Psalms · Chapter 1

V. 1. Blessed-The Hebrew words are very emphatical: O the blessedness of that man! Counsel-That doth not lead his life according to their counsel, or manner of living. Standeth-Which notes a more settled abode in it. Way-In their manner of conversation. Seat-Which notes a constant and resolved perseverance in their wicked courses. Scornful-Of those who make a mock of sin, and scoff at goodness and goodmen. Divers observe a gradation in this verse; the following clause still exceeding the former, for standing is more than walking, and sitting more than standing; and sinners in scripture use, are worse than the ungodly, and the scornful are the worst of sinners.

Verse 1. Blessed is the man] This Psalm has no title, and has been generally considered, but without especial reason, as a preface or introduction to the whole book.

The word yrva ashrey, which we translate blessed, is properly in the plural form, blessednesses; or may be considered as an exclamation produced by contemplating the state of the man who has taken God for his portion; O the blessedness of the man! And the word vyah haish, is emphatic: THAT man; that one among a thousand who lives for the accomplishment of the end for which God created him. 1. God made man for happiness. 2. Every man feels a desire to be happy. 3. All human beings abhor misery. 4. Happiness is the grand object of pursuit among all men. 5. But so perverted is the human heart, that it seeks happiness where it cannot be found; and in things which are naturally and morally unfit to communicate it. 6. The true way of obtaining it is here laid down. That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly] There is a double CLIMAX in this verse, which it will be proper to note:—

1. There are here three characters, each exceeding the other in sinfulness.

1. The UNGODLY רשעים reshaim from [vr rasha, to be unjust; rendering to none his due; withholding from God, society, and himself, what belongs to each. Ungodly-he who has not God in him; who is without God in the world. 2. SINNERS, µyacj chattaim, from acj chata, “to miss the mark,” “to pass over the prohibited limits,” “to transgress.” This man not only does no good, but he does evil. The former was without God, but not desperately wicked. The latter adds outward transgression to the sinfulness of his heart. 3. SCORNFUL, µyxl letsim, from hxl latsah, “to mock, deride.” He who has no religion; lives in the open breach of God’s laws, and turns revelation, the immortality of the soul, and the existence of an invisible world, into ridicule. He is at least a deist, and endeavours to dissolve, as much as he can, the bonds of moral obligation in civil society. As the sinner exceeds the ungodly, so the scornful exceeds both. The second climax is found in the words, 1. Walk; 2. Stand; 3. Sit: which mark three different degrees of evil in the conduct of those persons. Observe, 1. The ungodly man-one uninfluenced by God. 2. The sinner-he who adds to ungodliness, transgression. 3. The scornful-the deist, atheist, &c., who make a mock of every thing sacred. The UNGODLY man walks, the SINNER stands, and the SCORNFUL man sits down in the way of iniquity. Mark certain circumstances of their differing characters and conduct. 1. The ungodly man has his counsel; 2. The sinner has his way; and, 3. The scorner has his seat.

The ungodly man is unconcerned about religion; he is neither zealous for his own salvation, nor for that of others: and he counsels and advises those with whom he converses to adopt his plan, and not trouble themselves about praying, reading, repenting, &c., &c. there is no need for such things; live an honest life, make no fuss about religion, and you will fare well enough at last. Now, “blessed is the man who walks not in this man’s counsel;” who does not come into his measures, nor act according to his plan.

The sinner has his particular way of transgressing; one is a drunkard, another dishonest, another unclean. Few are given to every species of vice. There are many covetous men who abhor drunkenness; many drunkards who abhor covetousness; and so of others. Each has his easily besetting sin; therefore, says the prophet, let the wicked forsake HIS WAY. Now, blessed is he who stands not in such a man’s WAY.

