ETB Psalm 1:1-6

Session 1: God’s Wisdom - p.8

We live in a world full of choices. Sometimes we have so many choices that we can’t make up our minds. Other times, we complain that we don’t have enough choices. That’s when we try to create more choices for ourselves. Throughout our lives, we learn that we have to live with the consequences that accompany them.  When it comes to making the most important decisions in life, we need God’s wisdom. [LifeWay Adults (2025). Explore the Bible: Adult Leader Guide, Winter 2024-'25]

The book of Psalms is sometimes connected with the other “Books of Wisdom” in the Scripture because it helps us understand ourselves better, especially our emotions, as we relate to God and this world.

Introduce: Begin the session by directing adults to reflect on the decisions they have made since starting their day. Talk briefly about which ones that they make each day and which were unique and why. [ETB:ALG Win'25]

Ask: How many decisions have you made today? Which were inconsequential and which will have significant consequences?

Understand the Context

When studying the book of Psalms, scholars often classify each psalm into one of several categories. Each category reflects the unique traits of the psalms within it. For example, Psalm 1 falls into the “wisdom” category—and for a good reason. It expresses the spiritual happiness of God’s people who make the wise choice of devoting themselves to Him exclusively. In the psalm, their wise choice stands in distinct contrast to the foolish decision to ignore Him and to refuse to take Him seriously. [ETB:ALG Win'25]

Direct attention to Pack Item 2 (Poster: Types of Psalms). Explain that some psalms are difficult to categorize, but the categories can offer a measure of organization and identify themes within the groups.

Faithlife Study Bible Introduction to Psalms

The psalms are directed at Yahweh as listener and are intended to express the full range of human emotion for various individual and group settings, such as praise, thanksgiving, petition, and lament. Psalms was Israel’s book of worship and is meant to guide God’s people from generation to generation.

In a way, Psalm 1 serves as the introduction to the entire collection of psalms. It opens the door to understanding how believers are called to live as God’s people in the world. At the heart of such a lifestyle lies a decision. We can choose to embrace Him and His ways, or we can decide to take a path that doesn’t include Him. Our choice about God will have a lasting effect on our spiritual happiness. It will also determine the outcome of our lives, both on earth and in eternity. [ETB:ALG Win'25]

Explore the Text

Psalm 1:1–2 ESV

1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

These are our memory verse for the week. The scriptural definitions of meditation often have an element of speaking out loud. One of the ways some people memorize more effectively is to repeat the words out loud. Try that with these verses this week if it is not already your habit.

Blessed

Some translations start with “How happy is the man...” but that puts the verse into a rhetorical question format for most readers. This is not a question but a statement of fact about God and how He blesses and curses. I like how the NLT expresses it with, “Oh the joys of the man...”

When Jesus began His instruction in the Sermon on the Mount, He used a similar expression. With the Beatitudes, He affirmed the spiritual blessing of true happiness that accompanies a believer’s decision to follow Him (Matt. 5:3-12).  [ETB:ALG Win'25]

Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament Volume 2 (Psalms–Malachi) Psalm 1:1 (a)

Notice that the writer of this psalm doesn’t tell us how to attain happiness. I suggest this is because once a person is in a relationship with God, happiness and joy, blessing and peace are givens. But because these things can be eroded, instead of telling us how to attain, he tells us what to avoid…

walks not in the counsel of the wicked

Contrast this to Deuteronomy 6:6–7 “6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

We cannot physically walk within someone’s plan, but we can follow through with it in our hearts, minds and lifestyle. The rest of the verse continues with this “life path” imagery. Our first mistake would be to agree to and contemplate an ungodly proposal.

stands in the way of sinners

Now we are not following along but standing by waiting for the wicked person to pass by. The imagery denotes that we know and follow their patterns well enough to be “in the way” when they come by. Our thoughts at this point are more toward the wicked than God’s.

Paul tells us in his “armor of God” passage to stand against such counsel.

Ephesians 6:13–14 “13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,”

The Word of God is how we are blessed. It is our armor and our weapon against all forms of evil and wickedness.

sits in the seat of scoffers

Sitting denotes a lack of any desire to move. We are now so intrenched in the wicked people’s ways that we are not making any plans to move or change. The imagery I get is that I have become so much like them they I have taken away one of the chairs and have gained more respect from the others like them.

Jeremiah reminds us that it better to sit alone with God than with such company.

Jeremiah 15:17 “17 I did not sit in the company of revelers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because your hand was upon me, for you had filled me with indignation.”

