Psalms 1:1–6
Two ways: that of the righteous and that of the wicked
Study it word by word1Happy is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2but in the instruction of YHWH is his delight, and on his instruction he meditates by day and night.
3He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, that gives its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and all that he does prospers.
4Not so the wicked, but they are like the chaff that the wind drives away.
5Therefore the wicked will not rise in the judgment, nor sinners in the community of the righteous.
6For YHWH knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Its words in the original
- אַשְׁרֵיashre· happy, blessed
Happy, blessed: an exclamation for the good that someone has.
- אִישׁish· man, husband, each
Man, male; with a possessive, husband. Also "each one", "anyone". It is "ish", distinct from "adam" (human being); it is used for the man in contrast with the woman ("ishah").
- הָלַךְhalach· go, walk
Go, walk, come. Figuratively, the way one lives ("walk with God").
- עֲצַתatsat· counsel
Counsel: good judgment for deciding; also a plan.
- רְשָׁעִיםreshaim· wicked
Wicked: one who does evil and is guilty before God and before others.
- דֶרֶךְderech· way
Way, road, journey. Figuratively, the way one lives or acts.
- חַטָּאִיםchataim· sinner
Sinner: one who habitually fails God; also one counted guilty.
- עָמָדamad· stand
Stand; stay, remain, endure. "Stand before" someone is to serve him or be in his presence. In another form of the verb, set up, place, appoint.
- מוֹשַׁבmoshav· dwelling, seat
The place where someone lives or sits; dwelling, seat; also the time of living there.
- לֵצִיםletsim· interpreter; scoff
Interpreter: one who translates between two languages; also envoy. Elsewhere, scoff, mock.
- יָשָׁבyashav· sit, dwell
Sit, sit down; from there stay in a place, live, dwell. In the causative form, settle someone, make to dwell. Also sit as judge or as king.
- תוֹרַתtorat· instruction, law
"Torah": instruction, teaching that gives direction; hence "law". Later it is the name of the five books of Moses. This translation uses "instruction", and "law" when the body of laws is meant.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- חֶפְצchefts· delight, desire, matter
Delight, pleasure, desire: what pleases someone. It can also be a valuable thing or a matter, an affair.
- יֶהְגֶּהyehge· meditate, murmur
Meditate: repeat something in a low voice, turn it over again and again. The same word is used for the murmur of someone reading to himself.
- יוֹמָםyomam· by day
By day, in the daytime.
- לָיְלָהlayla· night
Night.
- הָיָהhaya· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- עֵץets· tree, wood
Tree; also wood and what is made of it (a stick, a pole).
- שָׁתוּלshatul· plant, transplant
To plant, to transplant: to set a tree in a good place so that it grows.
- פַּלְגֵיpalge· channel, stream
A small stream or channel of water, like those used for irrigation.
- מָיִםmayim· water
Water. In Hebrew it is always plural ("waters").
- פִּרְיpiry· fruit
Fruit: what a tree or a plant bears. Figuratively, the result of something, or children ("fruit of the womb").
- יִתֵּןyiten· give, put, set
Give, in a very wide sense: hand over, put, place, grant, allow, make something be.
- עִתּit· time
Time, moment, season; "now".
- עָלֵale· leaf
Leaf; foliage.
- יִבּוֹלyibol· wither; act foolishly
Wither like a leaf; from there wear out, fail. In other passages, act foolishly or treat with contempt (Deuteronomy 32:15).
- יַעֲשֶׂהyaase· do, make
Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.
- יַצְלִיחַyatsliach· prosper, succeed
Go well, succeed; in the causative form, make something succeed. Also rush upon someone (of the Spirit).
- מֹּץmots· chaff
Chaff: the husk of grain, which the wind carries away at winnowing.
- תִּדְּפֶtidfe· driven (by the wind)
Be driven by the wind, blown away.
- רוּחַruach· spirit, wind, breath
The basic idea is "air in motion". The same word can be "wind"; "breath", the air that is breathed and keeps life; or "spirit": the mood or inner strength of a person, or the Spirit of God, his presence and power at work.
- יָקֻמוּyakumu· rise, stand, establish
Rise, stand up; also stand firm, establish or fulfill something. "Rise against" is to attack.
- מִּשְׁפָּטmishpat· justice, judgment
What is right and the decision that establishes it: the judgment of a judge, someone's right, a rule or ordinance, a custom. "Do righteousness and justice" is to treat each one as is due.
- עֲדַתadat· community
Community: the whole people of Israel gathered as one body; also any gathered group or band.
- צַדִּיקִיםtsadikim· righteous
Righteous: one who does what is right before God and before others; just, innocent.
- יוֹדֵעַyodea· know
Know. Not only having a fact: it is knowing by experience and closely; also recognize, care for, make known. So Hebrew also uses it for the intimate union of a man and his wife ("he knew his wife").
- תֹּאבֵדtoved· perish, be lost
Perish, be ruined, be lost; wander off. In the causative, destroy.