The scorner has brought, in reference to himself, all religion and moral feeling to an end. He has sat down-is utterly confirmed in impiety, and makes a mock at sin. His conscience is seared; and he is a believer in all unbelief. Now, blessed is the man who sits not down in his SEAT. See the correspondent relations in this account. 1. He who walks according to the counsel of the ungodly will soon, 2. Stand to look on the way of sinners; and thus, being off his guard, he will soon be a partaker in their evil deeds. 3. He who has abandoned himself to transgression will, in all probability, soon become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin; and sit down with the scorner, and endeavour to turn religion into ridicule. The last correspondency we find is:—1. The seat answers to the sitting of the scornful. 2. The way answers to the standing of the sinner; and 3, the counsel answers to the walking of the ungodly.

The great lesson to be learned from the whole is, sin is progressive; one evil propensity or act leads to another. He who acts by bad counsel may soon do evil deeds; and he who abandons himself to evil doings may end his life in total apostasy from God. “When lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and when sin is finished, it brings forth death.” Solomon the son of David, adds a profitable advice to those words of his father: “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men; avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away;” Proverbs 4:14, 15. As the blessedness of the man is great who avoids the ways and the workers of iniquity, so his wretchedness is great who acts on the contrary: to him we must reverse the words of David: “Cursed is the man who walketh in the counsel of the ungodly; who standeth in the way of sinners; and who sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” Let him that readeth understand.

Verse 1. Blessed is the man — The Hebrew words are very emphatical: Blessedness belongs to that man; or, O the blessedness of that man! Blessedness here means happiness. And the character of the truly happy man is described in this Psalm both negatively, in his abstaining from sin; and positively, in his practice of a most important duty, introductory to all other duties. It is then illustrated by a beautiful similitude, borrowed from vegetation; and, lastly, contrasted with the opposite character of the ungodly. In this verse we have the negative part of his character in three particulars: 1st, He walks not in the counsel of the ungodly. The word µy[vr, reshagnim, here rendered ungodly, according to Aben Ezra, signifies inquietos, qui nunquam in eadem constitutione permanent, the restless, who are never at one stay; according to Isaiah 57:20: “Those,” says Henry, “who are unsettled, aim at no certain end, and walk by no certain rule;” who may indeed be moral in their conduct toward their fellow-creatures, and outwardly unblameable, but live without a due regard to God and religion, which all unconverted persons do. Now the man that is truly pious, and therefore happy, doth not walk in the counsel of such; doth not lead his life according to their advice, or manner of living; doth not associate with them, give ear to their suggestions, or follow their example. This part of the happy man’s character is put first, because those that would keep the commandments of their God must say to evil-doers, Depart from us, Psalm 119:115, and because wisdom begins in departing from evil. 2d, Nor standeth in the way of sinners — Of open and notorious sinners, to be picked up and gathered with them: but he avoids as much as may be the company of such, lest he should be insnared by them, and drawn by degrees into an imitation of their practices. He keeps at a distance from them, as he would from persons or places infected with the plague, for fear of the contagion. Or, standing in their way may imply a continuance in their manner of conversation. 3d, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful — Of those who make a mock of sin, and of God’s threatenings and judgments against sinners: who deride all wholesome reproofs and counsels, and scoff at goodness and good men. So that there seems to be a double climax, or gradation, in this verse, each following clause exceeding the former in two respects. For standing, or delaying, in an evil course, implies a greater degree of guilt than being occasionally entangled and induced to walk therein, and sitting denotes a more settled and resolved perseverance than standing. Again, the term sinners, in Scripture language, implies more wickedness than the word ungodly, and the scornful are the worst of sinners. Observe, reader, by what steps men arrive at the height of impiety. Nemo repente fit turpissimus: No one becomes very wicked all at once. They are ungodly first, casting off the fear of God, and living in the neglect of their duty to him. But they rest not there; when the services of religion are laid aside, they come to be sinners, that is, they break out into open rebellion against God, and engage in the service of sin and Satan: omissions of duty make way for the commission of crimes, and by these the heart is so hardened that at length they come to be scorners: they openly defy all that is sacred, scoff at religion, and make a jest of sin. Thus is the way of iniquity down hill; the bad grow worse, and sinners become tempters to others and advocates for Baal.

