Psalm 1 Verse-by-Verse

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Welcome to the Verse-by-Verse Notes for Psalm 1!

The Verse-by-Verse Notes present scholarly, exegetical materials (from all layers of analysis) in a verse-by-verse format. They often present alternative interpretive options and justification for a preferred interpretation. The Verse-by-Verse Notes are aimed at consultant-level users.

The discussion of each verse of this psalm includes the following items.

1. A link to the part of the overview video where the verse in question is discussed.
2. The verse in Hebrew and English.
3. An expanded paraphrase of the verse.
4. A grammatical diagram of the verse, which includes glosses for each word and phrase.
5. A series of notes on the verse, which contain information pertaining to the interpretation of the psalm (e.g., meaning of words and phrases, poetic features, difficult grammatical constructions, etc.).

Introduction

Poetic Structure

The structure of Ps 1 is extremely intricate, and it could be visualized in a number of different ways. The visual below highlights only a few of the most prominent structural features.

• The psalm is bound by an inclusio.
  • The word "way" (דֶּרֶךְ) appears only in the first and last verses (vv. 1, 6).
  • The first word of the psalm begins with alef (the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet) and the last word of the psalm begins with tav (the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet). (Cf. the same feature in Ps 5 and Ps 112).

• The psalm consists of a body (vv. 1-5) and a summary conclusion (v. 6).
  • The body of the psalm is bound by an inclusio. Note the negated verbs of movement (v. 1: "has not walked... taken a stand... settled" // v. 5: "will not stand") and the similarity of sound between בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים (v. 1) and בַּעֲדַת צַדִּיקִים (v. 5). In other words, the main body of the psalm begins with the righteous not standing with the wicked, and it ends with the wicked not standing with the righteous.
  • Verse 6 functions as a grounding summary of the entire discourse.
    • Verse 6a summarizes vv. 1-3, and v. 6b summarizes vv. 4-5.
    • The כִּי in v. 6 grounds the entire discourse. It explains, in summary, why the righteous (and not the wicked) are to be considered "happy."
    • It is a common pattern in the Psalter for the final verse to begin with כִּי and function as a summary of the whole (see e.g., Pss 5, 11, 100, 134).

• The body of the psalm (vv. 1-5) divides naturally into two main sections (vv. 1-3; vv. 4-5).
  • The discourse topic of the first section is "the one" (הָאִישׁ) and the discourse topic of the second section is "the wicked people" (הָרְשָׁעִים). Each topic is introduced with the definite article (the only two instances of the explicit ה article in the psalm).
  • The two sections have similar beginnings.
    • As noted above, each section begins by introducing the topic of the section and uses the definite article: "the one" (הָאִישׁ) // "the wicked people" (הָרְשָׁעִים)
    • Each section begins with a sentence fragment: "the happiness of the one! // "not so the wicked people!" These are the only two fragments in the psalm.
    • There is a similarity of sound between הָרְשָׁעִים and אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ (note esp. the sounds sh, and r).
  • The two sections parallel one another in other ways. For example, each section follows the sequence of a negative (לֹא, v 1 // v. 4), followed by a contrast (כִּי אִם, v. 2 // v. 4), followed by an agricultural simile (כְּעֵץ // כַּמֹּץ, v. 3 // v. 4), followed by a relative clause (אֲשֶׁר, v. 3 // v. 4).
  • Each of the two sections exhibits syntactic cohesion.
    • In the first section (vv. 1-3), vv. 1-2 are bound together syntactically by the logical connector כִּי אִם, and vv. 2-3 are bound together syntactically by waw (והיה).
    • The two verses of the second section (vv. 4-5) are bound together syntactically by עַל־כֵּן.

Another way to think about the structure of Ps 1 is with the image of a chain (see below). Each verse is like a link in the chain, bound to both the immediately following and preceding verse. So, for example, v. 1 is the first link, and it is tightly bound to v. 2. Verse 2, in turn, is also bound to v. 3, and v. 3 is also bound to v. 4, etc.

• vv. 1-2. "not in (ב) the counsel of the wicked... Instead, in (ב) YHWH's instruction"
• vv. 2-3. "he delights in... and rehearses his instruction day and night. And (as a result) he will become like a tree transplanted by water channels..." Note especially the sound play between "rehearses day and night" (יֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה) and "beside water channels" (עַל־פַּלְגֵי מָיִם).
• vv. 3-4. "like a tree... that... like chaff that..." "Tree" and "chaff" not only belong to a similar lexical domain, they even sound similar (one syllable words ending in ץ).
• vv. 4-5. The image of "chaff" is closely associated with legal/courtroom imagery. Because the wicked are like chaff (v. 4), "therefore, the wicked will not stand firm in the judgment..."
• vv. 5-6. The word "righteous people" (צַדִּיקִים) occurs only in these verses.

Scripture Connections

Psalm 1 alludes to multiple passages in the Old Testament. In fact, Psalm 1, which celebrates meditation on YHWH's instruction (v. 2), is itself a meditation on that instruction. The psalmist models what he celebrates; he practices what he preaches. And not only does the psalm show what it looks like to meditate on YHWH's instruction, it also provides a guided tour through YHWH's instruction. The psalm takes us through the Law and the Prophets and distills the essence of their teaching into a short but powerful poem.

• The language of "meditating" (הגה) on YHWH's "instruction" (תּוֹרָה) "day and night" (יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה) in v. 2 is a clear allusion to Joshua 1:8. The words "way" (דֶּרֶךְ, vv. 1, 6) and "make successful" (הצליח, v. 3) are also found in Josh 1:8.
• The initial description of the righteous person as a tree in v. 3a is almost identical to the similar description in Jeremiah 17:8. Where the description differs from Jeremiah (e.g., water channels, leaves not withering), Psalm 1 appears to be drawing from other passages of Scripture, especially Ezekiel 47:12.
• The language of Ps 1:3d, in addition to echoing Josh 1:8, has strong connections to Genesis 39:3 and the description of Joseph (who, notably, was Joshua's ancestor, Joshua being from the tribe of Ephraim, Joseph's son). The connection is strengthened by the fact that Joseph is elsewhere described as a fruitful tree by a water source (cf. Gen 49:22).
• The Garden of Eden imagery in v. 3 (see notes below) recalls the first chapters of Genesis, when YHWH plants a garden and places the man in it. (Psalm 1's position at the beginning of Book I of the Psalter, with its five books corresponding to the Torah's five books, further strengthens the connection with the beginning of Genesis).
• The language of "walking," "way," and "sitting/settling" recalls Deuteronomy 6 and command to love YHWH with one's whole being.
• In the order of the Hebrew canon, the Psalter follows immediately after Malachi. It is surely no coincidence that the themes of Ps 1 are also themes at the end of Malachi (e.g., "blessedness," righteous vs wicked, chaff, Torah, coming judgment). Psalm 1 picks up where Malachi leaves off. Even if Ps 1 was written before Malachi (such that the connections are not to be classified as allusions by the author), their juxtaposition in the canon must reflect the thoughtful work of an editor.

The passages to which Ps 1 alludes were not randomly chosen. The psalm alludes to the first and last books of the Torah (Genesis and Deuteronomy) as well as to the first and last books of the Prophets (Joshua and Malachi), including the first book of the latter prophets (Jeremiah), according to the order in the Talmud (Baba Bathra 14b).

Background

We can visualize the "story behind" Ps 1 with the following story triangle.

Psalm 1 (especially when it is read against the background of the end of Malachi) appears to assume a situation in which...

