Vv. 1-2: Uniqueness of a righteous one.
The Psalm opens with the announcing a benediction that ‘blessed’ or ‘happy’ are those who live in line with the instruction of God. The word happy is translated from the Hebrew word ashre. The same word is traditionally translated as blessed. However, the word here is not a liturgical word rather a celebration of the fruitfulness of one’s style of living. The word happy here is not about the external circumstances of life but it speaks about a deeper joy because of fruitfulness of the way of life. And thus the readers are also encouraged to do the same.
The psalmist continues to speak of the way of life of the righteous ones. There is a parallelism used here with the words walk, stand and sit and with wicked, sinners and scoffers. The progression of movement of the wicked ones end up in being fools. The psalm recommends the readers to walk piously resisting the influences of the scoffers. The wicked ones are those who resist the instruction of the Lord and they end up to be like fools.
The pious ones delight and meditate in the Torah. Meditating in the Law is not merely a silent and passive reading. According to Jewish tradition, the reader of the Law is supposed to read it semi-loudly so that the Law become a part of one’s being. The word torah can be understood better as instruction rather than a simple legal code. Torah of the Lord gives a direction for life in fullness. Therefore psalm calls the readers not to rely on self-determined positions rather give a room for the teaching of God.
V. 3: Blessedness of the righteous one.
The faithful person who is diligent in meditating the Torah and following the instructions of Lord are compared to the trees planted on the banks of the streams of water. A tree that is strongly rooted, grounded and nourished by the streams of water definitely bears fruit. Presenting such imagery, the psalm reassures that the life that is strongly rooted in the Law of the Lord is prosperous and blessed. They bear the proper fruit in the right season and continually be blessed as long as they are stable in relying on God’s instructions. The blessing comes from the Lord Himself.
Vv. 4-5: Contrast between the righteous and the wicked.
In verses 4 and 5, the psalm strongly contrasts between the characteristics and destiny of the faithful ones and the arrogant. While the faithful ones are compared to the trees that are connected to the source of life, the wicked ones are compared to the chaff. The harvest imagery is used to describe the wicked ones where the harvester winnows the grains. While the harvested grains are dropped from the threshold, the heavy grains fall on the threshing floor while the chaff is blown away by the wind and thus it is purified and stored. The unfaithful are compared to the chaff that is blown by the wind. They are no longer connected to the source of life and thus they live in vanity.
Therefore, the psalm continues the contrast to say that these unfaithful ones do not find room in the assembly of the righteous as they could not stand in the judgement. Standing up in the judgement is a work of a witness. However, it also shows that one who stands up is someone who has something to defend and prove. But the wicked ones have nothing to defend themselves at the time when they are judged. They cannot find a place in the assembly of the righteous ones. Since they have denied the instruction of the Lord and steeped down in their own crooked choices, they cannot be connected to the source of life.
v. 6: Reward and retribution.
The Psalm concludes with another announcement of benediction over the righteous ones saying that the Lord knows their ways. In Hebrew, to know someone does not simply refer to awareness but it refers to an intimate knowledge of someone and to take care. Therefore, when it is said that the Lord knows the ways of the righteous, it also means that He will take care of their ways so that they can walk upright before Him. They have nothing to be ashamed of. The Lord embraces them. But in a sharp contrast, the wicked ones are left to the consequences of their own choices. Their life paths end up in destruction because they are not embraced to the source of life.
Application and Conclusion
We live in a society and culture where the righteous ones are ridiculed. They are the object of fun among the wicked ones. To reckon to one’s own decisions and being able to fulfil one’s own desires is seen as wisdom and power in our world. But the Psalm 1 turns this idea upside down, calling the readers – the people of God – to embrace the Lord, internalize His instructions and to be strongly rooted in His words. Such life leads to life and it is a life of blessing. As people of God, we are called to resist the influences of the evil and live a life dedicated to the righteousness.
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