What does Psalm 1:4 mean?

Scripture states emphatically that the wicked are unlike the blessed persons who relish God's Word and are fruitful (Psalm 1:1–3). By contrast, the wicked resemble chaff that is blown away in the wind. Chaff refers to the husks of grain that are tossed into the wind and blown away in the winnowing process. Just as chaff is worthless, the ungodly lifestyle is worthless in God's sight.

The Hebrew word for "wicked" describes people who do not belong to God and are controlled by their passions. They are totally depraved: every part of their being is tainted by sin. Because of this, they are incapable of doing anything that has eternal value in God's sight.

This is the natural condition of all people, until they submit to Christ. Romans 3:10 declares, "None is righteous, no, not one," and Romans 3:12 says, "All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." According to Romans 3:18, "There is no fear of God before their eyes," and Romans 3:23 says categorically that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Fortunately, God provides a way for sinners to be redeemed, as given in Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Although a wicked person may perform kind deeds occasionally, God does not consider those deeds to be eternally worthwhile.