1. The wicked live alongside the righteous (like grain and chaff growing together in a field)
2. The wicked seem to flourish (cf. Mal 3:14-15)
3. People call the wicked "happy" (cf. Mal 3:14-15)

In response to this assumed situation, the psalmist says that it is the righteous, not the wicked, who are to be considered "happy." The psalm envisions a coming time when...

1. Judgment will come (cf. v. 5)
2. YHWH will separate the wicked from the righteous (like chaff from gain) (cf. vv. 4-5)
3. YHWH will remove the wicked from the land (just as wind blows away the chaff) (cf. vv. 4-5)
4. The righteous alone will possess the land (see esp. Ps 37 as in many ways echoing the themes of Ps 1)
5. The righteous will flourish like trees in YHWH's garden (cf. Ps 92, which also echoes the themes of Ps 1)

In order to fully appreciate this "story" and undertand the psalm, some background information is necessary:

• People declare someone to be "happy" (אַשְׁרֵי) when they admire that person's condition and consider it to be admirable and desirable. For example, when the Queen of Sheba saw the wealth and wisdom and King Solomon, she exclaimed, "Happy (אַשְׁרֵי) are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!" (1 Kgs 10:8, ESV).
• When wicked people flourish, others are tempted to declare them "happy." For example, Malachi (which occurs immediately before Ps 1 in the order of the Hebrew canon) says, “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it’” (Mal 3:14-15, NIV; cf. Jer 12:1; Ps 73).
• YHWH is the judge of all the earth (Gen 18:25), and the job of a just judge is to acquit the righteous/innocent (צַדִּיק) and condemn the wicked/guilty (רָשָׁע) (see Deut 25:1).
• “In winnowing, grain is threshed in order to separate the kernel of grain from the husk and straw. The mixture is thrown into the air with a winnowing fork or shovel. The wind blows the light husksaway, the heavier straw falls near the edge of the threshing floor, and the grain falls back to the floor tp be collected. Both the light husks and the heavier straw are referred to in the words translated ‘chaff’ in the Bible.”
• The place of YHWH's life-giving presence is depicted as a garden paradise (Gen 2; Ezek 47:12) in which the righteous grow like trees (Pss 52:10; 92:13-15).

Happy is the one (vv. 1-3)

v. 1

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
1a	אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי־הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר׀ לֹ֥א הָלַךְ֮ בַּעֲצַ֪ת רְשָׁ֫עִ֥ים	Happy is the one who has not walked in the counsel of wicked people,
1b	וּבְדֶ֣רֶךְ חַ֭טָּאִים לֹ֥א עָמָ֑ד	has not taken a stand in the way of sinful people,
1c	וּבְמוֹשַׁ֥ב לֵ֝צִ֗ים לֹ֣א יָשָֽׁב׃	and has not settled in the dwelling place of insolent people!

Expanded Paraphrase

When someone's position in life is admirable and desirable, that person is declared "happy" (cf. 1 Kgs 10:8). Wicked people are sometimes declared "happy," since their position in life can seem admirable and desirable (cf. Mal 3:14-15). But I do not call the wicked "happy." Instead, I say, Happy is the one who, by the end of life's journey, has not walked in the counsel of wicked people and lived his life according to what wicked people say should or should not be done, has not taken a stand in the way of sinful people and committed to living a sinful lifestyle, and has not settled in the dwelling place of insolent people and adopted the character of an insolent person who mocks YHWH's instruction and those who follow it.

Grammatical Diagram

Glosses Phrase Ellipses Full Screen

Notes

• Despite its appearance in most translations, the phrase happy is the one (אַשְׁרֵי־הָאִישׁ) is not a complete sentence; it is a Hebrew construct chain] (lit.: "the happiness of the one" = "the happiness experienced by the one;" cf. NLT: "Oh, the joys of those..."). As a sentence fragment, it functions not as an assertion, but as an exclamation which expresses "an attitude of admiration"' (SDBH) and a "desirous longing of one person for the condition of another." English has no equivalent expression, though it is similar to the exclamation "congratulations!" or to the words spoken in a celebratory toast to some person: "Here's to the one!" The word "happy" has been translated variously as "blessed" (KJV, NIV, ESV, NASB; cf. Jerome beatus and LXX μακάριος), "happy" (NRSV, GNT, CSB, JPS 1917), "joys" (NLT) etc. The meaning of the word per se is less important than the function of the phrase to express admiration and celebration. First Kings 10:8 offers a helpful illustration of the phrase in use. When the Queen of Sheba saw the wealth and Wisdom and King Solomon, she exclaimed, “Happy are your men! Happy are these servants of yours, who continually stand before you and listen to your wisdom!” (1 Kings 10:8). Even though the Queen was a figure of royalty with all the privilege which that entails, she looked up to Solomon’s servants with admiration, because they had the privilege of continually hearing Solomon’s wisdom. She considered their position to be desirable, and so she called them "happy."
• In terms of the poetry, the opening word is significant in multiple ways. It starts with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet (alef), and it sounds like the word for "footsteps" (אֲשֻׁרֵי), probably a deliberate sound-play in light of the pathway imagery in v. 1.
• Interpreters differ as to whether the one (הָאִישׁ) is a unique individual (i.e. a king) or a literary representative of a group (i.e. a typical righteous person). The latter interpretation is reflected in those translations that translate הָאִישׁ with a plural and gender-neutral term (e.g., CEV, ERV, GNB, NLT). Other translations use a gender-neutral term but retain the singular referent (e.g. CSB, NET, NIV, LPDPT). Older translations tend to use masculine singular terms (LXX, Targum, Jerome, KJV, Reina Valera, ESV, NVI, LS1910). For a detailed discussion of the issue, see The Identity of the Person in Ps 1:1. In short, when we consider Psalm 1 as an isolated poem, it seems best to identify the person described in vv. 1-3 as a typical righteous person. Blessings that begin with אַשְׁרֵי usually apply to people generally, even if a masculine singular noun is used (e.g., Pss 32:1-2; 34:9; 40:5; 41:2; 84:6, 13; 94:12; 127:5). Furthermore, there is a clear literary correspondence between "the righteous" (plural) of v. 6a and "the one" of vv. 1-3. At the same time, it seems clear that the person in Psalm 1 is given a royal profile and that, in the literary context of Pss 1-2 and the Psalter as a whole, this royal profile is amplified.
• Most interpreters see a progression in bodily posture in this verse from walking (v. 1a) to standing (v. 1b) to sitting (v. 1c) ("walk...stand...sit" in KJV, NIV, ESV, NASB, CSB, etc.) but the sequence may instead reflect the progressive stages of a journey in a nomadic society: setting out with directions (v. 1a), committing to a path (v. 1b), and settling down in a dwelling place (v. 1c). The "pathway" imagery (v. 1b) makes the journey interpretation more likely. This is also the more natural interpretation of the clause in v. 1c ("settle... dwelling place;" see below).
• The following chart explores the journey imagery in this psalm.

