm 51, which was written by David and contains a confession of sin and plea to God for forgiveness. This plea for forgiveness corresponds to David’s adultery with Bathsheba, Nathan’s parable in which he pointed out David’s sin, and the loss of David’s child which resulted in his mourning in 2 Samuel 11-12. Thus, the occasion for the psalm would appear to be David’s sin of murdering Uriah and stealing his wife with whom he had already committed adultery with (NASB, 2 Sm 11-12). Psalms was written as a result of these types of situations and psalms written specifically for the purpose of the worship of God’s people would then be used for temple worship. There is even Biblical evidence to support this idea, as David is seen giving a psalm to Asaph in Chronicles (1 Chr 16:7).[3] However, the Psalms use in liturgy did not fully cement until the destruction of the temple in 587 B.C.[4] The book of Psalms then, was used in the context of worship by the people of God in post-exilic settings and onwards, eventually morphing into Christian worship in the first century.
The occasion and author of Psalm 1 are both a mystery. However, its literary setting and location carries the brunt of the weight in relation to the Psalms meaning and purpose. The first psalm is situated at the beginning of the psalter, and along with Psalm 2, it serves as a prologue to the collection at large. Tremper Longman III asserts that Psalm one operates as a “Levitical gatekeeper” designed to warn the wicked of proceeding any further into the psalms.[5] In that the Psalm presents two paths, one of wisdom and obedience to the Lord and one of the wicked who mock the Lord, and that the one who is opposed to the Lord will face destruction, while the one who delights in the Lord’s instruction will flourish (Ps 1:3-5). Not only does the location of Psalm 1 proverbially ward off the wicked from entering but it also literally invites those who seek the Lord to enter the Psalms knowing that meditation and application of the book’s contents leads to blessing.
Structure and Literary Devices
Psalm one takes on the shape of a chiasm that begins with a dichotomy between the way of the wicked and the way of the righteous, moves to contrast the two paths, and concludes with the two ways before the infinite knowledge of God. This structure thrusts forth the divide between the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked, as well as the importance of choosing the right path by leaning on the wisdom of God. It is important here to note that the Psalm gives off a similar aroma to that of the wisdom literature and is thus best classified as a wisdom poem.[6] Thus, this wisdom poem demands its reader to make a choice between wisdom or wickedness at the outset of the Psalter. The wise reader will proceed and apply what is read within. This is further highlighted in the figurative language used in the poem.
Simile makes up to most significant use of poetic language in the psalm. The psalmist writes, “He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.” (NASB, Ps 1:3). The use of simile here is obvious as the figurative language is introduced with the word “like” to convey a comparison between the man who delights in the law of the Lord and a flourishing tree beside flowing waters. There is also a negative use of simile present in the poem, as the wicked are said to be “like chaff which the wind drives away”, which highlights their end and uselessness before the Lord (Ps 1:4). This of course further highlights the divide between the wicked and the righteous.
Key Words and Phrases
There are several key words in this passage that are essential for interpretation. The first and perhaps most important it the word blessed. The Hebrew word for blessed here is אַשְׁרֵ֣י(’aš·rê), which specifically denotes the idea of a “state of happiness” that comes from obeying “God’s covenantal law.”[7] This is why the blessed man’s delight is in the Lord’s instruction, as faithfulness (NASB, Ps 1:2). This word is distinct from the more common Hebrew word that is translated as blessed which is בְּרָכָה (berakah). This word conveys the idea of blessing as “a performative utterance, or speech act, that brings good upon someone or something in contrast to cursing, which is maleficent to its recipient.”[8] Both words however connect to covenant faithfulness, the former however speaks of a state of happiness or flourishing instead of divine favor which is conveyed by the latter. In this poem, the result of delighting in the Lord’s instruction is flourishing or happiness.
