1
Psalm 1
The two paths #1:1 This psalm tells us about two groups of people: (1) people who want to please God; (2) people who do not respect God at all. These two groups of people walk along different paths. Each path leads to a different result. Verse 6 tells us what happens to people in each of these groups.
1If someone does not do what wicked people tell him to do,
if he does not join with sinners,
if he does not meet with those who laugh at God,
God has blessed that person!
2He is happy when he obeys the Law of the Lord. #1:2 When we write Lord like this, it is a special name for God. Sometimes people write it as ‘Yahweh’, or as ‘Jehovah’. It is his own name that he told Moses. See Exodus 3:14. It means ‘I am who I am’. This shows that God has always been there and he always will be there.
He thinks about God's Law during the day and at night.
3He will become like a tree that grows beside streams of water.
It gives its fruit at the right season.
Its leaves do not fall off.
Everything that person does will have a good result.
4But wicked people are as empty as chaff.
The wind blows them away. #1:4 Wicked people do not obey God's rules. God will blow them away like chaff one day.
5So they will not go free when God judges them.
Sinners cannot join with God's people,
the people who are right with God. #1:5 God judges all people. He will decide if they are guilty.
6The Lord takes care of people who respect him.
But wicked people are living in a way that will take them to a bad end.