• For the verbs in this verse, most English translations use present tense ("walks... stands... sits"). In Hebrew, however, the verbs are past tense (qatal), and the verse describes the type of person who has never done the actions listed. See e.g., NJPS: "Happy is the man who has not followed the counsel of the wicked, or taken the path of sinners, or joined the company of the insolent." Rogland translates the verse similarly, noting that Hebrew Proverbs often use qatal verbs to express "a past tense relative to some other reference point": "Blessed is the man who has never walked in the counsel of the wicked, and has never stood in the path of sinners, and has never sat in the seat of scoffers." The reference point, in this case, is the time at which the person is being celebrated (i.e., considered "blessed"). The fact that the person will continue to refrain from these actions is an implicature.
• To "walk (הָלַךְ) in the counsel of wicked people (בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים)" is to live one's life according to the counsel, or advice, which wicked people offer.
• The word wicked people (רְשָׁעִים) occurs four times in Psalm 1 (vv. 1, 4, 5, 6) - more than any other word. It refers to the "state in which a person's behavior is inconsistent with the requirements of the law, either in a specific matter that is under dispute or as one's general mode of behavior."
• The verb stand (עָמַד) appears to be telic ("stand" = "take a stand") rather than a telic ("stand" = "stand around"). Similarly, Wilson 2002, 94, "the verb עָמָד has more the sense of 'take a stand' than simply 'stand still.' There is volition (and therefore responsibility) assumed in this action." Cf. BDB 764.3f: "persist"; HALOT 840.1: "to become involved with, or to persist in" (בדבר רע) Qoh 8:3"; DCH עָמַד (entry 8).</ref> Compare Ps 36:5bc where standing "on a path that is not good" (36:5b) is paired with the refusal to reject wickedness (36:5c). Cf. Seow: "seems at first blush to be out of place in the second line. One expects 'walked in the way,' an exceedingly common biblical idiom for moral conduct. Yet one may take the Hebrew to mean not just 'stand'... but also 'persist,' as Jerome and Radaq recognized."
• "'Pathway' here refers to the lifestyle of sinners. To 'stand in the pathway of/with sinners' means to closely associate with them in their sinful behavior." It is "to share their way of life (cf. Prov 1:10-19; Jer 23:8)."
• The word sinful people (חַטָּאִים, see also v. 5b) is partially synonymous with the previous term "wicked people" (רְשָׁעִים). Whereas the word "wicked" (רְשָׁעִים) places the emphasis on the resultant state of guilt that characterizes those who live contrary to God's requirements, the word "sinful" (חַטָּאִים) places the emphasis on "the pattern of actions" that leads to such guilt. "The difference of nuance between רשעים and חטאים is perhaps similar to that of the person convicted of a single theft compared with a career criminal. In the psalms, however, these two terms are often synonymous."
• The verb so often translated as "sit" (ישב) often means "to settle", and the noun which many translate in Ps 1:1 as "seat" (מוֹשַׁב) often refers to a “location where a community… lives.” Both words are used, for example, in Exod 12:20 to refer to Israel's dwelling in Egypt. The latter (מוֹשַׁב) can refer to a seat used for sitting (e.g., 1 Sam 20:18, 25), but in Hebrew, one does not sit "in" (ב) a seat but "on" (על) it. When the preposition "in" (ב) is prefixed to this word, the reference is often to a dwelling place.
• The word insolent people (לֵצִים), which might also be translated as "scoffers" or "mockers" refers to those who show "contempt for other people and ideas." "Most languages have abundant terms expressing ridicule, often accompanied by derogatory gestures. Frequently figurative language expresses ridicule; for example, 'shake the finger,' 'wag the head,' or 'make faces.'" The CEV translation, "sneering at God," may be too narrow, since the contempt of mockers may also be directed at other people. Whereas the Law of YHWH (see v. 2) is summed up in the commands to love God and one's neighbor, the journey that begins with "the counsel of wicked people" leads to contempt for God and one's neighbor - the very opposite of what God requires.

v. 2

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
2a	כִּ֤י אִ֥ם בְּתוֹרַ֥ת יְהוָ֗ה חֶ֫פְצ֥וֹ	Instead, his delight is in YHWH's instruction,
2b	וּֽבְתוֹרָת֥וֹ יֶהְגֶּ֗ה יוֹמָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה׃	and he meditates on his instruction day and night.

Expanded Paraphrase

Instead of receiving instruction for life's journey from wicked people, he receives instruction from YHWH. And his delight is in YHWH's instruction, and, because he delights in it, he meditates on his instruction day and night. And so he lives life's journey according to YHWH's instruction, walking on the way of the righteous and forming a character shaped by YHWH's instruction.

Grammatical Diagram

Glosses Phrase Ellipses Full Screen

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 2]
      Fragment
        conjunction: כִּי אִם Instead
      Fragment
        ClauseCluster
          Clause
            Subject
              ConstructChain <gloss="his delight">
                noun: חֶפְצ delight
                suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
            Predicate
              verb: is
            Complement
              Adverbial
                PrepositionalPhrase
                  Preposition
                    preposition: בְּ in
                  Object
                    ConstructChain <gloss="YHWH’s instruction">
                      noun: תוֹרַת instruction
                      noun: יְהוָה YHWH
          Conjunction
            conjunction: וּ and
          Clause
            Predicate
              verb: יֶהְגֶּה he rehearses
              Adverbial
                adverb: יוֹמָם day
                Conjunction
                  conjunction: וָ and
                adverb: לָיְלָה night
              Adverbial
                PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="his instruction">
                  Preposition
                    preposition: בְ in
                  Object
                    ConstructChain 
                      noun: תוֹרָת instruction
                      suffix-pronoun: וֹ him 
  

Notes

• The discourse marker instead (כִּי אִם) marks a contrast between what the person does not do (v. 1) and what he does do (v. 2)—"not... in (ב) the counsel of the wicked... Instead... in (ב) YHWH's instruction. Moreover, "with כִּי אִם the speaker makes it very clear that not only is an alternative involved, but that it is the only possible alternative" (BHRG §40.29.2). In other words, either one follows the counsel of wicked people (v. 1) or one follows the instruction of YHWH (v. 2); there is no middle ground.
• The strong contrast is further indicated by the word order of the clauses in v. 2. The prepositional phrase in YHWH's instruction is "an instance of replacing focus... Fronting invariably takes place in the clause containing the information replacing that of the negated first clause": not this, but that.
• The preposition in (בְּ) is significant since it is the same preposition that occurred three times in v. 1 ("in the counsel... in the pathway... in the dwelling place"). The delight of "the one" is not "in" these things (v. 1), but exclusively and totally "in the instruction of YHWH" (v. 2).
• The key word instruction (תּוׂרָה) has been translated as "law," "Law,"" instruction," "Teaching," "teachings," and "commands." Given Psalm 1's allusion to Joshua 1:8 and the usage of the phrase "the instruction of YHWH" (תורת יהוה) elsewhere, the phrase probably refers, at the very least, to the written Law of Moses. Yet Psalm 1's use of other biblical books may suggest that the Psalmist had a larger corpus in mind than just the Pentateuch. As Botha notes, "Psalm 1 has made use of a wide variety of texts, most probably all of which were considered to be authoritative material by him: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Psalms, Job, and Proverbs seem to be the most important corpora. All these contexts were probably included when he thought of the ‘Torah’ of Yahweh as the comprehensive teaching of Yahweh in Scripture."
• In Psalm 1, where the metaphor of a journey is so dominant, it is also worth noting that the word "instruction" (תּוׂרָה) is related to a Hebrew verb (ירה) which "occurs in such practical contexts as the giving of directions in travel (Gen 46:28)." Indeed, "instruction" (תּוׂרָה) is often associated with the image of walking on a pathway.
• The word delight (חֶפְצוֹ) or "pleasure" refers to a "state in which humans feel emotionally attached to a particular event."
• Some commentators think that the antecedent of the pronoun in the phrase his instruction (v. 2b) is "the one" rather than YHWH. Rashi, for example, writes, "At first it is called 'YHWH's instruction,' but after he has labored over it it is called his instruction." But the parallel between בְּתוֹרַת יְהוָה in v. 2a and בְתוֹרָתוֹ in v. 2b suggests that YHWH is the antecedent of the pronoun in the b-line.
• The verb meditates (יֶהְגֶּה) or "studies" refers to an "action by which humans speak softly for themselves as if thinking out loud." If the "instruction of YHWH" does indeed refer to the written Scriptures, then the verb "rehearses" may refer here to the act of reading aloud to oneself in a low undertone, a metonymy for intensive study. "Many languages make no distinction between reading and studying, and attempts to describe a mumbling kind of reading may distract from the essential force of reading diligently. Hence, "meditates" may often be rendered as 'reading and thinking about.' In cases where it is desirable to express the intensive aspect of reading, one may say 'they read it carefully day and night,' or 'they read and think about its teachings all the time,' or 'they are always reading and thinking about its teachings.'" The psalmist probably chose this particular word, at least in part, in order to allude to Joshua 1:8. "Only Josh. 1 and Ps. 1 use 'meditate' in reference to torah, making relationship likely."
• The phrase day and night (יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה), which also occurs in Josh 1:8 (alluded to here), is a Hebrew idiom that means "continually." See also the use of the same collocation in Lev 8:35: וּפֶתַח֩ אֹ֨הֶל מוֹעֵ֜ד תֵּשְׁב֨וּ) יוֹמָ֤ם וָלַ֙יְלָה֙ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים), in which שִׁבְעַת יָמִים ("seven days") provides the duration of the sitting, while יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה ("day and night") provides the times of day that the sitting should take place, i.e., continually (BDB).</ref> It is no coincidence that the following series of psalms (Pss 3-14) are structured in a "day-night" pattern. Psalms 3-7 and 10-14 are "composed as alternating sequence of 'day-night-day-night-day' psalms (Pss 3:6, 8; 4:5, 9; 5:4; 6:7; 7:7; 10:12; 11:2; 12:6; 13:4; 14:2, 5). At the center, Psalms 8-9 are 'night-day' psalms (Pss 8:4; 9:20)."

