Father Fillion's Commentary on Psalm 1

Psalm I: The Opposite Fate of the Just and the Wicked

This psalm has no introductory title. Since Jeremiah knew of it and even paraphrased a part of it (compare Ps 1:3-4 with Jeremiah 17:5-8), it is clearly older than his time. Some of the Church Fathers, several manuscripts of the Septuagint, and various modern authors attribute it to David, and there is nothing in the content or style that contradicts this view. The psalm develops a familiar idea, repeated many times in the Bible, especially in the Book of Proverbs: true happiness is found only in union with God through faithful obedience to the Law; outside of this, there is only deep misery. This makes the psalm an excellent introduction to the Psalter (Saint Basil calls it "a brief prologue"; Saint Jerome, "the preface of the Holy Spirit"), since the entire Book of Psalms, from the first to the last, expresses a resounding "Yes and Amen" to the commands of the Law. The psalm divides into two almost equal parts: the first (Ps 1:1-3) describes the character and condition of the just person, while the second (Ps 1:4-6) foretells the misfortune and eternal ruin of the wicked. The style is clear, simple, graceful, and energetic, with a refined comparison that brings out the dominant thought of each part.

In the first part, Ps 1:1-3, we see the happiness of the just. The psalm begins with a beautiful declaration. The person who is called "blessed" is first described negatively, by what they avoid doing (Ps 1:1), and then positively, by what they do (Ps 1:2). The negative description is expressed powerfully through a triple parallelism that intensifies with each phrase of verse 1. It emphasizes the principle that "avoiding evil" is always the guiding rule of conduct for the just. The just person does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, does not stand in the way of sinners, and does not sit in the seat of scoffers. These three verbs—walk, stand, sit—represent different levels of involvement with evil: first, moving toward it; second, settling into sinful habits; and third, becoming hardened and actively spreading false and wicked ideas. The nouns in the verse mirror this progression: the counsel of the wicked, the way of sinners, and the seat of scoffers. In Hebrew, the wicked (rĕša‘îm) refers to those separated from God by iniquity, the sinners (ḥaṭṭā’îm) are those who commit repeated acts of sin, and the scoffers (lēṣîm) are those who openly mock and propagate impiety. Thus, they are described as "wicked in heart, sinful in action, and mocking in speech." The Septuagint translates the scoffers as "pestilent men," and the Vulgate slightly modifies this to "the seat of pestilence."

In contrast to the path of the wicked, the just person delights in the law of the Lord, not just the Ten Commandments but the whole of divine revelation. The word "delight" (from the Hebrew hēfēs) expresses the fervor of an unshakable will. This delight naturally leads the just person to meditate on the law day and night, as Moses urged the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6:6-7. The Hebrew verb for meditation (yéhégeh) means "to speak to oneself in a low voice," as one might when deeply absorbed in contemplation. The result of this conduct is described in Ps 1:3: the just person is like a tree planted by streams of water. This image is particularly striking in the dry East, where trees often wither and die during periods of drought. A tree by abundant waters is precious and enduring. The Hebrew verb šātûl, used here for "planted," implies a tree deeply rooted and firmly established. The sacred poet may have had the palm tree in mind, with its love for water, its splendid growth, its evergreen leaves, and its delicious fruit. The streams of water represent the rich graces that the just person draws from a constant union with God. This tree bears fruit in its season, regularly producing the fruits of virtue and good works. Its leaves do not wither, symbolizing unchanging strength and a vibrant life. Whatever the just person does prospers because their actions are blessed by God. The beauty of this first part shows the sacred writer’s delight in describing the just.

The second part, Ps 1:4-6, describes the misfortune of the wicked. The contrast is stark. The wicked are not like the just. Instead of being firmly rooted like a tree, the wicked are compared to chaff blown away by the wind—fragile, unstable, and worthless. This image highlights the fleeting and empty nature of their lives. The wicked will not stand in the judgment, meaning they will not be able to withstand the final judgment of God, as their works will not endure. The way of the wicked leads to destruction, while the path of the just leads to life. The psalm draws a sharp line between the two paths: one leads to blessing and prosperity through union with God, and the other to ruin and despair. This first psalm serves as a clear call to choose the path of justice and communion with God to find true life and blessing.

Second Part: The Misfortune of the Wicked (Ps 1:4-6)

The contrast between the fate of the wicked and the just is introduced with vivid and energetic lyricism. The phrase "not so" (non sic) marks this stark difference, although it is not repeated in the original Hebrew. The comparison used here—"like chaff"—is common in the Bible to describe the lack of substance and the inevitable ruin of the wicked. For example, see Psalm 35:5, Job 21:18, Isaiah 29:5, Hosea 13:3, and others. According to the Hebrew text, the wicked are symbolized by the light chaff (môs), the thin husk that covers cereal grains and is easily blown away by the wind when the grain is winnowed in the open air, often on a raised area, as was typical in the East. The phrase "from the face of the earth" (a facie terrae) was added by the Vulgate following the Septuagint.

The reason for this difference between the wicked and the just is deeply tied to their contrasting conduct. Suddenly, the description turns into a terrifying prediction: "They will not rise." In Hebrew, this means they will not be able to stand. The psalmist envisions God judging the entire world. Before God are the just and the wicked: the just, as previously described, are like trees with green leaves and full of fruit, flourishing in their righteousness. The wicked, on the other hand, after having indulged in their passions and allowed themselves to be blown about like chaff, now lie prostrate on the ground, lifeless like the straw after the wind has passed, without any hope of standing before the divine judge with a favorable sentence.

The idea here is that they "will not be justified," as the Chaldean paraphrase translates it; instead, they will be condemned irrevocably. The judgment spoken of is not referring to human courts but the judgment of God, where the wheat will be separated from the chaff, as in Matthew 3:12. The "assembly of the just" refers to the just being witnesses and co-judges with God on the last day (1 Corinthians 6:2).

Ps 1:6 serves as a conclusion, summarizing all the ideas of the psalm. The word "for" (quoniam) applies both to Ps 1:3 and Ps 1:5. "The Lord knows" does not refer to an abstract, indifferent knowledge but to a caring, active knowledge that protects and saves. On the other hand, for the wicked, it means abandonment followed by punishment, culminating in the terrible final line: "Their way will perish" (iter... peribit). Their path leads into the most dreadful darkness, lost forever. This is in stark contrast to the blessedness with which the psalm begins.