This Psalm has been called the “Gateway into the Psalms.” Two ways lie before a person – the Way of the righteous (vv 1-3) and the Way of the wicked (vv 4-5).
This metaphor, which runs throughout Scripture, frames the Psalm (vs 1 “the way of sinners”; vs 6 “the way of the righteous / the way of the wicked”). I’m struck by how these two ways of living are characterized:
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Fruitfulness during one’s lifetime
A person on the Way of the righteous is “blessed” or fortunate because that person is 1) stable” in times of trouble, 2) fruitful in season and 3) successful (”prospers”) in efforts aimed at helping others. In contrast, a person on the Way of the wicked is unstable, especially in difficult times. The Psalms, using vivid language, compares such a person to “chaff blown by the wind.” Chaff, unlike fruit, brings no benefit to anyone.
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One’s standing at the final judgment
The Way of the righteous ends differently from the Way of the wicked. In the final judgment, those on the Way of the righteous will enter the “congregation of the righteous” and enjoy the approval of the living God (implicit in the term “watches over”) while those on the Way of the wicked will be judged, excluded from the “congregation of the righteous” and “perish.”
Life certainly looks different when looked at from this perspective, doesn’t it.