Verse 1. Man, vya Ish, a prince, a ruler, a patriarchal or family man, a man of high degree, as in Psalm 62:9. This is a running word in the psalms, while Adam, the word of contrast with Ish, is used for men of low degree; for common men, for worms of the dust.

1. Blessed—Hebrew, blessings. The plural may stand for intensity, as “O, the exceeding happiness of the man!” etc., or for the variety of blessings belonging to such a character. It is treated simply as an idiom in our version, and translated ad sensum. The blessing, (verses 1-3,) is followed by the cursing, (verses 4-6,) as the voice from Gerizim was by that from Ebal. Deuteronomy 26:12, 13; compare Matthew 7:24-27. See note on John 4:5. Walketh not— “Walking” figuratively denotes the habit of daily life. The description begins with negatives and advances to the positive, in order that by contrast the picture may be the more imposing. Ungodly—The word is usually translated wicked, and may denote any degree of moral turpitude; but as a rhetorical climax is indicated in the verse, it is supposed to denote simply a man devoid of true piety, though in other respects moral. Standeth—The idea is that of to persist, to abide, to persevere in, as Ecclesiastes 8:3; 2 Kings 23:3. Sinners—A generic term for all who have missed the mark, wandered out of the way— transgressors. Sitteth in the seat—A phrase indicating a finished work of unbelief. The description given of the scorner everywhere in the book of Proverbs is the best comment on the word. His iniquity is full; there is but a step between him and eternal death. The word “seat” is translated assembly in Psalm 107:32, and its radical sense would justify that rendering here, though in both cases “seat” gives a better sense. Of the scornful—Those who treat the divine law, and all godly obligation, with contempt and derision—utter mockers. This is about the farthest point in sin to which the transgressor can go. Hebrews 10:29; Matthew 12:31. Noticeable is the threefold parallelism of “ungodly,” “sinner,” “scornful;” further severally distinguished by “counsel,” “way,” and “seat;” through which the unwary soul passes by “walking,” “standing,” “sitting.”

V. 2. Day and night-Not seldom and slightly, but diligently, and constantly.

Verse 2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord] wxpj chephtso, his will, desire, affection, every motive in his heart, and every moving principle in his soul, are on the side of God and his truth. He takes up the law of the Lord as the rule of his life; he brings all his actions and affections to this holy standard. He looketh into the perfect law of liberty; and is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word; and is therefore blessed in his deed. He not only reads to gain knowledge from the Divine oracles, but he meditates on what he has read, feeds on it; and thus receiving the sincere milk of the word, he grows thereby unto eternal life. This is not an occasional study to him; it is his work day and night. As his heart is in it, the employment must be frequent, and the disposition to it perpetual.

Verse 2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord — In the study and practice of it, as appears from the context. Having described the character of the truly blessed man negatively, in the preceding verse, he, in this, speaks of it positively. The law of God may be here understood of the whole doctrine delivered by God to his church, consisting of doctrines, precepts, promises, and threatenings, &c.; or more particularly of the preceptive part of it, which is commonly called his law; and so this is recorded as the particular character of a good man, that he takes delight, not only in God’s promises, which a bad man may delight in, but even in his commands, which are unwelcome and disagreeable to the wicked. In his law doth he meditate — The word hghy, jehgeh, implies that he exercises a deep, serious, and affectionate thoughtfulness about it; and by this it appears that his delight is in it, for what we love, we love to think of. Day and night — Not seldom and slightly, but diligently and constantly. Thus the Psalms, “like the sermon on the mount,” says Dr. Horne, “open with a beatitude; for our comfort and encouragement directing us immediately to that happiness which all mankind, in different ways, are seeking and inquiring after. All would secure themselves from the incursions of misery; but all do not consider that misery is the offspring of sin, from which it is therefore necessary to be delivered and preserved, in order to become happy, or blessed.”

2. The writer advances from negative to positive statements. But—In the Hebrew two particles stand here as a double disjunctive, as but, on the contrary, as if to prepare for the strongest possible contrast. Delight—Not obedience only, but the joy of loving obedience. Duty and pleasure unite. Delight in the law of God springs only from a pure heart. Law—To be taken here in the restricted sense of precept, rather than the general sense of doctrine, yet as implying the latter, for every truth of God comes to us with a preceptive claim upon our faith and obedience. Meditate—That which engrosses the affections will occupy the thoughts. Day… night— Continually; through hours of labour and of rest.

