I. THE GODLY APPROVED (1-3). 1. Consistent Conduct (1-2). 2. Consequent Character (3abc). Fig. TREE. 3. Confident Conclusion (3d). Enduring Prosperity. II. THE GODLESS ABANDONED (4-5). I. Consistent Conduct (4a). "Not so" (antithesis 1-2). 2. Consequent Character (4b). Fig. CHAFF. 3. Confident Conclusion (5). Eventual Perdition. III. THE GOAL ATTESTED (6). Two ways-two ends, cf. Matt. vii. 13-27. PRIMARY Assoc1ATION.-Date unknown, but the authorship is almost ·certainly David's. Distinguished from most of the psalms in Book I in having no tide. Note affinity with Pss. xxvi. and cxii. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-Pattem and promise for Israel's remnant especially in the last days. Christ as the true Israelite. Personal character of God's anointed King, c£ Deut. xvii. 19. See notes Ps. ii. Israel has never yet been a true "assembly of the righteous" (5) but the nation will be eventually, c£ Isa. Ix. 21-22. PERSONAL APPLICATION.-Shows the characteristics of the godly man, emphasis being laid upon individual faithfulness in days of declension. Man's true happiness is found only in a life of fellowship with God. Godly conduct has a positive side (2) as well as a negative one (r). In Book I three psalms open with a beatitude, (a) The Obedient Man-God ward aspect, (i); (b) The Forgiven Man Selfward aspect, (xxxii.); (c) The Compassionate Man-Manward aspect, (xii.). The Counsel of the Self-willed-heed not; the Con duct of the Sinners-imitate not; the Company of the Scorners-seek not; Evil Principles-Evil Practices-Evil Partnerships, (I). Unfading Foliage-our confession; Unfailing Fruit-our character, (3). 1,6
VERSE NOTES r. "Blessed," or, "Happy" (R. V .M. ), lit. happinesses, Heb. plural of magnitude, here indicates great or complete happiness. First of the many beatitudes found in the Psalms, cf. Matt. v. The Book of Genesis, too, begins with a divine blessing upon man, Gen. i. 28. Ps. i. opens with a beatitude, Ps. ii. closes with one. Mark the threefold parallelism in this verse: walking, standing, sitting, counsel, way, seat; wicked, sinners, scornful; indicating a course leading to a climax. "Wicked," Heb. means "lawless,° those who own no authority but their own will, who recočnise no law but their own desires. The word is commonly found in the Psalms. 'Sinners," Heb. intensive indicates habitual offenders. "Seat of the scornful," br. session of scoffers, i.e. a class of cynical free-thinkers who mock at holy things; such are frequently referred to in the Book of Proverbs. 2. "Law of Jehovah," here practically syn. with the Word of Jehovah, i.e. the whole divine revelation. "Meditate" or, muse; cf. Jos. i. 8. 3. Fig. of vitality, beauty and fertility, c£ Jer. xvii. 7-8. In Scripture the vegetable kingdom furnishes the great types of production; the animal kingdom, the great types of consumption. "Planted," fig. of the tender care and ministry of the Holy Spirit acting through the Word of God. "Water-streams," i.e. artificial channels seen upon irrigated land. (d) i.e. he carries it through to a successful issue. 4. "Not so," (emph.) sums up the character of the wicked (i.e. lawless, s.H.w. I, 5, 6). He is the very antithesis of the godly man. In this verse is a figure familiar to all acquainted with threshing-floors in the East. Chaff is worthless and wind driven; indic. character and destiny. Judgment will drive such out of the Kingdom, c£ Matt. iii. 12; Luke xvii. 34-35. 6. Each clause implies the supplement of its antithesis in the other clause, a form often found in the psalms. Jehovah knows (or, acknowledges) the way of the righteous, who is preserved. Jehovah equally knows the way of the lawless, who perishes.
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