Exegetical studies of Psalm 1



The Book of Psalm is divided into five sections, Ps 1-41 known as ‘book one’ is the earliest collection and said to be the Psalms of David, perhaps put together between 1000-900 BC (David F. Hinson, The Books of the OT). The Psalter begins with ‘beatitude,’ it’s very first word is a word of comfort promising happiness to the God-fearing people. The first psalm, standing at the entrance to the Psalter as a signpost, gives clear guidance regarding the way in which they shall conduct their lives. Presumably, the compiler of the Psalter deliberately assigned first place to this psalm in order to call the reader to obedience to God’s will and to trust in his providential rule.

Form: Psalm 1, by virtue of its language and content, must be classified as “Wisdom Psalm.” Its terminology and teaching reflect the thought of the Wisdom Literature in general and the Book of Proverbs in particular. This psalm was probably not composed in the first instance for use in formal worship; rather, it must be viewed as a literary and poetic composition, expressing with remarkable clarity the polarity of persons and their destinies.

Structure: The structure may be set forth as follows: (i) the solid foundation of the righteous (vv 1-3), (ii) the impermanence of the wicked (vv 4-5), (iii) a contrast of the righteous and the wicked (v 6).
Within the overall structure, the psalmist has made careful use of chiasmus,[1] two parts chiastically arranged: - vv1-2 (A): the righteous person diligent in the study of the Torah; v 3 (B): simile of a tree; v 4 (B): simile of chaff; vv 5-6 (A): the wicked and their fate.

Setting: Ps 1 is regarded as introduction/preface to the entire Psalter (NJBC) by most scholars. As didactic poem, Ps 1 does not in the first instance have a cultic or social setting; its primary setting is literary, for it forms an introduction to the Psalter as a whole and has been placed in its present position by the editor or compiler of the Psalter for that purpose. But, although the psalm is a distinct and independent literary composition, there is some evidence, in both the early Jewish and Christian traditions, to suggest that it was joined to Ps 2, and the two psalms together were considered to be the first psalm of the Psalter. If the two psalms were first joined in the Psalter, it maybe that they were intended to provided a double perspective in introduction; Ps 1 provides an introduction from the perspective of wisdom, whereas Ps 2 provides a prophetic approach to the book. It has also been suggested that the two psalms were joined together to form a coronation liturgy, perhaps for one of the last kings of Judah; the king, at his coronation, pledged himself to fulfill the Deuteronomic law of kings.

The solid foundation of the righteous (vv 1-3)
            V 1. The righteous are introduced as the “blessed” or “happy.” Their happy estate is not something given automatically by God, but is a direct result of their activity. A person can be happy, from a negative perspective, by avoiding the advice, the life style and the assembly of wicked persons. The righteous person avoids all dimensions of the way of the wicked; therein lies the source of blessedness or happiness.
            V 2. But a person who is to be happy must also engage in a positive task which is identified in v. 2 as being related to the Torah, or “instruction” which is specifically the instructions God gives to humankind as a guide for life. The understanding of Torah contributed to long life, peace and prosperity (Prov 3:1-2), for in its words God has set down the nature of life which would reach the true fulfillment for which it was created.
            V 3. The happy estate of the righteous is illuminated in v 3 by the simile of the tree. A tree may flourish or fade, depending upon its location and access to water. The simile not only illustrates colorfully the prosperity of the righteous, but also makes a theological point. The state of blessedness or happiness is not a reward; rather, it is the result of a particular type of life. Just as a tree with a constant water supply naturally flourishes, so too the person who avoids evil and delights in Torah naturally prospers, for such a person is living within the guidelines set down by the Creator. Thus, the prosperity of the righteous reflects the wisdom of a life lived according to the plan of life.

The wicked (vv 4-5)
            V 4. “The wicked are not so” that is, they shall not prosper as the righteous. The life of the wicked is summarized succinctly in simile “chaff” that reflects the practice of winnowing grain at harvest times. The chaff tossed into the air, blown away by the wind, some fell on the floor; light and useless, disposed of by the farmer. The wicked are thus depicted in the simile as lightweights, persons without real substance or worth.
            V 5. The lightness of the wicked is elaborated in v 5. Where the righteous meet for the pursuit of justice and government, the wicked have no place and are nor recognized. They live for themselves and cannot participate in the affairs of those who live for others and for righteousness.

The contrast (v 6)
            V 6. In the last resort, human beings are of two kinds. They may be righteous; if so, God protects their way. But they may be wicked, and for the wicked, the final destiny is doom. The doom of the wicked, as it is expressed in this psalm, is not primarily a punishment, any more than the happiness of the righteous is a reward. Each is presented as the natural outcome of a way of life which has been chosen.

Theological explanation: Psalm 1 elaborates on the principle of “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov 1:7), with respect to human behavior. The righteous person is the one whose “fear” (or reverence) of God affects his daily living; he avoids evil and learns hoe lo live from God’s Torah, and therein lies his wisdom. The wisdom, as expressed in this psalm, is essentially related to the presented life; the psalm does not clearly evince any doctrine of future. The anticipated prosperity is in present life, just as the failure of the wicked is to be a present reality.
            There is further aspect of this psalm which is relevant to its application. In the last resort, the principal wisdom of the psalm can be reduced to v 2; the prosperity and happiness of the righteous depends upon their finding “delight” in the Lord’s Torah. But how is such delight to be found? In practical terms, it is achieved by constant meditation upon the Torah (v 2b), which is God’s instruction. As instruction, it contains guidance from the Creator as to the meaning of creation. Life is lived in futility if it’s fundamental purpose is never discovered. It is the meaning of human existence which is enshrined in the Torah, and it is the discovery of that meaning which flows from meditation upon Torah

            Conclusion: In the world where materialism and globalization is rampant, various kinds of inhumanities confront individual and society, which in turn, challenges Christian ethics. However, at the time of psychological breakdown or physical suffering due to uncontrollable circumstances; this psalm instills a hope for better order. One shall ripe what s/he sown as seen from the instruction of the Lord; this is still relevant and realistic. Being righteous or wicked in life destines the way of the individual/community. While righteousness leads to prosperity, wickedness leads to vanity. Therefore, one must choose wisely from the confusing multiple choice world order, must concentrate on the right path.   

References:
Brown, Raymond E., Joseph A. Fitzmyer and Roland E. Murphy, eds. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Bangalore: TPI, 2011. P. 527.
Craigie, Peter C. Word Biblical Commentary, volume 19, Psalms 1-50. Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1983. Pp. 60-61.
Weiser, Arthur. The Psalms: A Commentary. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1962. P. 102.


[1] In rhetoric, chiasmus is the figure of speech in which two or more clauses are related to each other through a reversal of structures in order to make a larger point; that is, the clauses display inverted parallelism. Chiasmus was particularly popular in the literature of the ancient world, including Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, where it was used to articulate the balance of order within the text. (Wikipedia 1/2/20016)

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