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. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 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.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. (Psalms 1:1-6 KJV)
Thomas Scott
Verses 1-3: This psalm is generally considered as a preface to the book, and supposed to have been prefixed to it by Ezra. It establishes the important distinction betwixt the righteous and the wicked; and assures of the felicities of the former, and the misery of the latter. All men shun misery, and aim to be happy: but few understand that misery springs from sin, and that happiness can only be enjoyed in the favor of God. This the Scriptures declare; and by this light the believer seeks and finds it. In such portions of the word of God, we ought not to look for the way in which sinners are made righteous; or the origin of that difference which subsists among men, who are all of one nature: for they only inform us of the character of such as are accepted by God, and are in the way to heaven. The translation in our prayer book renders this in the past tense, and though the original might very well bear that meaning, yet the context and the whole tenor of Scripture shows that this cannot be the exclusive sense; for that would imply, that they alone were blessed, who never had walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful: whereas penitent believes, whatever their previous character has been, are partakers of the blessings which is evidenced by their subsequent conduct: and none else but they answer this description. The ungodly are those, however moral and virtuous, who profanely despise spiritual blessings, and live without any due regard to God and religion, as all unconverted men do. The counsel of the ungodly signifies, the maxims and principles of worldly men, who form their plans and calculate advantages or disadvantages, according to their several pursuits, without bringing the favor or displeasure of God or eternal things into the account: and walking in this counsel, signifies an habitual conduct formed on such principles, and regulated according to such rules. Sinners in this climax, seems to mean, those who add to their ungodliness gross immoralities and such crimes as natural conscience and the opinion of the world protest against. And to stand in the way of sinners, implies, the habit of such vices gradually overcoming the sense of shame and remorse of conscience, till a quiet, rarely interrupted by convictions, is super induced. Yet these occasional convictions are the source of uneasiness; and this prepares the sinner for “sitting down in the seat of the scornful.” The scornful, no doubt, are such as encourage themselves and each other in ungodliness and wickedness, by infidel and atheistical tenets; and as have recourse to corrupt principles, to bear them out in corrupt practices; and so are given up to a blinded and deluded mind, as a punishment of their conduct in following the impulse of a wicked heart. And to sit in the seat of the scornful, is to become teachers and apostles of infidelity, and impiously to ridicule, with all the genius, wit, and sense which they possess, the doctrines, precepts, and worshippers of God. The Septuagint, translate the last clause, “The seat of pestilences.” Ac 24:5 thus, “the simple ones love simplicity, and fools hate knowledge, and scorners delight in their scorning.”—But the happy persons here described, have been preserved or recovered from these dreadful evils. They have, by divine grace, separated from all ungodly companions, and lost their relish for the vain pleasures of the world; they have learned to delight in the word of God, and to meditate continually upon it. This engages their affections, and occupies that time and those thoughts which others waste in vanity or sloth: thus they become like a tree planted in a well watered soil, which seasonably brings forth fruit, and abides verdant and flourishing; and while they are rendered steadfast and joyful in hope, and fruitful in holiness, they are made useful to others, and eventually prosper in the best desires and purposes of their heart.
Verses 4-6: The Psalmist, having briefly stated the character and felicity of the righteous, contrasts with these the worthlessness and misery of the ungodly man, however distinguished. He is not only an unfruitful and withered tree, but he is despicable and useless as the chaff; he is readily driven from one delusion to another; and shall soon be torn away from all his worldly prosperity, and cast into hopeless misery. However his success may now be envied, or his character mistaken, the judgment of God will infallibly separate him from the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord hath appointed, and he approves, the way in which the righteous walk; he knows all its snares, dangers, and difficulties, and will watch over all that walk in it: but he leaves the wicked to the consequences of that way which they choose, and it leads directly to the pit of destruction. Ps 37:18-19; Pr 4:18-19; Na 1:7-8; 2Ti 2:19