Psalms Chapter 1:1-6 Sunday School Notes

These are some of my notes for Sunday, November 8, 2009, in the Lifeway Explore the Bible series

Books referenced in these notes are:

1. Psalms: Revised Expositor’s Commentary by Willem Van Gemeren

2. Psalms Volume 1: NIV Application Commentary by Gerald Wilson

Ps. 1
First psalm sets tone for the whole Psalter. It invites readers/hearers to see the reading, hearing, and studying of scripture as the way to be close to God and reap the benefits of that closeness. Even if the present seems to belong to the wicked, Ps 1 says the future belongs to the righteous.(Van Gemeren)

That Psalm 1 is an intro to the psalms in tradition is shown by Western manuscripts of Acts 13:33 which describe Ps 2:7 as from the first psalm. Either Ps 1 was not part of the collection the, or perhaps psalms 1 and 2 were considered a single psalm, as some Hebrew manuscripts indicate. There are also some Hebrew manuscripts which join untitled psalms together, or untitled with the next titled.(Wilson)

Psalm 1 is classified a wisdom psalm
1.It’s interest in the two ways of righteousness and wickedness, an ANE teaching motif, and
2.Use of blessed at beginning, a standard characteristic of wisdom literature.(Wilson)

It is also classified as a torah psalm (like 19, 119) for its emphasis on law.(Wilson)

In rabbinic tradition, Ps 1 and 2 were often paired as a single psalm.(Van Gemeren)

The psalm is an exhortation through positive and negative example to lead the right sort of life, charcterized by constant devotion to God.(Wilson)

Ps 1:1
Blessed, Hebrew asre, is a state that is a gift from God, and being “happy” as as asre is often translated is only a part of the blessedness. “Blessed” is an ANE expression for wisdom teaching as far back as the Egyptian Pyramid Texts up to the Beatitudes. “Blessed” in the Beatitudes is the Greek makarios, the word used to translate the Hebrew asre in the Greek OT version of the Psalms.(Van Gemeren, Wilson)

Walk- Hebrew halak. Walk is a metaphor for leading life.

Happiness or blessedness come first from separation from the wicked. The godly do not:
1)Walk in the counsel of the wicked
2)Stand in the way of the wicked. Stand in the Hebrew mind is more “take a stand”, choice assumed.
3)Sit in the seat of the mockers(Van Gemeren, Wilson)

Join/sitteth: Hebrew yashab, can mean sit but often broadens in context to mean “dwell, reside”. (Wilson)

These three terms are less a progressive description of evil than a summing up of life: walk, stand, sit. The godly simply have nothing to do with the ways of the wicked.(Van Gemeren)

Wicked/ungodly: Hebrew resaim are those found guilty in court, where a judge hears the facts of the case, renders a ruling on what both sides ought to have done, then compares his ruling with their actions to form his judgment. The one who did as ruled is declared righteous (Hebrew saddiq) and the one who did not do as he ought is deemed guilty (Hebrew rasa). (Wilson)

Sinners: Hebrew hattaim, is a worse category than resaim, for “sinners” are the haibtual offenders, those who routinely do the wrong thing.(Wilson)

Mockers/scornful (Hebrew lesim) are fools (Pr 9:8, 14:6) who delight in mocking (Pr 1:22) what is right.(Wilson, Van Gemeren)

Ps 1:2
Instruction/ law: Hebrew torah. Torah is more than just the five books of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy) , or even the complete OT. It is in a sense the whole of God’s revelation, His instruction on how man should live to best fit the world God has created.

Delight: Hebrew hepes. God’s instruction is the righteous’ chief desire, as shown when they “meditate” (Hebrew haga) day and night, i.e. constantly on it. Haga is a word expressing a sound, for it’s base meaning is “murmur”, which is how ancient people read to themselves, aloud in a low voice. It is also used to mean “conspire, plot”, (Ps 2:1) with the idea that conspirators talk softly among themselves, like murmuring. This constant meditation means that study and practice blend so that action suits ideals. Study and thought about God’s law both keeps one occupied and out of mischief, while alsoshaping the conscience so the wrong things are harder to do. Pr 3:1-6 speak of the wise who write God’s instruction on their hearts.(Van Gemeren, Wilson)

Ps. 1:3
The tree is a metaphor for both the blessed life of the godly (Jer. 17:7-8) and wisdom itself (Pr. 3:18). Fruit and leaves are images of success God sends the godly (Ezk 47:12). That is not a guarantee of uninterrupted success, as is shown by the examples of Joseph and Job. Rather the righteous live with the hope of God’s blessing, and the surety of His eventual blessing.(Van Gemeren)

Prospers, Hebrew saleah is in its root a term for bringing something to a successful conclusion as intended, not “prosper” in the sense of wealth or material goods. (Wilson)

Ps. 1:4
The imagery of chaff is often used in the bible (Ps 35:5, Is 17:13, 29:5, Hos 13:3, Zep 2:2, Mat 3:12). As a metaphor chaff implies here the uselessness of the wicked and God’s ease in dealing with them.(Van Gemeren)

Ps 1:5
The wicked and sinners return from v. 1. They cannot withstand God’s judgment, either in this life or the next. “Assembly of the righteous” are thoe who have a relationship with God. Judgment, Hebrew mispat, stands for the whole process of God’s rule on earth. He strikes the wicked throughout history and climactically at the Day of the Lord (Zep 1:14-18, Mat 13:41-43, 1 Th 5:1-11)(Wilson, Van Gemeren)

Ps. 1:6
Watches/knows: Hebrew yada, the same term for relationship of a husband and wife (Gen 4:1). and God’s seeing the enslaved Israel (Ex 2:25). It is more than intellectual knowledge, rather deep understanding and thorough acquaintance. The implication is that God protects those who follow His ways, but those wicked who are on their own path are going to their destruction without God’s protection. (Van Gemeren, Wilson)

Jim West, Biblioblogger Numero Uno, has posted a short sermon on Psalm 1 here.

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