V. 3. Whither-His happiness is not short and transitory, but, like those trees which are continually green and flourishing.

Verse 3. Like a tree planted] Not like one growing wild, however strong or luxuriant it may appear; but one that has been carefully cultivated; and for the proper growth of which all the advantages of soil and situation have been chosen. If a child be brought up in the discipline and admonition of the Lord, we have both reason and revelation to encourage us to expect a godly and useful life. Where religious education is neglected, alas! what fruits of righteousness can be expected? An uncultivated soul is like an uncultivated field, all overgrown with briers, thorns, and thistles. By the rivers of water] מים פלגי palgey mayim, the streams or divisions of the waters. Alluding to the custom of irrigation in the eastern countries, where streams are conducted from a canal or river to different parts of the ground, and turned off or on at pleasure; the person having no more to do than by his foot to turn a sod from the side of one stream, to cause it to share its waters with the other parts to which he wishes to direct his course. This is called “watering the land with the foot,” Deuteronomy 11:10, where see the note.

His fruit in his season] In such a case expectation is never disappointed. Fruit is expected, fruit is borne; and it comes also in the time in which it should come. A godly education, under the influences of the Divine Spirit, which can never be withheld where they are earnestly sought, is sure to produce the fruits of righteousness; and he who reads, prays, and meditates, will ever see the work which God has given him to do; the power by which he is to perform it; and the times, places, and opportunities for doing those things by which God can obtain most glory, his own soul most good, and his neighbour most edification. His leaf also shall not wither] His profession of true religion shall always be regular and unsullied; and his faith be ever shown by his works. As the leaves and the fruit are the evidences of the vegetative perfection of the tree; so a zealous religious profession, accompanied with good works, are the evidences of the soundness of faith in the Christian man. Rabbi Solomon Jarchi gives a curious turn to this expression: he considers the leaves as expressing those matters of the law that seem to be of no real use, to be quite unimportant, and that apparently neither add nor diminish. But even these things are parts of the Divine revelation, and all have their use; so even the apparently indifferent actions or sayings of a truly holy man have their use; and from the manner and spirit in which they are done or said, have the tendency to bear the observer to something great and good.

Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper] It is always healthy; it is extending its roots, increasing its woody fibres, circulating its nutritive juices, putting forth fruitbuds, blossoms, leaves, or fruit; and all these operations go on in a healthy tree, in their proper seasons. So the godly man; he is ever taking deeper root growing stronger in the grace he has already received, increasing in heavenly desires, and under the continual influence of the Divine Spirit, forming those purposes from which much fruit to the glory and praise of God shall be produced.

Verse 3. And, or For, he shall be like a tree, &c. — This is the proof of that blessedness of a good man which he had only asserted, verse 1. He shall be fruitful and flourishing. By his meditations on the law of God, his graces and virtues shall be nourished and increased, and he shall be thoroughly furnished for every good word and work. The means of grace are those rivers of water near which the trees of righteousness are planted, and from these they receive supplies of strength and vigour, but in secret, undiscerned ways. That bringeth forth fruit in his season — That is, in the time of fruit-bearing; which, being applied to the good man, denotes either, 1st, His active goodness, that he seeks and improves all opportunities for doing good, exercising faith, hope, and love, piety and virtue, justice, mercy, charity, temperance, patience, meekness, long-suffering, according to the several occasions offered him: or, 2d, The issue thereof, the happiness resulting therefrom; that he shall have the fruit, or benefit, of his godly life in due time, and when it will be most for his advantage, possibly in some measure in this life, but assuredly in the life to come. His leaf also shall not wither — His blessedness is not short and transitory, as all worldly felicity is, but fixed and everlasting, like those trees which are continually green and flourishing. And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper — All his actions, being directed by the word, providence and grace of God, shall be crowned with success in one respect or another, (for even disappointments, losses, and afflictions, shall work for his good,) and with a blessed effect or end.

