Psalm 1:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

NIV: For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

NASB: For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.

CSB: For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

NLT: For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

KJV: For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

NKJV: For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

This verse contrasts two ways: the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. Neither way escapes God's all-seeing eye (Hebrews 4:13). The word "way," in this context, represents lifestyle. The righteous pursue a lifestyle of meditating upon God's Word and obeying it. Consequently, they produce spiritual fruit (Psalm 1:1–3). The wicked pursue a lifestyle in which evil passions control them. Consequently, they are spiritually unproductive and their lifestyle is worthless—it adds nothing of value—in God's sight (Psalm 1:4).

God knows who is righteous and who is unrighteous. He rewards the righteous but punishes the wicked. He examines the heart, so no hypocrite can fool Him. Jesus related the story of a tax collector and a Pharisee who prayed in the temple. The publican acknowledged his sin and asked for forgiveness. The Pharisee hypocritically boasted to God about his so-called good deeds, but he did not fool God. Jesus concluded that only the tax collector returned home justified—brought into a right relationship with God (Luke 18:9–14).

Psalm 1:4–6 presents a striking contrast between wicked and blessed people. The blessed person leads a life anchored in the Word of God, which is therefore spiritually productive in God's sight. The lives of the wicked are unproductive in God's sight. The lifestyle of the wicked is as unstable and valueless as chaff. The destiny of the wicked is damnation. This contrast is reinforced by Jesus' words about the narrow way and the broad way (Matthew 7:13–14). The narrow way leads to eternal life, but the broad way that many choose leads to eternal death. Revelation 20:1–15 discloses what is involved in this destruction.

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.

Accessed 11/21/2024 11:00:37 AM