1Blessed 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.2But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.3And 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.4The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.5Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.6For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
What’s happening. Psalm 1 is the doorway into the whole book of Psalms. It sets out two ways to live before the prayers and songs begin.
What it means. The happy, flourishing person does not drift into the ways of cynics and mockers, but delights in God’s teaching and turns it over day and night. Such a person is like a tree planted by water: rooted, fruitful and alive even in dry seasons. It is an invitation to let God’s word shape your life.