Psalm 1:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

NIV: That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

NASB: He will be like a tree 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.

CSB: He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

NLT: They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

KJV: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

NKJV: He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

Every fruit grower knows it would be unwise to plant a fruit tree in the middle of a desert, far from a water source. The tree's leaves would wither, and the tree would never yield any fruit. For fruit trees to grow healthy and bear fruit, they must enjoy an abundant supply of water.

The blessed person—one who follows and considers the words of God (Psalm 1:1–2)— is like a tree planted by streams of water. They are spiritually healthy, vibrant, productive, and successful because they take advantage of an abundant supply of the water of God's Word. In such a person's life, the inspired Word becomes the illustrated Word—he or she obeys and lives out the truths of God's Word. Blessed people bear the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22–23).

It should be noted that fruit does not grow as soon as a tree is planted, but the fruit will appear in season. The spiritually productive life is one of growth, and in due season the consistent watering with God's Word will bear fruit. The main application here is spiritual—while earthly success is more likely when we follow truth, material prosperity is not guaranteed for all believers at all times.

Psalm 1:1–3 teaches that those who properly respect God's Word will enjoy spiritual prosperity and spiritual success. This first half of Psalm 1 stands in stark contrast to the second half. These words echo what God promised Joshua, if he would meditate upon God's Word and obey it (Joshua 1:6–9). Psalm 119 also teaches the importance of devoting oneself to God's Word and the blessings that accompany that obedience.

This psalm begins by describing the man who is blessed. He doesn't keep company with a bad crowd. Furthermore, the Word of God governs his thought life. Both day and night he thinks about what God has disclosed in His Word. He thoroughly enjoys spending time in reading and pondering God's Word. His devotion to Scripture produces fruit in his life. In a spiritual sense, he is like a tree whose roots are nourished by a stream. He enjoys vitality and success. His life of blessing and productivity stands in stark contrast to the lives of the wicked. What their lives produce is as worthless as the chaff that the wind blows away. When God separates His people from the wicked, the wicked will fall in the judgment. The Lord is fully aware of the lifestyle of His righteous people as well as the lifestyle of the wicked, so His judgment will be just. The Lord will sentence the wicked to eternal perdition.

Psalm 1, typically ascribed to David, stresses the importance of ordering one's life according to God's Word. This emphasis sets the tone for the rest of the collection of psalms. Themes in this passage echo the early chapters of Proverbs, with an emphasis on seeking godly wisdom. Psalm 1's emphasis on meditation on and obedience to God's Word parallels God's instructions to Joshua when He commissioned Joshua to lead Israel into the Promised Land (Joshua 1:6–9). Its teaching about the blessing of obedient believers and the disastrous end of the wicked parallels the blessings and curses we read about in Deuteronomy 28. New Testament passages that emphasize the link between devotion to God's Word and righteous living include Matthew 7:24–27; Colossians 3:16–17; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; James 1:19–25; and 2 Peter 1:19–21.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.