Psalm 1 exalts the Law of God (the Torah to the Hebrew people). It would be interesting to compare this psalm with the Beatitudes of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 ff). In this case, the word blessed, or happy, has its roots in the idea of one going forth, one advancing, one leading the way. Truly the happy person is one who leads the way or opens a path to worship, service, witness, fellowship, and study of the Word of God. As the term is often used in the Bible, happiness is not a self-centered emotion or a static situation. The happy person is possessed with a dynamic faith that compels one to advance into areas of witness, service, and meeting of human need.

The simile used is one familiar to people living in Palestine. A tree needs water if it is to grow and produce fruit. So this blessed person—the one who meditates on and obeys God’s Word—is like a tree planted close to water where it will grow and develop and bear fruit. Could it be that some “barren” Christians have little fruit of the Spirit because they do not study and meditate on the Word of God, or because they are not obedient to God’s will?

The Person Who Perishes

The first word of this psalm is blessed and the last word is perish. Blessedness comes from obedience to God and following God’s Word. The disobedient have no alternative—they perish.

Consider the description of the obedient and happy person in verses one through three and then notice the contrast of the disobedient and unhappy person in verses four and five. It becomes clear that the psalm is referring to people who are poles apart by their own choices and decisions.

Whereas the obedient servant is like a growing, fruitful tree, the disobedient is like the chaff. This figure of speech is from the rural setting of the farmer who used primitive methods to separate grain from straw, or chaff. After the grain was harvested and the stalks were broken and softened, the farmer would toss some grain into the air; the good grain would fall to the threshing floor to be gathered for food, but the wind would blow away the chaff and dust and dry straw. Thus the disobedient servant is portrayed as worthless, making no lasting contribution for good.

The living tree is permanent, enduring, and fruitful. The chaff is wasted, gone with the wind, to be lost and forgotten.

Are We Trees or Chaff?

The lesson is clear for us. Each person, each family, each community, each nation faces the alternative ways of living. We are the sad witnesses of many who have chosen the path of disobedience, and the empty chaff of their lives is a mockery of what might have been otherwise fruitful stewardship of God-given resources. The illustrations are on every television newscast, in every newspaper—and there are thousands that did not make headlines—immorality, corruption in government, unethical business and professional life, loose living, and decay in morals and ethics and values.

The persons who do not usually make the headlines are those who live by goodness, integrity, honesty, fruitfulness, giving a full day of good work for a day’s pay, love, forgiveness, serving others.

Here are the two ways. We all make our own choices, and then we live with the consequences of our decisions.

***Note: "Psalm One" was taken from "Psalms That Sing" (Studies in the Psalms), which is available on
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