1:1 Happy [praiseworthy] is the man who has not walked in the counsel of
the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the
scornful.
In this psalm, the first verse focuses on the righteous person – the person who enjoys spiritual joy. This person does not "walk in the counsel of the wicked."
King David opened Psalms with a fitting introduction to the entire book that teaches that the man who departs from evil and does good is truly happy and firmly rooted.
The wicked are forever in pursuit of riches to satisfy their passion for the things of this world, and they do not distinguish between good and evil. For the sake of money they rob and steal and murder, because they are driven by despair - evil deeds are rooted in despair, for there is a lack of serenity.
Speaking under the influence of the Righteous Spirit, David opens his great book by declaring, "Happy is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked." He mentions three kinds of wicked assemblies - rashaim (the wicked), chataim (the sinners), and letzim (the scornful).
The Singer speaks in the past tense: "who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful." That is to say, the principal happiness of the truly happy man is that he leaves this world without having been blemished. At the end of his days, he can look back and declare that he has not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of the sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful. He is then acclaimed on high by the righteous of all generations, who come forward to greet him.
Another insight says: Even when a man commits a sin, he is praiseworthy if he had not "stood" in his sin...he did not persist in his transgression but turned away.
"Nor sat in the seat of the scornful." There are people who use their special cunning for spite, to boast and mock and slander...frivolous people who congregate on street corners and contribute nothing worthwhile to society. They possess no wisdom or industry and can do nothing but talk. Such people are scornful of Torah study; instead of the seat of learning, they occupy "the seat of the scornful."
When one is able to study Torah and fails to do so, clearly he is scornful of Torah study. To what can this be compared? A man was told to count gold coins, and that everything he counted would become his own possession. If he fails to apply himself to the task, he shows his scorn for gold coins.
King David began Psalms with the word ashrey which is the continuation of
where Moses left off. Thus Moses said, "Happy are you - ashrey - O
Israel; who is like you, a people saved by YHWH" But while Moses
spoke of the happiness of the nation as a whole, David speaks of the happiness
of each and every individual.
1:2 But his desire is to strive in the teaching (Torah) of YHWH; and he meditates in His teaching day and night.
The previous verse spoke of the evils which the righteous man avoids. But it is not enough for a man to keep away from evil; he must also do good (cf. v34:15). So the Scripture continues, "But his desire is to strive in the teaching of YHWH" His desire is to study as well as to do, for proper action is not possible unless there is the necessary knowledge acquired through prior study.
David inspires the hearts of men, urging that their desire for YHWH's Torah instructions be more deeply felt than any other desire.
Compare this to a man with a pocketful of gems and pearls... all his
thought and desire are focused on nothing else except this treasure.
Similarly, King Solomon said, "All the things you can desire are not to be
compared to her" (Proverbs
3:15).
The Torah is more precious than treasures of gems and pearls, as it says,
"Better to me is the teaching of Your mouth than thousands of gold and
silver" (v119:72).
Ownership of gold and silver eventually passes to another, but one's striving and achievement in Torah always remain one's very own possession.
"He mediates in His Torah day and night." All day and all night his thought is taken up with Torah study and performance of the mitzvot [commandment]. This man is not involved with and has no desire for the empty pursuits of this world. His sole desire is for the teaching of YHWH in order to fulfill the mitzvot [commandments]. Appropriately, the teaching of YHWH is called Torah, for it guides (moreh) the person along the path of upright living.
When is the Torah called "his Torah?" - When one ponders it night and day and without ulterior motives. It should not be an occasional pastime, or pursued for the sake of honor or material gain.
"Day and night." If one studies at night, YHWH extends to that man a thread of favor during the day.
"His desire." A man does not study except what his heart desires. If that and that alone is his desire, it is a sign that he came into this world to complete his perfection in that part of the Torah.
If you desire to learn good character traits, do not go to the wise men of the nations who also at times teach ethics and morals. For the happiness of man is not to be found anywhere except through the Torah as the revealed teaching from Sinai.
Just as the Five Books of the Torah begin by teaching about the Torah,
thus it says, "In the beginning (Genesis) G-d created the heaven and the
earth" (Genesis 1:1), which alludes to the Torah that is called reyshit, so
has David begun his Psalms with praise of the Torah.
1:3 And he will be like a tree planted by streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither; and in all he does he will prosper.
The man who departs from evil and does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful, is called "happy" (v1:1). If, moreover, he does good (cf. v34:15) by being occupied with the Torah day and night (v1:2), not only is he "happy," but he is then blessed with additional benefits. This man is likened to a tree planted by streams of water whose bounty benefits others as well.
The present verse lists all his successes. He is blessed with sons "like a tree planted by streams of water"; financial success "that brings forth its fruit in its season"; and general success "and in all he does he will prosper."