Wicked . . . sinners . . . scoffers: The psalmist refined the devotion of God’s people by pointing out who they should avoid as they followed Him. They would not seek the advice of a wicked person who had a reputation for wrongdoing. Neither would they allow themselves to be influenced by sinners who perpetually missed the spiritual mark and consistently offended God with their thoughts, words, and actions. Furthermore, they would not give any consideration to the impure notions promoted by scoffers who ridiculed God’s ways, laughed at His people, or poked fun at their loyalty to Him.  [ETB:ALG Win'25]

What God’s people to do instead of hanging out and listening to these less than respectable people?

Delights in God’s Word

The Hebrew word (chephets) called to mind the complete satisfaction of a person’s deepest longings. Accordingly, those who delight in the Lord long for nothing more than an intimate relationship with Him. The writer of Psalm 107 used the same word as he described the glee that filled the heart of a seafarer who had been caught in a storm. To his delight, God graciously led him to the harbor that he had been longing to see (Ps. 107:30).  [ETB:ALG Win'25]

Instead of finding joy or at least some form of gratification, with people who are not godly, the righteous person derives fulfillment from God’s Word. Part of the way we can tell if we do have that desire is by analyzing where our mind finds itself fixated through the day.

his law he meditates

How have you heard this word “meditate” described or explained?

Psalm 77:12 “12 I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.”

The Hebrew word (hagah) brought into view the picture of God’s people muttering the words of a Bible passage to themselves. They whispered the words in an effort to ponder them, grasp them, interpret them, and absorb them so they could put them to work as they served Him. They made meditating on God’s Word a lifelong priority. As a result, His Word would get into them. Their thoughts, words, and actions would be influenced by Scripture. [ETB:ALG Win'25]

Everyone memorizes and dwells on things differently. Some remember facts or numbers, better than dates and names. Some people can remember song lyrics if they sing them but not if they try to say them. I know I have learned a process or task well if i can teach it to someone else. Paul reminded the Colossians to dwell upon God’s word through oral traditions of the time.

Colossians 3:16 “16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Notice the timing also of when this takes place. Day & night. All the time. Or like in our Deut. passage, whenever you are doing other things dwell upon God’s Word too.

Psalm 1:3–4 ESV

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

a tree planted by streams

The Treasury of David, Volume 1: Psalms 1–26 Exposition

not a wild tree, but “a tree planted,” chosen, considered as property, cultivated and secured from the last terrible uprooting, for “every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up:”

If the blessed man is the tree, what are the streams of water?

What then is the “fruit”?

We get a clue from then end of the verse that it is abundant.

What do the “leaves” represent?

One writer explained the imagery in verse 3 this way. When God’s Word (streams) is allowed to nourish a person’s life (tree) the evidence of His presence is seen by others (leaves) and can be feed them (fruit.)

fruit in its season

Bearing fruit at the expected and proper time is considered “good.”

What kind of fruit vegetables do you get when they are not “in season?”

God can nourish others around us when we speak, act, and live out He will before them in His timing. When we try to get things done on our time schedule and in our own efforts, it may produce something, but it is not as good as the “naturally ripened” fruit.

leaf does not wither

This is different than calling the tree an evergreen because we all know that pine lose their needles. So much so that it can be used to cover the ground as mulch. The consistent flow of God’s Word in a person’s life prevents the stagnation and decay that is seen every fall. These people are in an eternal spring.

Jesus gives us the counterpart to this in John’s gospel

John 15:6 “6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.”

What do you call a plant that lives longer than you expect? Maybe survives a frost that should have killed it?

God strength and word should be so present in our lives that were are “hardy” Christians when the things of this world come at us or against us.

Another way to say that a person produces fruit is to say that he prospers.

When we look around at the world, it sometimes appears that the righteous are the oppressed and the wicked are often the one’s prospering. Charles Stanley had a good note in his book about this verse.

The Life Principles Bible Psalm 1

Sometimes when we look around us, it seems as though God makes no distinction between the righteous and the ungodly. We have to take the long view; don’t judge the whole story by the page you’re on now

Although biblical prosperity may include the world’s definition, remember the stream of water and the life being given to this “tree” is God’s Word or His Presence. This “tree” will prosper in the things and meditations of His Word.

Joshua 1:8 “8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

1 Timothy 4:8 “8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

Verse 4 has the contrast to the thriving tree of a righteous person.

like chaff

This is the person without the influence of God’s Word. Easily blown around to whatever ideology is currently being espoused.