3. Rivers of water—The word “rivers,” here, properly denotes lesser or divided “rivers,” such as proceed either from fountains, where moisture is naturally found in the dry season, (1 Kings 18:5,) or such artificial channels as abounded in Egypt and Babylonia, (see on Psalm 137:1,) and on a smaller scale in the lowlands and gardens of Palestine. Ecclesiastes 2:5, 6; Isaiah 58:11. Such irrigating streams (Psalm 46:4) were a luxury to the people of a parching climate. Fruit in his season—Comp. Matthew 13:5, 6. Leaf shall not wither—The leaf, an ornament of beauty, the most delicate of its vital organs, and so the earliest to betray any want of vitality in the tree. Whatsoever he doeth— Conformably to his character and profession. Shall prosper—Herein is brought out the literal import of the foregoing figures. That the righteous shall prosper is an eternal truth under the moral government of God, (1 Timothy 4:8;) not always in this life and in worldly things, but morally, upon the whole, and in the final result, which shows the necessity of a judgment day, and of final awards.

V. 4. Ungodly-Their condition is far different. Chaff-They are restless and unquiet: their seeming felicity, hath no firm foundation, but quickly vanishes and flees away as chaff before the wind.

Verse 4. The ungodly are not so] The Vulgate and Septuagint, and the versions made from them, such as the Æthiopic and Arabic, double the last negation, and add a clause to the end of the verse, “Not so the ungodly, not so; they shall be like the dust which the wind scatters away from the face of the earth.” There is nothing solid in the men; there is nothing good in their ways. They are not of God’s planting; they are not good grain; they are only chaff, and a chaff that shall be separated from the good grain when the fan or shovel of God’s power throws them up to the wind of his judgments. The manner of winnowing in the eastern countries is nearly the same with that practiced in various parts of these kingdoms before the invention of winnowing machines. They either throw it up in a place out of doors by a large wooden shovel against the wind; or with their weights or winnowing fans shake it down leisurely in the wind. The grain falls down nearly perpendicularly; and the chaff, through its lightness, is blown away to a distance from the grain.

An ungodly man is never steady; his purposes are abortive; his conversation light, trifling, and foolish; his professions, friendships, &c., frothy, hollow, and insincere; and both he and his works are carried away to destruction by the wind of God’s judgments.

Verse 4. The ungodly are not so — Their condition is far different; but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away — Withered and worthless, restless and unquiet, without form or stability, blown about by every wind, and, at length, finally dispersed from the face of the earth, by the breath of God’s displeasure, and driven into the fire which never shall be quenched. Their seeming felicity hath no firm foundation, but quickly vanishes, and flies away, as chaff before the wind.

4. Not so—The contrast in character of the godly and the ungodly is absolute and infinite; their treatment under the government of God is correspondingly diverse. Chaff—The emblem of worthlessness doomed to destruction.

V. 5. Not stand-Not endure the trial. Judgment-In the great and general judgment of the world.

Verse 5. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand] This refers to the winnowing mentioned in the preceding verse. Some of the versions have, The ungodly shall not arise in the judgment-they shall have no resurrection, except to shame and everlasting contempt. But probably the meaning is, When they come to be judged, they shall be condemned. They shall have nothing to plead in their behalf. That the impious were never to have any resurrection, but be annihilated, was the opinion of several among the Jews, and of some among Christians. The former believe that only the true Israelites shall be raised again; and that the souls of all others, the Christians not excepted, die with their bodies. Such unfounded opinions are unworthy of refutation.