The man of excellence is likened to a tree planted by streams of water, also in the following sense...Just as this tree lives forever, so the man who keeps away from evil and does good will rejoice in his portion forever. Sweet is then the sleep of this laborer, whether he eats little or much (cf. Ecclesiastes 5:11). Others emulate his deeds, hence "that brings forth fruit in its season"; and they find refuge in the protective shadow of his good deeds just as a leaf protects the fruit; hence "whose leaf does not wither."
Just as a fruit-bearing tree yields fruit only in season, yet it is called a fruit-bearing tree all year round, similarly for the man who mediates in the Torah day and night. Although at times he cannot but neglect his study, he is at all times regarded as one who mediates in the Torah day and night.
"In all he does he will prosper."
1:4 Not so the wicked; but they are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
"Not so the wicked" - and the "sinners" and the "scornful" (cf. v1:1) - none of whom contribute anything worthwhile to mankind. They are like the chaff that does not nourish, but which is easily carried by the wind. Driven with great speed, they cause injury by striking the face and eyes, or by entering our homes and gardens to create havoc.
The righteous man was described as ashrey, which in Aramaic connotes
"to endure." But the wicked do not endure.
They are like chaff that every little wind sweeps away. Sudden
misfortune strikes them and they are gone. As the prophet says, "You
will fan them, and the wind will carry them away, and the whirlwind will scatter
them. And you will rejoice in YHWH"
(Isaiah 41:16). In other words, the wicked may prosper, but only in
this world. Then they are gone forever.
The righteous man is like a tree that sends out new roots all the time. Just as the wind will not move a tree which is held fast by many roots, so the righteous man is not driven away from YHWH by afflictions. It is otherwise for the wicked who have no roots; they are like chaff that is dispersed by the wind.
A parable:
A traveler passed by a field and saw a farmer mixing seeds with earth, which he then scattered on the plowed field.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"I am mixing them with earth to make them heavier so the wind should not carry them off."
A neighboring farmer saw him do this, and being totally ignorant about farming, proceeded to gather up clumps of earth which he then began to strew on the ground. The same traveler passed by him and asked what he was doing. The reply came back:
"I saw my neighbor throw down earth on his field, so I am doing the same thing."
"Empty head!" cried the man. "But that one mixed the earth with seeds. Of what use to the field is earth alone?"
Similarly, the righteous are also rewarded for the time that they are taken up with the everyday necessities of life, since one must care for the body in order to be able to pursue matters of the spirit. Not so the wicked, who are not rewarded for the everyday activities.
Accordingly, the Scripture compares the righteous man to a fruit-bearing
tree which is planted by streams of water (v1:3).
The tree has to be tended all year round in order for it to yield fruit in
season. Not so the wicked who are compared to chaff which the wind drives
away; they do not know where the wind will take them.
1:5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
The wicked will not stand exonerated at the judgment to come because they
were concerned solely with the acquisition of material possessions. If in
a lifetime of frenzied pursuit they had acquired but a trifling fraction of what
they wanted in mundane goods, how could they have acquired any of the treasures
of YHWH without the expenditure of any effort?
"Therefore they will not stand in the judgment." They will be
condemned.
There is this difference between rashaim (wicked) and the chataim
(sinners): The wicked will "not stand" even when they are judged
individually, but the sinners - those who committed transgressions out of
passion - will have an excuse.
For man's passionate nature is hard to resist, as it says, "Behold, I
was brought forth in (to) iniquity, and in (to) sin did my mother conceive
me" (v1:7). However, if they stand in judgment together with the
righteous, who did not succumb to their natures, they will have no defensible
excuse.
1:6 For YHWH knows well the way of the righteous; but the way of the wicked will perish.
After having mentioned the wicked and the sinners and the congregation of
the righteous, the Singer goes on to explain that YHWH knows who the righteous
are and who the wicked are after death. He will grant to the former a
great good, but the latter He will abandon to perish. As Abigail said to
David, "Yet the soul of my l-rd will be bound in the bundle of life with
YHWH your Sovereign; and the souls of your enemies, them He will sling out, as
from the hollow of a sling." (1Samuel
25:29).
It is further indicated that the Mighty One maintains His supervision over
the righteous, but He removes His supervision from the wicked. "For
YHWH knows well the way of the righteous" - a true knowledge, as it says,
"For I have known him"
(Genesis 18:15); "but the way of the wicked will perish" - as it
says, "And I will hide My face from them, and they will be devoured"
(Deuteronomy 31:17).
David, the "sweet singer of Israel," opened this psalm with the happiness of the righteous, and he ends it with the ruin that lies along the way of the wicked. This teaches us that the path of the righteous and the way of the wicked are as far apart as the opposite ends of the world.
Contributed by Larry Ream