Applying the Wisdom of Psalm 1

With my post on September 23, ???The Wisdom of Psalm 1,??? we saw that Psalm 1 is a wisdom psalm that has a precise structural arrangement. Presently, I will identify the basic message of this psalm with a focus on its contemporary applicability.

Initially, we should look for the subject of Psalm 1. What is helpful to remember is that various writers of the psalms introduce their subjects within the first few verses of each psalm. In Psalm 1 the subject is found in v. 1: ???the blessedness of the godly man.???

The psalmist develops his subject by using a prolonged contrast between two types of people: the godly and ungodly. The verses of this psalm fall into three structural units. In the first unit, vv. 1???3, the author develops his theme by contrasts. He begins v. 1 with a pronouncement of blessedness on the godly man. A contrast immediately follows by picturing the blessed man avoiding the wicked man???s influence. In v. 2 the psalmist gives the basis for the blessed man???s godliness, his commitment to the Law, and illustrates in v. 3 the extent of his blessedness. The second unit in vv. 4???5 begins with a contrast, ???the ungodly are not so.??? This is to say, the ungodly do not receive the blessings that the godly receive. The psalmist then illustrates their unstable life in the remainder of v. 4. In v. 5 he concludes the second unit by describing the judgment of the wicked. He once again draws a contrast by indicating that the ungodly will be separated from the godly. The third unit, v. 6, contrasts the godly and ungodly. The godly have a special relationship with the LORD but the ungodly will perish.

To correlate the message of Psalm 1 with a contemporary setting, we should start by observing that the Hebrew term translated as ???blessed,??? in v. 1, denotes that joyous condition of those living under the Mosaic Covenant who in faith worshipped and followed the Lord of the Covenant, Yahweh. We can correlate this today with those who are living for God???s approval, as a consequence of having been justified by faith. In short, the subject of this psalm is living with God???s approval. Verses 2???6 indicate that those living with God???s approval are motivated by God???s approval of them. Psalm 1???s big idea is that God???s approval provokes godly living. An expository outline of this psalm would look like this.

psalm001outline.gif

With its presentation of the godly man and his relationship to the Law, Psalm 1 is the first of two psalms that introduce the book of Psalms (note how the use of the term ???blessed??? at the beginning of Psalm 1:1 and as one of the last few words in Psalm 2:12 provides a rhetorical connection between the two psalms as an envelope construction). Psalm 2 with its emphasis on the sovereign rule of the Davidic king completes a two-psalm introduction to the Psalter. With a subsequent post, we will look at Psalm 2.

Comments

  1. says

    Thanks for this. Psalm 1 has become a great blessing to me. For the longest time—frankly, due in part to some messages I’d heard on the Psalm—I assumed that Psalm 1 began and ended with verse 1: “Separation from the world.” (Okay, I knew that there were more verses to the Psalm, but separation was the important thing.) Yet, the rest of the Psalm explains that the godly man isn’t noted only for his avoidance of the wicked, but for his great delight in the Law of the Lord. In other words, he’s not missing a thing! The godly life is joyful and rich, whereas the life of the wicked is dry and unfulfilling for a time and damning for eternity.

    What an important message for us to understand and preach! True joy is found in pleasing God and delighting in His word, not in the world (contrary to the way things often appear). Pleasing God isn’t merely a matter of duty—“do it because it’s right, though miserable.” Rather, pleasing God is a source of great delight—“do it because it brings the blessing of God, and a life that is lush rather than empty.”

    How different that is from a concept of sanctification that is merely focused on duty! These are life-changing thoughts to consider! Indeed, I think Psalm 1 should be perpetually kept before young people, in particular.

    (Sorry to ramble. You touched a nerve.)

  2. says

    The series of posts that I am doing on Psalms is an outgrowth of a class that I teach, “Understanding the Psalms.” Since I regularly update my class notes, this series of posts is also intended as a revision for some of the content in my syllabus. My goal is to teach this class in summer school of 2008, the Lord willing, of course.

  3. says

    Thanks for your observations. In the early part of my ministry, my focus was on v. 1 of Psalm 1. However, as I grew theologically and exegetically, I realized that the separation of v. 1 is predicated on one’s joyful study of the biblical truth, as v. 2 suggests. And, when v. 2 is worked out in one’s perseverance, there is great delight in the God who watches over and guides his people. I hope this preaches one in a local church setting.

Trackbacks

Leave a Reply