Verse 5. The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment — Shall not endure the time of trial, which will assuredly come. It may be that God will arise, and judge, and punish them by temporal calamities, and that these will fill their consciences with horror, and cause their hearts to fail. But if not, if they escape these, it is certain they shall not stand, nor escape condemnation and wrath in the great and general judgment of the whole world. Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous — That is, in that society which shall consist of none but righteous persons. “At present,” as Dr. Horne observes, “wheat and chaff lie in one floor; wheat and tares grow in one field; good and bad fishes are comprehended in one net; good and bad men are contained in the visible church;” but let us wait with patience God’s time of separation. The husbandman will appear, with his fan in his hand, and will thoroughly purge his floor; the harvest will come, and the tares shall be gathered up, and bound in bundles to be burned; the net shall be drawn to shore, and, while the good fishes are gathered into vessels, the bad shall be cast away. In other words, at His command who is the governor of his church, and to whom the Father hath committed all judgment, the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and then not one sinner shall be found in the congregation of the righteous.

5. Not stand in the judgment— “Judgment” is strictly a forensic term: “God will bring every work into judgment.” Eccl. 12:14. The declaration that “the ungodly shall not stand,” is equal to they shall be overthrown; as in Nahum 1:6, “Who can abide [Hebrew, stand up] in the fierceness of his anger?” and Exodus 15:7, “Thou hast overthrown them that rose up [or, stood up] against thee.” See also Deuteronomy 28:7, and 2 Samuel 20:40, 49. The wicked have “risen up,” or “stood up,” against God and his Church. They shall be judged, and shall not stand, and their overthrow shall be as opposite to the blessings of the godly man as their character is opposite. Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous—This forms a parallelism with the previous hemistich, and so means essentially the same. “Congregation of the righteous” must be understood in the true Hebraistic sense, as including not simply the upright, but those only whose names were on the genealogical records of the covenant people. See Ezekiel 13:10; Nehemiah 7:5, 61; Ezra 2:62. From this figure arose the New Testament description, “general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven.” Hebrews 12:23. See also Luke 10:20; Revelation 21:27. The words in the text refer us to the final trial, by which sinners, who now mix with the righteous like tares among the wheat, shall be sifted out and separated from the assembly whose names are written in the book of life.

V. 6. Knoweth-He approves, loves, and delights in them, and therefore will recompence them. Perish-All their designs and courses shall come to nothing, and they shall perish with them.

Verse 6. The Lord knoweth] [dwy yodea, approveth the way, aloweth the way, Coverdale, of the righteous, µyqydx tsaddikim, from qdx tsadak, to give even weight; the men who give to all their due; opposed to רשעים reshaim, Psalm 1:1, they who withhold right from all; see above. Such holy men are under the continual eye of God’s providence; he knows the way that they take; approves of their motives, purposes, and works, because they are all wrought through himself. He provides for them in all exigencies, and defends them both in body and soul. The way of the ungodly shall perish.] Their projects, designs and operations, shall perish; God’s curse shall be on all that they have, do, and are. And in the day of judgment they shall be condemned to everlasting fire in the perdition of ungodly men. The wicked shall perish at the presence of the Lord. Reader take warning!

Verse 6. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous — As he searcheth the reins and the heart, and perfectly knows all his people, so he approves, loves, and delights in them, and in their conduct and conversation, and therefore will recompense them; but the way of the ungodly shall perish — All their designs and courses shall come to nothing, and they shall perish with them.

6. The Lord knoweth—Recognises its excellent nature and worthiness of approval and reward. Comp. note on “foreknow,” Romans 8:29. Shall perish—What is predicated of the way here applies to the ungodly. The Hebrew word “perish” is a strong word, occurring about one hundred and seventy times; about sixty times translated destroy, a few times lost, but otherwise almost always as in this text. When used of persons it generally signifies death; when used of lands, desolation. It denotes, not annihilation, but the destruction of things as to their uses and ends, and of men as to their plans, expectations, and enjoyments. The law of antithetic parallelism requires us to understand it here as the exact opposite of the reward of the righteous; and the scope of the argument refers us to the final and inevitable judgment of God in the next life. It is the ultimate issue of the two ways and the two characters which is the point aimed at and reached. To suppose them both equal in the final issue is a flat contradiction of the whole psalm, the first word of which is ashrey, blessed, applied to the godly man, and the last word, tobheyd, shall perish, applied to the ungodly, as in Psalm 112:1, 10. The Hebrew words are as opposite as heaven and hell.