v. 3

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
3a	וְֽהָיָ֗ה כְּעֵץ֮ שָׁת֪וּל עַֽל־פַּלְגֵ֫י מָ֥יִם	And he will become like a tree transplanted beside water channels
3b	אֲשֶׁ֤ר פִּרְי֨וֹ ׀ יִתֵּ֬ן בְּעִתּ֗וֹ	that gives its fruit in its season
3c	וְעָלֵ֥הוּ לֹֽא־יִבּ֑וֹל	and whose leaves do not wither.
3d	וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה יַצְלִֽיחַ׃	And he will cause all that he does to flourish.

Expanded Paraphrase

And YHWH's instruction leads him ultimately to life in YHWH's life-giving presence, symbolized by the Garden of Eden (cf. Gen 2; Ps 36:8-10). And so I say of the person who rejects wickedness and chooses to follow YHWH's instruction that he will become like a life-giving tree in YHWH's garden (cf. Pss 52:10; 92:13-15; Ezek 47:12), a tree that has been removed from a waterless place, where it could not flourish, and transplanted by YHWH on water channels which YHWH dug to irrigate the trees in his garden. These water channels represent YHWH's instruction, which daily nourishes a person so that he becomes like a well-watered tree that gives its fruit in its season for others to eat and enjoy, and whose leaves, a source of shade and healing (cf. Ezek 47:12) do not wither. And he (i.e., the person, but ultimately, YHWH) will cause all that he does to flourish just as a healthy tree flourishes.

Grammatical Diagram

Glosses Phrase Ellipses Full Screen

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 3]
      Fragment
        particle: וְ and
      Fragment
        ClauseCluster
          Clause
            Predicate
              verb: הָיָה he will become
              Complement
                Adjectival
                  PrepositionalPhrase
                    Preposition
                      preposition: כְּ like
                    Object
                      Nominal
                        noun: עֵץ a tree
                        Adjectival
                          Clause
                            Predicate
                              verb-participle: שָׁתוּל transplanted
                              Adverbial
                                PrepositionalPhrase
                                  Preposition
                                    preposition: עַל on >> beside
                                  Object
                                    ConstructChain
                                      noun: פַּלְגֵי channels
                                      noun: מָיִם water
                        RelativeClause
                          RelativeParticle
                            particle: אֲשֶׁר that
                          ClauseCluster
                            Clause
                              Subject <located="relative clause head">
                              Predicate
                                verb: יִתֵּן gives
                                Adverbial
                                  PrepositionalPhrase
                                    Preposition
                                      preposition: בְּ in
                                    Object
                                      ConstructChain <gloss="its season"">
                                        noun: עִתּ season
                                        suffix-pronoun: וֹ it
                                Object
                                  ConstructChain <gloss="its fruit">
                                    noun: פִּרְי fruit
                                    suffix-pronoun: וֹ it
                            Conjunction
                              conjunction: וְ and
                            Clause
                              Subject
                                ConstructChain <gloss="its leaves">
                                  noun: עָלֵה leaf >> leaves
                                  suffix-pronoun: וּ it
                              Predicate
                                verb: יִבּוֹל withers
                                Adverbial
                                  particle: לֹא not
                            Conjunction <status="alternative">
                              conjunction: וְ and <status="alternative">
                            Clause <status="alternative">
                              Predicate
                                verb: יַצְלִיחַ it causes to flourish
                                Object
                                  Nominal
                                    quantifier: כֹל all
                                    RelativeClause
                                      RelativeParticle
                                        particle: אֲשֶׁר that
                                      Clause
                                        Predicate
                                          verb: יַעֲשֶׂה it produces
                                          Object <located="relative clause head">
          Conjunction
            conjunction: וְ and
          Clause 
            Subject <status="alternative">
              Nominal
                quantifier: כֹל all
                RelativeClause
                  RelativeParticle
                    particle: אֲשֶׁר that
                  Clause
                    Predicate
                      verb: יַעֲשֶׂה he does
                      Object <located="relative clause head">
            Predicate
              verb: יַצְלִיחַ he will cause to flourish
              verb: will flourish <status="alternative">
              Object
                Nominal
                  quantifier: כֹל all
                  RelativeClause
                    RelativeParticle
                      particle: אֲשֶׁר that
                    Clause
                      Predicate
                        verb: יַעֲשֶׂה he does
                        Object <located="relative clause head"> 
  

