Psalm 1
Like a tree planted by water
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Psalm 1 says the truly happy person doesn't follow the advice of the wicked, but delights in God's teaching and thinks on it day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit, with leaves that don't wither. People who ignore God are like chaff the wind blows away. The LORD watches over the way of the righteous.
Where it is in the Bible: Psalm 1
Before You Read
What it is. The very first psalm. It works like a front door to the whole book of 150 psalms.
Who wrote it. It doesn't say. Many psalms name David or other writers, but this one is unsigned.
What it's about. Two ways to live, and where each one leads. One person is like a tree. The other is like chaff blowing away.
How to read it. Look at the pictures. They do most of the work.
Map of the Psalm
| Section | Verses | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The Blessed One | 1:1-2 | Happy is the one who delights in God's word |
| 2. Like a Tree | 1:3 | Rooted by streams of water |
| 3. Like Chaff | 1:4-6 | The other way blows away |
Section by Section
Section 1 of 3The Blessed One
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers" (1:1).
Blessed means truly happy, the way God means happy.
Notice the steps: walking, then standing, then sitting. Bad company slowly pulls you in.
"But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night" (1:2).
"Law" here means all of God's teaching. To meditate is to think about it, chew on it, and say it over and over.
Section 2 of 3Like a Tree
"He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither" (1:3).
In a dry land, a tree near water stays green when everything else dries up.
Section 3 of 3Like Chaff
"Not so the wicked! For they are like chaff driven off by the wind" (1:4).
Chaff is the dry husk around grain. When farmers tossed grain in the air, the wind blew the chaff away.
People who ignore God have nothing to hold them down.
"For the LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish" (1:6).
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "Blessed is the man" (1:1) | God's kind of happiness. |
| "The seat of mockers" (1:1) | Joining people who laugh at God. |
| "His delight is in the Law of the LORD" (1:2) | Loving God's word, not just obeying it. |
| "A tree planted by streams of water" (1:3) | A life rooted in God stays alive and fruitful. |
| "Like chaff" (1:4) | Light, empty, and easily blown away. |
| "The LORD guards the path of the righteous" (1:6) | God watches over his people's way. |
Back Then
Israel is a dry land. Trees grew well only near a stream or a spring. Jeremiah used the same picture (Jeremiah 17:8).
Winnowing was done on a hilltop on a windy day. Grain fell back down, and chaff blew away.
Literal Reader Alert
Does this mean good people never have trouble? No. Many psalms are cries for help from faithful people. A tree by water still faces heat. It just doesn't dry up.
Who is the "blessed man"? Anyone who loves God's word. Christians also see Jesus here, the one person who walked this path perfectly.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The blessed one | Delighted | He loves God's word (1:2) |
| The wicked | Unsteady | They blow away like chaff (1:4) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
Which picture fits you right now? Tap one.
A tree by water
Thank God. Keep your roots in his word.
A dry tree
Go back to the stream. Open God's word today.
Chaff in the wind
God can plant you. Ask him.
Getting pulled in by the wrong crowd
Notice the steps: walk, stand, sit. Step away early.
You Might Have Heard
"Reading the Bible is a duty."
What's true: God calls his people to hear his word.
What the passage is mainly about: "His delight is in the Law of the LORD" (1:2). God's word is like water to a tree. It's life, not homework.
Where Jesus is: He is the Word made flesh, and the one who walked God's path perfectly for us.
Good News
God doesn't only ask you to grow. He plants you.
"For the LORD guards the path of the righteous" (1:6).
Rooted in his word, you can stay green even in a dry season.
The person who delights in God's word is like a tree planted by streams of water. The LORD watches over the way of his people.
Big Idea
Two ways to live: one rooted like a tree by water, one blowing away like chaff. Delight in God's word, and the LORD will watch over your way.
If this passage brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
Luther said the best way to meditate is to read the words of Scripture out loud, again and again, paying attention to what the Holy Spirit means by them.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. It sings Psalm 1 on several Sundays, including the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany in Year C and the Seventh Sunday of Easter in Year B.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.
How did that feel?
Using this at church
Read in church on
- Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany Year CPsalm, Psalm 1
- Seventh Sunday of Easter Year BPsalm, Psalm 1
- Lectionary 23 Year CPsalm, Psalm 1
- Lectionary 25 Year BPsalm, Psalm 1
- Lectionary 30 Year APsalm, Psalm 1
For a newsletter or sermon notes
Psalm 1, explained in plain words. The front door of the Psalms: two ways to live, and where each one leads. About 6 minutes. https://freescripture.org/stories/psalm-1/
Lines for the next eight Sundays, on Digital Lutheran Church