The second major word that is key to understand in this passage is the Hebrews word for instruction or law, תּוֹרָה (torah). In the psalms this word is commonly used to highlight the beauty of God’s Word and the joy that those who follow God can find in it (Pss 1, 19, 119).[9] Specifically, the use of this word in Psalm 1, in light of its place in and importance to the Psalter may “indicate that Israel’s worship is to be predicated upon the law.”[10] That is, the location and role of the first psalm highlights the significance of the law in Israel’s worship. Here, however, the word should not be limited to refer to just the books of the law (the Torah), but to all of God’s instruction for His people.[11] It is in obedience to God’s Word that the righteous man delights, and from which results happiness and flourishing.
Interpretation
Considering the first psalm’s position in the Psalter, structure, literary devices, and key words the original meaning of the psalm now comes into view. The psalmist begins in verse one stating “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, not sit in the seat of scoffers” (NASB, Ps 1:1). The man who is blessed, or flourishing and happy, is blessed because of what he abstains from; the counsel and influence of the wicked. The psalmist builds a fuller picture of the wicked by forwarding the idea from walking with them, to standing with sinners, to sitting with scoffers. The movement from waling to sitting denotes an intensifying of the relationship that has moved from merely being in the vicinity to sharing a meal with those who mock God. This does not suggest a progression rather a spectrum, as the righteous man ought not associate with the wicked at all. The godly are “never involved with anything tainted with evil.”[12]
Verse two continues the idea of verse one, the blessed man avoids the wicked at all cost and delights in the Lord’s instruction (2). There is joy to be found in the law of the Lord and its life-giving results. This for the psalmist comes by meditation, which is daily reflection on the precepts of the Lord.[13] The blessed man who delights in and meditates on the law of the Lord is then compared to a tree that is flourishing. It flourishes because of its strong life source in streams of water and as a result bears fruit, has leaves that do not wither, and prospers in all that he does (Ps 1:3). This is the picture of the blessed life that comes by heeding and loving the Law. But for the psalmist, this is not the case for the wicked (4), rather the wicked are like chaff which “reveals both the uselessness of the wicked and the ease with which God will deal with them.”[14] Destruction then is their end, as even those who pose themselves to be acquainted with the godly will not stand (5). Both the way of the wicked and the righteous is known by the Lord, and it is the wicked who will perish, not the righteous (6). God’s knowledge is intimate, and the destruction of the wicked is sure here, as God knows every detail of the actions of His creatures. In summary, the end of the wicked is death, but the one who delights in God’s Word is happy and flourishing.
Application
Believers today can apply this primarily by recognizing the benefits of delighting in and obeying God’s Word, knowing that the benefits of obedience are happiness and blessing. The believer must then find joy in God’s Word, and meditate on it, through memorization, and daily reflection. Additionally, the believer should also be reminded that the counsel of the world is to be avoided in order to flourish and that the fate of the wicked in their current state should motivate them to evangelize knowing the fate of those who do not believe the Gospel.
Conclusion
Psalm 1 begins the psalter by emphasizing the importance of God’s law in worship and the need of delighting in and heeding God’s Word to be blessed. The wicked face a different fate however, as their path leads to death. The reader of Psalms is faced with a choice from the outset of the book, as to which path they will choose. The one who chooses blessing will not be disappointed.
[1] Temper Longman III and David E. Garland, Eds., Psalms, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2008), 47. [2] Ibid, 45-7. [3] David G. Firth and Temper Longman III, eds., Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2014), 31. [4] Temper Longman III and David E. Garland, Eds., Psalms, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2008), 46. [5] David G. Firth and Temper Longman III, eds., Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2014), 55. [6] Ibid, 55. [7] Ibid, 56. [8] David Noel freedman, Allen C. Myers, and Astrid B. Black, Eds., Eerdmans’s Dictionary of the Bible, (Cambridge: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000), 192. [9] William D. Mounce, Ed., Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006), 393. [10] T. Desmond Alexander and Brian S. Rosner, Eds., The New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 2000), 633. [11] Temper Longman III and David E. Garland, Eds., Psalms, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2008), 79. [12] Ibid, 79. [13] Ibid, 80. [14] Ibid,
82.