Notes

• The tense of the verb translated and he will become (וְהָיָה) could be present ("he is," so NIV, NLT, ESV, CSB, CEV, GNT, NET, NEB) or future ("he will be[come]," so KJV, ASV, NASB, JPS, ISV). According to the present-tense interpretation, the waw prefixed form וְהָיָה "carries the same characteristic force as the imperfect in the preceding verse." But if the poet wanted to see "he is like a tree," then he could have used a simple verbless clause. Furthermore, when וְֽהָיָה functions as an ordinary verb (rather than a discourse marker), "reference is typically to events that are projected in the future."
• The noun tree (עֵץ) may refer to a “tree” (sg) or collectively to “trees” (pl), or to the material that comes from trees, i.e. “wood.” When referring to a “tree” or to “trees,” עֵץ “emphasizes only the genus, while individual species of trees (e.g., אֶרָז ‘cedar,’ אֵצֶל ‘tamerisk,’ בְּרוֹשׁ ‘cypress,’ גֶּפֶן ‘grapevine,’ זַיִת ‘olive tree,’ לוּז ‘almond tree,’ שִׁקְמָה ‘sycamore,’ תְּאֵנָה ‘fig tree,’ תָּמָר ‘date palm’) or tree shapes (e.g., סְבַךְ/סְבֹךְ ‘bush’ or the word group אַלָּה/אַלּוֹן אֵלָה/אֵלוֹן ‘large tree,’ usually understood as ‘oak/terebinth’) acquire specific designations.” The particular species of tree is unspecified, though we might envision an olive tree (cf. Ps 52:10), a palm tree or cedar (cf. Ps 92:14). In light of the image of a garden and the echoes of Eden, the Targum translates "tree" as "tree of life" (כאילן חיי).
• The description transplanted by water channels (שָׁתוּל עַל־פַּלְגֵי מָיִם) suggests that "this is not the picture of a tree growing naturally beside a river, but of a tree planted (better 'transplanted') by a gardener beside a watercourse or irrigation channel." "The happiness of the righteous man is illustrated by the simile of a tree, which is removed from its native soil and transplanted to the most favored soil, in a fertile garden irrigated by many channels of water, such as Wady Urtas, where were the gardens of Solomon; Engedi, famed for its fertility; the gardens of Damascus, Egypt, and Babylon, irrigated by canals drawn from the great rivers." The garden imagery in Psalm 1 is, in turn, reminiscent of Eden and the temple of God.
• The verb transplanted (שָׁת֪וּל) appears 10 times in the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible (Jer 17:8; Ezek. 17:8, 10, 22, 23; 19:10, 13; Hos. 9:13[?]; Ps. 1:3; 92:14) only in the qal stem and most often as a passive participle (8/10 times). According to BDB and SDBH, the word might be glossed as "to transplant" instead of simply "to plant." This is supported by the use of the word in Ezekiel 17, where a “twig/sapling” (יֹנֶקֶת) plucked from among the tops of the high cedar trees (Ezek 17:22-23) is transplanted (שׁתל) on Yahweh’s high and lofty mountain for the purpose of growing branches, producing fruit, and becoming a majestic cedar (Ezek 17:23). The act of “transplanting” (שׁתל) is associated in the biblical literature with gardens (Ezek 17:8, 10, 22, 23; 19:10[LXX]), water (Jer 17:8; Ezek 17:8; 19:10; Ps 1:3) and fruit/productivity (Jer 17:8; Ezek 17:8, 23; 19:10; Pss 1:3; 92:14).
• The phrase water channels (פַּלְגֵי מָיִם) probably refers to "artificial water channels." "Unlike trees growing wild in wadis or planted in the fields, where the amount of rainfall varies, the tree the psalmist envisions has been planted purposefully by irrigation canals, artificial water-channels made for the purpose of irrigation (cf. Prov 21:1; Eccl 2:5-6; Isa 30:25)." The common translation "streams of water" mistakenly implies a naturally occurring water source.
• The phrase "water channels" (פַּלְגֵי מָיִם) similar to the words "he rehearses... day and night" (יֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה) in the previous line (v. 2). The effect of this poetic feature (alliteration) is to draw a connection between the act of meditating on YHWH's instruction (v. 2b) and the water channels that nourish the tree (v. 3a).
• The initial description of the tree is followed by two relative clauses (v. 3bc) further describing the parts of the tree: its fruit...whose leaves. Each of these relative clauses introduces the parts of the tree with a topic-fronted noun phrase.
• The antecedent of the pronoun in the phrase its season (עִתּוֹ) is probably the fruit rather than the tree.
• The following chart explores the tree imagery in this verse.

• The final line of v. 3, and he causes all that he does to flourish (וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂה יַצְלִיחַ׃) is perhaps the weightiest line in the whole psalm—both in terms of exegetical difficulty and in terms of poetic beauty. The clause could refer either to the person—"In all that he does, he prospers" (ESV)—or to the tree—"...and whatever it produces thrives" (NJPS). For a detailed discussion of the grammatical issues, see The Grammar of Ps 1:3d. In short, the evidence from similar passages in the Hebrew Bible suggests that the phrase כֹל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה is the direct object of the verb יַצְלִיחַ (cf. Deut 28:29; Isa 48:15; Ps 37:7; and especially 2 Chron 7:11). Furthermore, the strong allusion to Joshua 1:7–8, along with the fact that the subject of hiphil הצליח is (almost?) always human, suggests that the subject of both verbs is 'the person.' Thus, we have translated the verse, and he causes all that he does to flourish. Although this interpretation seems to be the most natural way to read the text (at least on a surface level reading), it seems likely that the poet has intended a double (or, perhaps, triple) meaning. It can hardly be a coincidence that the poem describes the man who is "like a tree" (v. 3a) using verbs which can refer to trees as well as people (עשׂה and צלח). As Perowne writes, v. 3d represents "a transition from the figure of the tree to the person who is compared to the tree. But, apparently, the verbs are chosen so as to carry on the metaphor; for both of them would refer to the tree as well as to the man." Furthermore, there is a subtle allusion to Gen 39, 3:23, which, along with the overall message of the psalm, opens the possibility of understanding YHWH, the ultimate source of the person's success, as the subject of the verb יַצְלִיחַ. Thus, the use of the verb יַצְלִיחַ ties together the flourishing of the tree, the flourishing of the godly man, and YHWH as the cause of all flourishing. It is also worth noting that the verb צלח is strongly associated with pathway imagery (note the frequent collocation with the noun דֶּרֶךְ; cf. Ps 1:1, 6). The verb צלח is, therefore, a key word in the psalm, uniting in itself the two main images of the psalm (pathway and tree).
• The word "cause to flourish" (יַצְלִֽיחַ) is significant in at least one additional way: it is often used in connection with pathways to describe success on a journey. "So the poet's choice of the word not only allows for the possibility that the subject may be both the tree and the commendable person; it also keeps the dominant metaphor of a journey in view."
• In this final clause, the phrase "all that he does" is fronted for marked focus. "Here the stress is on the 'everything', 'Everything he does prospers', not just some things."

Not so the wicked (vv. 4-5)

v. 4

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
4a	לֹא־כֵ֥ן הָרְשָׁעִ֑ים	Not so the wicked people!
4b	כִּ֥י אִם־כַּ֝מֹּ֗ץ אֲֽשֶׁר־תִּדְּפֶ֥נּוּ רֽוּחַ׃	Instead, they will be like chaff that the wind drives away.

Expanded Paraphrase

Not so the wicked people! Why would anyone consider them "happy"? They do not meditate on YHWH's instruction, and so they will not, in the end, flourish like trees in YHWH's garden. Instead, when the time of threshing and winnowing comes, they will be like chaff that, thrown up into the air with a winnowing fork, the wind drives away from the threshing floor. Just as chaff grows together with the grain in a field, so the wicked currently live together with the righteous. But the day is coming when YHWH will execute judgment and separate the wicked from the righteous, just as chaff is separated from grain at the harvest.

