God & Savior

Psalm 1:1-3

1Blessed 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. 2But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. 3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.
Psalm 1:1-3
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Study notes

Verse 1

The person God blesses does not take direction from the wicked, follow the ways of sinners, or settle among those who mock.

Explanation

Psalm 1 opens the whole book of Psalms by describing two ways of life. Verse 1 describes the blessed person first by what they avoid. The three verbs move from walking to standing ("set foot on") to sitting, a picture of being drawn further and further into the company of the wicked.

Original language
  • אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי־ ('Ash.rei-): blessed
    Hebrew · Noun, masculine, plural, construct · Strong's H0835 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Blessed, or happy: the word describes a life that is truly well.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 1:1, word 1

  • בַּעֲצַ֪ת (ba.'a.Tzat): counsel
    Hebrew · Preposition + Noun, feminine, singular, construct · Strong's H6098 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Counsel: advice or plans.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 1:1, word 6

  • לֵ֝צִ֗ים (le.Tzim): to mock
    Hebrew · Adjective, masculine, plural, absolute · Strong's H3887 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Mockers: people who scorn what is good.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 1:1, word 13

Cross-references
  • Psalm 1:2 · Surrounding passage

    What the blessed person does delight in.

  • Proverbs 1:10-15 · Same theme

    A warning not to walk in the way of sinners.

  • Jeremiah 17:7-8 · Same theme

    The person who trusts the LORD is like a tree planted by water.

Sources

Verse 2

The blessed person delights in the Lord's law and thinks on it day and night.

Explanation

After describing what the blessed person avoids, the psalm says what they love: the law, or instruction, of the LORD. To "meditate" here means to go over God's words again and again, even quietly speaking them, so that they shape the whole of life, "day and night".

Original language
  • בְּתוֹרַ֥ת (be.to.Rat): instruction
    Hebrew · Preposition + Noun, feminine, singular, construct · Strong's H8451 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Law, or instruction: God's teaching, not only rules.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 1:2, word 3

  • יְהוָ֗ה (Yah.weh): LORD
    Hebrew · Noun, proper name, title · Strong's H3068G · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Yahweh, God's personal name. The BSB shows it as "the LORD" in small capitals.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 1:2, word 4

  • יֶהְגֶּ֗ה (yeh.Geh): to mutter
    Hebrew · Verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · Strong's H1897 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Meditates: to murmur or ponder, turning words over in the mind.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 1:2, word 7

Cross-references
  • Joshua 1:8 · Same theme

    Meditate on the Book of the Law day and night.

  • Psalm 119:97 · Same theme

    How I love Your law; I meditate on it all day.

  • Psalm 1:3 · Surrounding passage

    The result: a life like a fruitful tree.

Sources

Original language and places

Reference data from open datasets, shown as published by their sources. Word-by-word English is a literal guide, not a translation.

Verse 1

Original language (Hebrew)

אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי־הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר׀ לֹ֥א הָלַךְ֮ בַּעֲצַ֪ת רְשָׁ֫עִ֥ים וּבְדֶ֣רֶךְ חַ֭טָּאִים לֹ֥א עָמָ֑ד וּבְמוֹשַׁ֥ב לֵ֝צִ֗ים לֹ֣א יָשָֽׁב׃

  1. אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי־'Ash.rei-“how blessed!”
    Noun, masculine, plural, construct · from אֶ֫שֶׁר · “blessed” · Strong's H0835
  2. הָאִ֗ישׁha.'Ish“[is] the person”
    Definite article + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from אִישׁ · “man” · Strong's H0376G
  3. אֲשֶׁ֤ר׀'a.Sher“who”
    Particle, relative · from אֲשֶׁר · “which” · Strong's H0834A
  4. לֹ֥אlo'“not”
    Particle, negative · from לֹא · “not” · Strong's H3808
  5. הָלַךְ֮ha.laKh“he walks”
    Verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from הָלַךְ · “walk” · Strong's H1980I
  6. בַּעֲצַ֪תba.'a.Tzat“in [the] counsel of”
    Preposition + Noun, feminine, singular, construct · from עֵצָה · “counsel” · Strong's H6098
  7. רְשָׁ֫עִ֥יםre.Sha.'Im“wicked [people]”
    Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from רָשָׁע · “wicked” · Strong's H7563
  8. וּבְדֶ֣רֶךְu.ve.De.rekh“and in [the] way of”
    Conjunction + Preposition + Noun, both genders, singular, construct · from דֶּ֫רֶךְ · “conduct” · Strong's H1870G
  9. חַ֭טָּאִיםCha.ta.'im“sinners”
    Adjective, masculine, plural, absolute · from חַטָּא · “sinner” · Strong's H2400
  10. לֹ֥אlo'“not”
    Particle, negative · from לֹא · “not” · Strong's H3808
  11. עָמָ֑ד'a.Mad“he stands”
    Verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from עָמַד · “stand” · Strong's H5975G
  12. וּבְמוֹשַׁ֥בu.ve.mo.Shav“and in [the] seat of”
    Conjunction + Preposition + Noun, masculine, singular, construct · from מוֹשָׁב · “seat” · Strong's H4186
  13. לֵ֝צִ֗יםle.Tzim“mockers”
    Adjective, masculine, plural, absolute · from לִיץ · “to mock” · Strong's H3887
  14. לֹ֣אlo'“not”
    Particle, negative · from לֹא · “not” · Strong's H3808
  15. יָשָֽׁב׃ya.Shav“he sits”
    Verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from יָשַׁב · “to dwell” · Strong's H3427

