Psalm 1
Psalm Chapter 1, Explained
Psalm 1 is the doorway to the whole book of Psalms, and it sets a simple choice before every reader. There are two ways to live: the way of the person who delights in God's word, and the way of the wicked who ignore it. One is rooted and fruitful, the other is weightless and blown away.
The blessed person is pictured as a tree planted by rivers of water, drawing quiet life from a source that never runs dry, bearing fruit in season. The ungodly are like chaff, the dry husk the wind scatters. The psalm promises that God watches over the way of the righteous, while the other way finally comes to nothing.
Key verses from Psalm 1
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
Psalm 1:1
“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.”
Psalm 1:3
“For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”
Psalm 1:6
The main point
Psalm 1 lays out two paths and invites you to be planted, rooted in God's word so your life bears lasting fruit.
How Psalm 1 points to Jesus
Jesus is the truly blessed one this psalm describes, the man who perfectly delighted in the Father's word. He invites us to be planted in Him, so our lives are no longer chaff in the wind but rooted by the water of life.
Want to sit with this chapter for yourself? Open The Living Bread to read Psalm 1 in full, ask any question about it, and pray with others, free.