Psalm 1: A Lens for All We Cannot See

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalm 1

Psalm 1 serves as a glorious gateway to the entire book of Psalms. It tells us what we will encounter if we continue reading: a stark contrast between the righteous and the wicked.

The righteous are blessed, like a tree planted by streams of water, while the wicked are like chaff blown away by the wind. The righteous prosper, but the wicked are forgotten. Using the framework of orientation, disorientation, and new orientation, Psalm 1 is a Psalm of orientation. It shows us the world as it was meant to be, where everything is in its proper place.

Everything in Psalm 1 is stated concretely and with certainty. Since this Psalm serves as an introduction to the entire book, one might expect the following 149 Psalms to depict God's people living in ease and His enemies in disgrace. However, that’s not exactly what we find.

By the time we reach Psalm 3, we find God’s servant pleading for help because their enemies are prospering:

“Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me.”

Psalm 3:1

As we continue through the Psalms, we encounter numerous instances where the righteous feel like chaff and the wicked appear to be thriving. It’s almost like the opposite of Psalm 1 unfolds.

For example, in Psalm 94:3, the author asks, “Lord…How long will the wicked triumph?” Similarly, in the famous Psalm 22, David cries out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”

How do we reconcile Psalm 1 with the rest of the book?

We need to check our assumptions at the door

This is true when we enter the Psalms—and the Scriptures as a whole. What does it mean to prosper in our eyes? And what does it mean to prosper in God's eyes? Could the two perspectives be vastly different?

When we see someone on their knees begging God for help and abandoning all hope in their own strength, we may see someone who is suffering. God sees their suffering too, but he also see’s something more. Something we can’t spot.

He sees them prospering. He sees them blooming and growing up into a mighty Oak as they learn some of life’s most important and powerful truths: that they are weak and in need, but that God is for them.

Conversely, the unrighteous might feel that their lives are so good, they have nothing to pray about. But, in reality, their souls are weakening. Let’s say we see the wicked making millions through unethical practices and living it up with all that money. To us they seem strong. But perhaps, they are more like chaff than ever. God see’s that if you just take away the money, they’ll be blown away.

Look Beyond the Present Moment

We also need to look past what we see right now to understand Psalm 1. It speaks of a certain future for both the righteous and the wicked, not necessarily a guaranteed present. The present moment can be deceiving.

As you follow Jesus through this season of your life, you may feel small like chaff. But several years from now, you’ll find that in this season you were more like a small seed. And what will seeds be like in the future? Big, beautiful trees that bear fruit.

In this same season, you may be surrounded by those who don’t follow Jesus, and their lives may look like an abundant field of wheat. But their future is certain: they will soon be discarded from the harvest, as they were really just chaff.

Psalm 1 is like a gateway, telling us what we’ll see as we journey through the Psalms. But it is also like a lens through which we can interpret the rest of the Psalms (and most of life’s circumstances). The contrast between the righteous and the unrighteous doesn’t always look the way you’d think it would, but through this lens we can see the true direction both are heading in.

You may feel helpless, but if you’re seeking God, you’re actually heading for hope. You may see others as invincible, but if they’re running from God, they’re heading for destruction.