Grammatical Diagram

Glosses Phrase Ellipses Full Screen

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 4]
      Fragment
        Clause
          Subject
            Nominal
              article: הָ the
              adjective: רְשָׁעִים wicked
          Predicate
            Predicate
              Adverbial
                particle: לֹא not
              Adverbial
                adverb: כֵן so
      Fragment <status="alternative">
        Clause
          Predicate
            Predicate
              Adverbial
                particle: לֹא not <status="alternative emendation">
              Adverbial
                adverb: כֵן so <status="alternative emendation">
      Fragment
        Conjunction
          conjunction: כִּי אִם Instead
      Fragment
        Clause
          Predicate
            verb: they will be
            Complement
              PrepositionalPhrase
                Preposition
                  preposition: כַּ like
                Object
                  article: ה the <status="elided">
                  noun: מֹּץ chaff
                  RelativeClause
                    RelativeParticle
                      particle: אֲשֶׁר that
                    Clause
                      Subject
                        noun: רוּחַ wind
                      Predicate
                        verb: תִּדְּפֶנּ drives away
                        Object <located="relative clause head">
                          suffix-pronoun: וּ it 
  

Notes

• The initial description of the wicked, Not so the wicked people (לֹא־כֵן הָרְשָׁעִים), creates a strong and abrupt contrast with everything that precedes. The adverb so (כֵן) "refers to the whole description of the righteous in verses 1-3." The wicked are not to be considered "happy" (v. 1a), because they do not follow YHWH's instruction (v. 2), and they are not like a tree (v. 3).
• The line introducing the wicked (v. 4a) resembles the opening phrase of the psalm ("happy is the one", אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ) both in terms of sound and grammar. But whereas the description of "the one" opened with a seven-word line (v. 1a), the opening line for "the wicked" has only two words. "The shortness of the first line in Hebrew, which also lacks a verb, is part of the poetry. The wicked are poetically attenuated."
• The discourse marker instead (כִּ֥י אִם) is the same word as at the beginning of v. 2. The repetition forms one of several parallels between the description of the wicked and the description of the righteous ("not" [v. 1 // v. 4a], "but" [v. 2 // v. 4bα], "like" [v. 3 // v. 4bβ]).
• The words they will be have no formal equivalent in the Hebrew text; there is no verb in this clause. Most translations use a present tense verb in translation ("they are"), but the parallel with "he will become like a tree" (v. 3a) prompts a future tense reading ("they will be").
• like chaff that the wind drives away (כַּמֹּץ אֲשֶׁר־תִּדְּפֶנּוּ רוּחַ) Chaff is separated from grain and blown away by the wind during the winnowing process. “In winnowing, grain is threshed in order to separate the kernel of grain from the husk and straw. The mixture is thrown into the air with a winnowing fork or shovel. The wind blows the light husks away, the heavier straw falls near the edge of the threshing floor, and the grain falls back to the floor to be collected. Both the light husks and the heavier straw are referred to in the words translated ‘chaff’ in the Bible.” As an agricultural image, "chaff" contrasts with the image of the tree in the previous verse (v. 3). As an image of judgment (cf. Mal 3:18; Zeph 2:2), it points forward to the next verse (v. 5). Just as chaff is separated from grain at the harvest, so the wicked will be separated from the righteous in the judgment. The UBS Handbook asserts that "the main point of the comparison is the worthlessness of the chaff." While worthlessness may be a relevant aspect of the comparison, the more important point is the fact that chaff, which grows together with grain for a season, is separated from the grain in the harvest (cf. v. 5). The following chart further explores the image of chaff in this psalm.

v. 5

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
5a	עַל־כֵּ֤ן ׀ לֹא־יָקֻ֣מוּ רְ֭שָׁעִים בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט	Therefore, wicked people will not stand firm in the judgment,
5b	וְ֝חַטָּאִ֗ים בַּעֲדַ֥ת צַדִּיקִֽים׃	and sinful people [will not stand] in the group of righteous people.

Expanded Paraphrase

Therefore, because wicked people will be like chaff that is separated from the grain and blown away, wicked people will not stand firm in the judgment. When YHWH judges between the wicked and the righteous, they will not be able to escape YHWH's verdict and sentence. Unable to stand firm, they will be "blown away," removed from the land and from YHWH's life-giving presence. And sinful people [will not be declared righteous and stand] in the group of righteous people, because YHWH is just and will never declare the guilty to be righteous.

Grammatical Diagram

Glosses Phrase Ellipses Full Screen

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 5]
      Fragment
        conjunction: עַל־כֵּן Therefore
      Fragment
        ClauseCluster
          Clause
            Subject
              Nominal
                adjective: רְשָׁעִים wicked
            Predicate
              verb: יָקֻמוּ will stand firm
              Adverbial
                particle: לֹא not
              Adverbial
                PrepositionalPhrase
                  Preposition
                    preposition: בַּ in
                  Object
                    article: ה (the) <status="elided">
                    noun: מִּשְׁפָּט judgment
          Conjunction
            conjunction: וְ and
          Clause
            Subject
              Nominal
                adjective: חַטָּאִים sinful
            Predicate
              verb:  יָקֻמוּ will stand <status="elided">
              adverb: לֹא not <status="elided">
              Adverbial
                PrepositionalPhrase
                  Preposition
                    preposition: בַּ in
                  Object
                    ConstructChain <gloss="the group of righteous people">
                      Nominal
                        noun: עֲדַת group
                      Nominal
                        adjective: צַדִּיקִים righteous 
  

Notes

• The word therefore (עַל־כֵּן) is a discourse marker which is "used to explain the grounds of why something... will happen." It points back to verse 4 as the reason why wicked people will not stand firm in the judgment. They will not stand firm in the judgment because they are like chaff, and chaff does not survive the winnowing process. Just as chaff is removed from grain at the harvest, so the wicked will be removed from the righteous in judgment.
• The meaning of "the judgment" (בַּמִּשְׁפָּט) is "the main question to be answered" in this verse. "Depending on whether one speaks of the Judgment or of a judgment, the meaning of the verse and the scope of the psalm will be different.” For a detailed discussion of the issue, see The Meaning of מִשׁפָּט in Ps. 1:5. In short, v. 5 probably refers to divine judgment that is definite, decisive, and, from the perspective of the psalm, in the future. It refers to a future event when YHWH will separate the righteous from the wicked, just as chaff is separated from wheat (v. 4), and remove the wicked from the land (cf. Ps 37) so that the way of the wicked "will come to an end" (v. 6b). This interpretation is probably reflected in the Masoretic Text, which vocalises משפט as a definite noun (בַּמִּשְׁפָּט). The immediately surrounding verses, which describe the wicked as "chaff" (v. 4; cf. Zeph 2:2) and say that their way will "perish / come to an end" (v. 6) support this interpretation. The wider literary context of Psalm 1 (its position between Mal 3 and Ps 2) also supports this interpretation. At the very least, this context of Psalm 1 suggests that "the judgment" was probably understood eschatologically from a very early period. It is not surprising, then, that ancient interpreters continued to read the Psalm eschatologically.
• For the verb, will not stand firm (לֹא־יָקֻ֣מוּ), "modern translations give us usually three main meanings: a) to stand up or to rise, b) to stand (to keep standing), c) to prevail (in a judgment). As for modern commentaries, they tend to develop one of the three former interpretations." Others, especially ancient commentators, have seen in this verb a reference to the resurrection from the dead (e.g. LXX: αναστησονται; Jerome: resurgent). Yet "in spite of the antiquity of this and similar interpretations, the more likely view is that 'to stand' simply means 'to last, endure' in God's judgment, as in Nah 1:6: 'Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger?'" Just as chaff does not survive the winnowing process (v. 4), so the wicked will not survive ("stand firm in") the judgment (v. 5).
• The verb [will not stand] is omitted in the b-line but is understood from the previous line.
• The word righteous people (צַדִּיקִֽים) is the opposite of "wicked people" (רְשָׁעִים). It refers to a "state in which a person's or deity's behavior is fully consistent with the requirements of the law, either in a specific matter that is under dispute or as one's general mode of behavior."
• The phrase translated group of righteous people (עֲדַת צַדִּיקִים) in v. 5 is often translated "congregation" or "assembly" of the righteous (cf. KJV, ESV, NIV, NET). But this gloss might be too formal; the word עדה simply refers to "a relatively large group of people with a common history or purpose" (SDBH). In this case, the group of people are those whom YHWH the judge (cf. v. 5a) has declared to be in the right (i.e., צדיקים). Sinful people, who are declared to be in the wrong (i.e., רשעים) will, by definition, not join this group. This phrase sounds very similar to the phrase "in the counsel of wicked people" (בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים) in v. 1. In addition to the similarity in sound, both phrases are preceded by a motion verb (v. 1a: "go/walk"; v. 5b: "stand") and the negative particle "not" (לׂא). "The similar wording is intended to drive home the fact that the one who enjoys the 'counsel of the wicked' will ultimately be cut off from any association with the 'assembly of the righteous.'" The connection also functions as a kind of inclusio, binding together the body of the psalm (vv. 1-5) before the final summary in v. 6.

