Part 5: Anonymous '2 Ways' (1, 95, 112, 125)

*There is some evidence that this Psalm was added as an introductory piece to the entire Psalter. It is, in some ways, more a piece of wisdom literature than a Psalm. Most likely, it is placed in sequential priority b/c of its emphasis on the Torah. The Torah had been divided into 150 weekly readings. The 150 Psalms may have been gathered to accompany these readings (See Sarna, 'On the Book of Psalms, 27-28)

1 Blessed 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 mockers.

Blessed (ashre) (words don't have meanings besides in context, ie 'green house')
2 words for 'blessed'
- Baruch- endowed, occasional, inward
- Ashre (44x, Psalms/Wisdom)- earned, continuous, outward
* This Psalm uses Ashre (plural, blessednesses)

The good man is first defined in the negative (what he does not do). There are 3 possible interpretations for the verbs/nouns used in this negation.
1) Strict Parallelism (walk=stand=sit, wicked=sinner=scoffer)
2) Ascending parallelism (getting greater in its badness)
3) Descending parallelism (getting lesser in its badness)

Most likely...
Wicked is worst (rebellious to the core)
Sinner is worse (miss the mark)
Scoffer is bad (ignorant)

Walk is bad
Stand is worse
Sit is worst

In this case, the Psalmist is suggesting that the righteous won't even walk (casually) with the worst (wicked). They will avoid them at all cost. They will avoid congregating with sinners. As for scoffers, they may relate to them, but not in close fellowship.

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

The good man is here defined not in the negative (who/what he avoids), but in the positive (who/what he delights in). He delights in the law of the LORD (not mere meditation or intellectual learning, but oral repetition to affect moral change). The absence of these 3 negatives and the presence of this 1 positive leads to the following result (3):

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.

The contrast here shows that the good man will be a positive influence on his society AND will be able to withstand turmoil b/c of his deep roots. It should be remembered that wisdom literature provides principles, not promises, guidelines, not guarantees, functions, not fate. The wicked are a negative influence on society and cannot withstand tribulation, as below. Both face wind, but only 1 stands (Proverbs 10:25).

5 Therefore the wicked
will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

Here, we have indication of a group of righteous people (contrasting from earlier). The judgment here referred to is not likely a reference to future judgment, but judgment in the here and now. That present judgment does not always find the wicked created a theological problem, but in this Psalm the doctrine of present judgment was taken for granted.

6 For the LORD watches
over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

.......................................
“There are two ways, one of life and one of death, and there is a great difference between these two ways” ~ The Didache

Psalm 95 Bow Down or Harden Heart

Psalm 112 Rewards of Righteousness
~ Fruitfulness (2) ~ Reputation (6)
~ Prosperity (3) ~ Peace (7)
~ Revelation (4) ~ Security (8)
~ Good news (5) ~ Honor (9)

Psalm 125 The Promised Land of Israel

Group 1 (The righteous)
Group 2 (The wicked)
Group 3 (The one's who turn back on righteousness)
* This Psalm seems to be very Arminian