Psalm 1 and 2 can be considered a unit that introduce the five books of the psalter.* Psalm 1 is considered a wisdom psalm and contrasts the wise and wicked and how God views each of them.
Verses 1-3
The psalmist begins this well known passage with an exclamation that also serves as a warning.
How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers!
If you, like me, shudder at the lack of commas in that sentence, keep in mind that these passages were written to be sung. If you are using an ESV, HCSB, or similar translation, you will note the line divisions making it easier to follow the ancient poetry.
Essentially, the psalmist is telling you what your mother did all those years ago. Be careful of the company you keep! It is good for a man to not seek advice or spend time with wicked men. And of all the wicked, avoid especially the “scoffers” or “mockers”—those who ridicule to feel a sense of superiority over others.
In contrast, a wise man’s delight, joy, happiness, will come from reading and meditating on God’s Word. In this habit he will grow strong, rooted, and stable.
Verses 4-5
These verses describe the wicked using a word picture that would have been very familiar to the ancient Hebrew reader. He describes the wicked as chaff, the dry husk that is separated from the wheat after harvest. The chaff is blown away in the wind as it has no substance to keep it grounded as the wheat does. What an accurate picture of culture, even for today!
Verses 4 and 5 reveal a knowledge of the end times when the wicked are divided from the righteous at the judgment. Jesus used a similar analogy in Matthew 13:24-30, the parable of the wheat and the tares.
Verse 6
The psalm concludes with the reminder that God is still in control, overseeing the righteous and judging the wicked. One thing comes to mind in this reading—the idea that we are to be in the world and not of the world as Jesus described the disciples to be in John 17:14-15.
The wicked in this passage are influencers. The foolish seek advice from them rather than turning to God’s Word or godly counsel. The foolish are not discerning. In such ways even the righteous can be drawn into the snare of the wicked. We must take care to use God’s truth as the measuring rod against which all knowledge is compared.
The wise person who is a student of God’s Word is grounded in truth. He is fruitful and does not wither in trying times. The wise man is also an influencer. He will not be uprooted by foolish philosophies or changes int he culture around him. He is unmoveable due to the stablizing influx of God’s Word. His unwavering faith is a testimony to all who see him. His life shines brightly of God’s glory, illuminating the darkness around him.
This post is Day 1 of the 31 Days of Journaling through the Psalms series. If you would like to read the previous post, 4 Reasons Why You Should Be Journaling Your Devotions, click here.
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*Taken from notes in The Study Bible for Women: Holman Christian Standard Bible. 2014. Holman Bible Publishers. Nashville, TN.