Because YHWH (v. 6)

v. 6

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
6a	כִּֽי־יוֹדֵ֣עַ יְ֭הוָה דֶּ֣רֶךְ צַדִּיקִ֑ים	Because YHWH cares for the way of righteous people,
6b	וְדֶ֖רֶךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים תֹּאבֵֽד׃	and the way of wicked people will come to an end.

Expanded Paraphrase

Here, then, is the reason why I declare the righteous, and not the wicked, to be "happy": Because YHWH cares for the way of righteous people, and although it can seem as though wicked people are the ones flourishing, the way of wicked people will come to an end.

Grammatical Diagram

Glosses Phrase Ellipses Full Screen

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 6]
      Fragment
        conjunction: כִּי For
      Fragment
        ClauseCluster
          Clause
            Subject
              noun: יְהוָה YHWH
            Predicate
              verb-participle: יוֹדֵעַ cares for
              Object
                ConstructChain <gloss="the way of righteous people">
                  noun: דֶּרֶךְ way
                  Nominal
                    adjective: צַדִּיקִים righteous
          Conjunction
            conjunction: וְ and
          Clause
            Subject
              ConstructChain <gloss="the way of wicked people">
                noun: דֶרֶךְ way
                Nominal
                  adjective: רְשָׁעִים wicked
            Predicate
              verb: תֹּאבֵד will come to an end 
  

Notes

• The final verse begins with the discourse marker because (כִּי). While some have argued for an asseverative meaning ("Certainly..."), the prototypical and more common meaning "because" or "for" works well here: "the psalmist gives the reason in v. 6 for what is said in vv. 1-5." The reason why the righteous, and not the wicked, are to be considered "happy" (v. 1) is because of the twin truths affirmed in this verse.
• The verb cares for (יוֹדֵעַ) (lit.: "knows") has been translated as "watches over," "protects," "guards," and "cherishes." Each of these translations captures something of the meaning of the verb, which refers to YHWH's intimate and active involvement in the life of the righteous - a "state in which deities are actively involved in circumstances related to the life of humans and care for their well-being." The verb is a participle with gnomic semantics: YHWH is ever in a state of caring for the way of righteous people.
• The subject of the second clause way of wicked people is fronted for contrastive topic. "What we have in this verse... is that which has been traditionally designated antithetical parallelism, but which in the context of this study has been redefined in terms of a marked contrastive construction."
• The word wicked people (v. 6a) completes an ABCBA pattern that functions as a seam between verse 5 and verse 6: A: "wicked people" (v. 5a), B: "righteous people" (v. 5b), C: "YHWH" (v. 6a) B: "righteous people" (v. 6a), A: "wicked people" (v. 6b).
• The final word of the psalm, will come to an end (תֹּאבֵד), refers to a "process by which an event comes to an end, usually under unfavorable circumstances." It has also been translated "will perish", "leads to destruction," "leads to ruin," "is doomed." Recognizing the future tense of the verb is crucial to understanding the message of the psalm; although it seems like the wicked flourish in the present, their way will come to an end. This word is appropriate as a conclusion to the psalm, not only because it has a sense of finality ("end") but also because it begins with the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet (ת), just as the first word of the psalm began with the first letter of the alphabet (א). "The psalm is as complete as the alphabet - 'from A to Z,' one might say."

Legends

Grammatical diagram

The grammar layer visually represents the grammar and syntax of each clause. It also displays alternative interpretations of the grammar. (For more information, click "Grammar Legend" below.)

Grammar Legend

Visualization	Description
	The clause is represented by a horizontal line with a vertical line crossing through it, separating the subject and the verb.
	The object is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause. Infinitives and participles may also have objects. If the direct object marker (d.o.m.) is present in the text, it appears in the diagram immediately before the object. If the grammar includes a secondary object, the secondary object will appear after the object, separated by another vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause.
	The subject complement follows the verb (often omitted in Hebrew) separated with a line leaning toward the right. It can be a noun, a whole prepositional phrase or an adjective. The later two appear modifying the complement slot.
	When a noun further describes or renames the object, it is an object complement. The object complement follows the object separated by a line leaning toward the right.
	In a construct chain, the noun in the absolute form modifies the noun in the construct form.
	Participles are indicated in whatever position in the clause they are in with a curved line before the participle. Participles can occur as nominal, where they take the place of a noun, predicate, where they take the place of a verb, or attributive, where they modify a noun or a verb similar to adjectives or adverbs.
	Infinitives are indicated by two parallel lines before the infinitive that cross the horizontal line. Infinitive constructs can appear as the verb in an embedded clause. Infinitive absolutes typically appear as an adverbial.
	The subject of the infinitive often appears in construct to it. In this situation, the infinitive and subject are diagrammed as a construct chain.
	The object of the infinitive is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the infinitival clause.
	Modifiers are represented by a solid diagonal line from the word they modify. They can attach to verbs, adjectives, or nouns. If modifying a verb or adjective, it is an adverb, but if modifying a noun, it is an adjective, a quantifier, or a definite article. If an adverb is modifying a modifier, it is connected to the modifier by a small dashed horizontal line.
	Adverbials are indicated by a dashed diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. These are nouns or infinitives that function adverbially (modifying either a verb or a participle), but are not connected by a preposition.
	Prepositional phrases are indicated by a solid diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. The preposition is to the left of the diagonal line and the dependent of the preposition is on the horizontal line. They can modify verbs (adverbial) or nouns (adjectival).
	Embedded clauses are indicated by a "stand" that looks like an upside-down Y. The stand rests in the grammatical position that the clause fulfills. Extending from the top of the stand is a horizontal line for the clause. If introduced by a complementizer, for example כִּי, the complementizer appears before the stand. Embedded clauses can stand in the place of any noun.
	When clauses are joined by a conjunction, they are compound clauses. These clauses are connected by a vertical dotted line. The conjunction is placed next to the dotted line.
	Within a clause, if two or more parts of speech are compound, these are represented by angled lines reaching to the two compound elements connected by a solid vertical line. If a conjunction is used, the conjunction appears to the left of the vertical line. Almost all parts of speech can be compound.
	Subordinate clauses are indicated by a dashed line coming from the line dividing the subject from the predicate in the independent clause and leading to the horizontal line of the subordinate clause. The subordinating conjunction appears next to the dashed line.
	Relative clauses also have a dashed line, but the line connects the antecedent to the horizontal line of the relative clause. The relative particle appears next to the dashed line.
	Sentence fragments are represented by a horizontal line with no vertical lines. They are most frequently used in superscriptions to psalms. They are visually similar to discourse particles and vocatives, but most often consist of a noun phrase (that does not refer to a person or people group) or a prepositional phrase.
	In the body of the psalm, a horizontal line by itself (with no modifiers or vertical lines) can indicate either a discourse particle or a vocative (if the word is a noun referring to a person or people group). A discourse particle is a conjunction or particle that functions at the discourse level, not at the grammatical level. Vocatives can appear either before or after the clause addressed to them, depending on the word order of the Hebrew.
	Apposition is indicated by an equal sign equating the two noun phrases. This can occur with a noun in any function in a sentence.