James 1:6 “6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”

Life Application Bible Notes Chart: Reasons to Read Psalms

Chaff is very light and is carried away by even the slightest wind, while the good grain falls back to the earth. Chaff is a symbol of a faithless life that drifts along without direction. Good grain is a symbol of a faithful life that can be used by God. Unlike grain, however, we can choose the direction we will take.

Wind

The outcome of uselessness for the wicked became even more pronounced with the picture of winnowing. Farmers would use a tool similar to a pitchfork to throw grain in the air. The heavy kernels would fall back on the threshing floor, while the wind would blow the chaff away. Later, the farmers burned the empty shells because they served no purpose. For that reason, chaff often illustrated spiritual worthlessness (Ps. 35:5; Isa. 17:13; Hos. 13:3; Matt. 3:12).  [ETB:ALG Win'25]

I think that the last description fits these people and the false teachers we just finished learning about - no valuable purpose, spiritually worthless.

Proverbs 13:20 “20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”

Examine: Enlist three volunteers to read aloud Jeremiah 17:7-8; Proverbs 10:28; and Psalm 127:1 while the group listens for similarities with Psalm 1:3-4. Pause after each passage is read and note similarities between the passages.

Ask: How are you experiencing the blessings of walking in God’s wisdom? (p. 12)

I would modify that question slightly for this group and ask, “How are you expressing the blessing of walking in God’s wisdom?”

Our first sets of couplets started the comparison with the godly person, this last changes the pattern by beginning and ending with the wicked.

Psalm 1:5–6 ESV

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Therefore

This word provided a critical transition. It affirmed what the psalmist had already said about being devoted to God, while also pointing to the only fitting conclusion that could be drawn from what he had said. God’s people who walked with Him could look forward to their future with confidence. The same assurance could not be given to everyone who refused to make Him their highest priority. Their future looked fearfully bleak.  [ETB:ALG Win'25]

the wicked will not stand

This is an interesting contrast to the “blessed man” in verse one. That man can “stand in the way of sinners” but this man “cannot stand” before God’s righteousness. Perhaps that is part of the blessing too, that God allows such rebellion to continue. This contrast also may allude to the difference between the saved but sinning and the doomed lost.

Way of the righteous

The psalmist concluded with a simple, but profound, explanation of what happens when His people follow Him seriously. He asserted that they could count on God to watch over them. They would never have to wonder if He would care for them, guide them, strengthen them, protect them, and nourish them along the way.

Many Scriptures echo the psalmist’s assertion. They offer bedrock assurance about God’s care of those who make serving Him their priority. • Psalm 37:18-19, Nahum 1:7, John 10:14  [ETB:ALG Win'25]

Lord knows vs. will perish

This last contrast is a bit more difficult. The righteous verses the wicked is easy enough but God’s knowledge verse evil perishing is harder.

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words To Perish

Basically ˒abad [perish] represents the disappearance of someone or something. In its strongest sense the word means “to die or to cease to exist.”

This perishing then is God “not knowing” or “not seeing” their way because it is in that place where He is not and therefore does not exist.

A person’s path is therefore completed in verse 6 either as progress toward God and His permanent blessing or a regression from God and into eternal darkness.

Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament Volume 2 (Psalms–Malachi) Psalm 1:6

The first word of this psalm was “blessed.” The last word is “perish.” The contrast is clear—for truly the godly man, the one who meditates in the Word is happy, but the ungodly man will perish ultimately

Make/Review the chart on the board contrasting righteous and wicked acts in this passage

Ask: What evidence is there in your life to indicate you are walking in the path of the righteous? What steps can you take to walk more closely with God?

Apply the Text

In the front of the quarterly there is a Reading plan that will allow you to read through the entire book of Psalms this quarter by reading just one or two a day. There is also a prayer guide with some questions that are good to ask of yourself every time you ready Scripture.

PSG Prayer Guide Questions:

What does this passage teach you about God and His character?

How is God leading you to respond to what He is showing you about Himself?

Write out a prayer based on this passage.

I encourage you to use these questions, and however you best “meditate” on His Word as you read through the Psalms this summer.

Pray: Thank You God for Your Word that allows us to lead fruitful lives.  Guide us to see how we may better pursue godly wisdom by prioritizing the study of Your Word. Lord, we know that studying, obeying, and applying Your Word leads to spiritual growth and to a life that pleases and honors You. Lord, this week we will have many choices to make. Help us to make those that lead to blessings for us and those around us and to avoid those that could lead to any form of destruction.