Verse 2

Original language (Hebrew)

כִּ֤י אִ֥ם בְּתוֹרַ֥ת יְהוָ֗ה חֶ֫פְצ֥וֹ וּֽבְתוֹרָת֥וֹ יֶהְגֶּ֗ה יוֹמָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה׃

  1. כִּ֤יki“that”
    Particle · from כִּי [אם] · “except” · Strong's H3588B
  2. אִ֥ם'im“except”
    Particle · from [כִּי] אם · “except” · Strong's H0518B
  3. בְּתוֹרַ֥תbe.to.Rat“[is] in [the] law of”
    Preposition + Noun, feminine, singular, construct · from תּוֹרָה · “instruction” · Strong's H8451
  4. יְהוָ֗הYah.weh“Yahweh”
    Noun, proper name, title · from יהוה · “LORD” · Strong's H3068G
  5. חֶ֫פְצ֥וֹchef.Tzo“delight his”
    Noun, masculine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from חֵ֫פֶץ · “pleasure” · Strong's H2656
  6. וּֽבְתוֹרָת֥וֹu.ve.to.ra.To“and in law his”
    Conjunction + Preposition + Noun, feminine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from תּוֹרָה · “instruction” · Strong's H8451
  7. יֶהְגֶּ֗הyeh.Geh“he meditates”
    Verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from הָגָה · “to mutter” · Strong's H1897
  8. יוֹמָ֥םyo.Mam“by day”
    Adverb · from יוֹמָם · “by day” · Strong's H3119
  9. וָלָֽיְלָה׃va.La.ye.lah“and night”
    Conjunction + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from לַ֫יְלָה · “night” · Strong's H3915

Verse 3

Original language (Hebrew)

וְֽהָיָ֗ה כְּעֵץ֮ שָׁת֪וּל עַֽל־פַּלְגֵ֫י מָ֥יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר פִּרְי֨וֹ׀ יִתֵּ֬ן בְּעִתּ֗וֹ וְעָלֵ֥הוּ לֹֽא־יִבּ֑וֹל וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה יַצְלִֽיחַ׃

  1. וְֽהָיָ֗הve.ha.Yah“and he is”
    Conjunction + Verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from הָיָה · “to be” · Strong's H1961
  2. כְּעֵץ֮ke.'Etz“like a tree”
    Preposition + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from עֵץ · “tree” · Strong's H6086H
  3. שָׁת֪וּלsha.Tul“planted”
    Verb, qal, participle (passive), masculine, singular, absolute · from שָׁתַל · “to transplant” · Strong's H8362
  4. עַֽל־'al-“at”
    Preposition · from עַל · “upon” · Strong's H5921A
  5. פַּלְגֵ֫יpal.Gei“streams of”
    Noun, masculine, plural, construct · from פֶּ֫לֶג · “stream” · Strong's H6388
  6. מָ֥יִםMa.yim“water”
    Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from מַי · “water” · Strong's H4325G
  7. אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.Sher“which”
    Particle, relative · from אֲשֶׁר · “which” · Strong's H0834A
  8. פִּרְי֨וֹ׀pir.Yo“fruit its”
    Noun, masculine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from פְּרִי · “fruit” · Strong's H6529
  9. יִתֵּ֬ןyi.Ten“it gives”
    Verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from נָתַן · “give” · Strong's H5414G
  10. בְּעִתּ֗וֹbe.'i.To“at appropriate time its”
    Preposition + Noun, both genders, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from עֵת · “time” · Strong's H6256
  11. וְעָלֵ֥הוּve.'a.Le.hu“and leafage its”
    Conjunction + Noun, masculine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from עָלֶה · “leaf” · Strong's H5929
  12. לֹֽא־lo'-“not”
    Particle, negative · from לֹא · “not” · Strong's H3808
  13. יִבּ֑וֹלyi.Bol“it withers”
    Verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from נָבֵל · “to wither” · Strong's H5034B
  14. וְכֹ֖לve.Khol“and all”
    Conjunction + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from כֹּל · “all” · Strong's H3605
  15. אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-“that”
    Particle, relative · from אֲשֶׁר · “which” · Strong's H0834A
  16. יַעֲשֶׂ֣הya.'a.Seh“he does”
    Verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from עָשָׂה · “do” · Strong's H6213A
  17. יַצְלִֽיחַ׃yatz.Li.ach“it succeeds”
    Verb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from צָלֵחַ · “to prosper” · Strong's H6743B
  • Prepared by the God & Savior team. Not yet reviewed by an editor.
  • Hebrew and Aramaic words: STEP Bible (STEPBible.org), based on work at Tyndale House, Cambridge. CC BY 4.0. Source (version ed476a8)