Hebrew text colors
Default preferred text	The default preferred reading is represented by a black line. The text of the MT is represented in bold black text.
Dispreferred reading	The dispreferred reading is an alternative interpretation of the grammar, represented by a pink line. The text of the MT is represented in bold pink text, while emendations and revocalizations retain their corresponding colors (see below).
Emended text	Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold blue text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
Revocalized text	Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold purple text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
(Supplied elided element)	Any element that is elided in the Hebrew text is represented by bold gray text in parentheses.
( )	The position of a non-supplied elided element is represented by empty black parentheses. For example, this would be used in the place of the noun when an adjective functions substantivally or in the place of the antecedent when a relative clause has an implied antecedent.

Gloss text colors
Gloss used in the CBC	The gloss used in the Close-but-Clear translation is represented by bold blue text.
Literal gloss >> derived meaning	A gloss that shows the more literal meaning as well as the derived figurative meaning is represented in blue text with arrows pointing towards the more figurative meaning. The gloss used in the CBC will be bolded.
Supplied elided element	The gloss for a supplied elided element is represented in bold gray text.

Shapes and colours on grammatical diagram

(For more information, click "Phrase-level Legend" below.)

Phrase-level Legend

Visualization	Description
	The prepositional phrase is indicated by a solid green oval.
	The construct chain is indicated by a solid yellow oval.
	When the conjunction ו appears at the phrase-level (not clause-level), it is indicated by a solid light purple oval.
	The article is indicated by a solid blue oval.

Expanded paraphrase

(For more information, click "Expanded Paraphrase Legend" below.)

Expanded Paraphrase Legend

Expanded paraphrase legend
Close but Clear (CBC) translation	The CBC, our close but clear translation of the Hebrew, is represented in bold text.
Assumptions	Assumptions which provide background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences are represented in italics.

Bibliography

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Arbez, Edward. 1945. “A Study of Psalm 1.” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 7 (4): 398–404.

Auffret, Pierre. 1978. “Essai sur la structure littéraire du Psaume 1.” Biblische Zeitschrift 22 (1): 26–45.

Auffret, Pierre. 2001. “Comme un arbre ...: etude structurelle du Psaume 1.” Biblische Zeitschrift 45 (2): 256–64.

Auvray, Paul. 1946. “Le Psaume 1.” Revue Biblique 53 (3): 365–71.

Barbiero, Gianni. 1999. Das erste Psalmenbuch als Einheit: eine synchrone Analyse von Psalm 1-41. Österreichische biblische Studien ; Bd. 16. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang.

Barthélemy, Dominique. 2005. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament. Vol. Tome 4: Psaumes. Fribourg, Switzerland: Academic Press.

Botha, Phil. 2005. “Intertextuality and the Interpretation of Psalm 1.” OTE 18 (3): 503–20.

Bratcher, Robert G., and William D. Reyburn. 1991. A Handbook on Psalms. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies.

Briggs, Charles A., and Emilie Briggs. 1906. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms. Vol. 1. ICC. Edinburgh: T & T Clark.

Creach, Jerome. 1999. “Like a Tree Planted by the Temple Stream: The Portrait of the Righteous in Psalm 1:3.” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 61:34–46.

Jacobson, Rolf A., et al. 2014. The Book of Psalms. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Gentry, Peter. 2024. “OT Canonical Order and the Three-Fold Division of the Talmud.” At ETS. San Diego.

Ho, Peter C. W. 2019. The Design of the Psalter: A Macrostructural Analysis. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications.

Hossfeld, Frank-Lothar, and Erich Zenger. 1993. Die Psalmen I: Psalm 1–50. Neue Echter Bibel. Würzburg: Echter.

Ibn Ezra. Psalms.

Janzen, Waldemar. 1965. “’Ašrê in the Old Testament.” The Harvard Theological Review 58 (2): 215–26.

Keefer, Arthur Jan. 2020. “Proverbs 21:1 and Ancient Near Eastern Hydrology.” Vetus Testamentum 71 (2): 205–18.

Kraus, Hans-Joachim. 1988. Psalms 1-59 : A Commentary. Minneapolis : Augsburg Pub. House.

Lefebvre, Michael. 2016. “‘On His Law He Meditates’: What Is Psalm 1 Introducing?” JSOT 40 (4): 439–50.

Lunn, Nicholas P. 2006. Word-Order Variation in Biblical Hebrew Poetry: Differentiating Pragmatics and Poetics. Paternoster Biblical Monographs. Milton Keynes: Paternoster.

Mitchell, David Campbell. 2021. Messiah Ben Joseph. Newton Mearns, Scotland: Campbell Publications.

O’Connor, Michael Patrick. 1980. Hebrew Verse Structure. Winona Lake, Ind: Eisenbrauns.

Rico, Christophe. 2019. “Yaqumu: Tenir, Prévaloir, Se Relever Ou Ressusciter?: Le Psaume 1,5 a La Lumiere de La Reception Ancienne.” Revue Biblique 126 (4): 497–520.

Rogerson, J. W., and J. W. McKay. 1977. Psalms. Vol. 1. The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Rogland, Max. 2003. Alleged Non-Past Uses of Qatal in Classical Hebrew. Assen, The Netherlands: Royal van Gorcum.

Ross, Allen. 2012. A Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 1: 1-41. Vol. 1. Kregel Exegetical Library. Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic & Professional.

Ryken, Leland, Jim Wilhoit, Tremper Longman, Colin Duriez, Douglas Penney, and Daniel G. Reid, eds. 1998. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press.

Seow, Choon Leong. 2013. “An Exquisitely Poetic Introduction to the Psalter.” Journal of Biblical Literature 132 (2): 275–93.

Schnittjer, Gary Edward. 2021. Old Testament Use of Old Testament: A Book-by-Book Guide. Grand Rapids: HarperCollins Christian Publishing.

van der Lugt, Pieter. 2013. Cantos and Strophes in Biblical Hebrew Poetry III: Psalms 90–150 and Psalm 1. Vol. 3. Oudtestamentische Studiën 63. Leiden: Brill.

VanGemeren, Willem A. 1991. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms. Edited by Tremper Longman and David E. Garland. Vol. 5. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Watson, Wilfred G. E. 2005. Classical Hebrew Poetry: A Guide to Its Techniques. T & T Clark Biblical Languages. London ; New York: T & T Clark.

Weber, B. 2006. “Psalm 1 and Its Function as a Directive into the  Psalter and towards a Biblical Theology.” Old Testament Essays 19 (1): 237–60.

Weber, Beat. 2016. Werkbuch Psalmen. 1: Die Psalmen 1 bis 72, zweite aktualisierte Auflage. Stuttgart: Verlag W. Kohlhammer.

Willgren, David. 2018. “Why Psalms 1–2 Are Not to Be Considered a Preface to the ‘Book’ of Psalms.” ZAW 130 (3): 384–97.

Wilson, Gerald H. 2002. Psalms. Vol. 1. NIVAC. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Footnotes

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