The Divine Lamp

From the Lectio Divina Homepage
Vs. 1: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers. The Psalter begins on a negative note, that is, it stress what blessedness is not, namely, it is not an association with wicked persons. A more abridged way of putting this is it is not walking, standing nor sitting with them. Blessed is the very first word, and according to good scriptural and patristic tradition, the first word sets the tone for the entire document. This key word is ‘ashry; it is closely associated with two other words in vs. 1, the man (ha’ysh) and which (‘asher). ‘Ashry derives from the Hebrew verbal root ‘ashar whose fundamental meaning is straightness which makes sense in the direction-towards-which the psalmist defines blessedness. Note that the relative pronoun, ‘asher is derived from this root, signifying a transitional state; it is associated with man, ‘ysh. Thus blessedness is an integral component of our human constitution.

In light of these observations, we may say that to be ‘ashry implies being in a state of transition, of moving forward, of not standing still. Such blessedness is like that relative pronoun, ‘asher, signifying continuous alteration. Immediate there comes to mind the Beatitudes, for example, Mt 5.3-11, where we may substitute ‘ashry for the more prosaic Greek makarios. The characteristics which Jesus mentions fit in well with this “transitional” nature of ‘ashry: poor, mourn, meek, righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, those who are persecuted. While essential for Christian living, it is also liberating to realize the transitional or provisional nature of the virtues.

Vs. 2: But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Such law or torah is defined by avoiding the three groups of wicked, sinners and scoffers of vs. 1. We may transfer the forward motion of ‘ashry to this delight or chaphats which implies a bending towards the object of one’s desire. Delight and torah are integrally united, and the words of Isaiah apply to this man or ‘ysh who so inclines himself to the Law: “but you shall be called My delight is in her (chephtsy-bah)…for the Lord delights in you (chaphets bak)” [62.4].

Furthermore, this ‘ysh meditates on the torah, hagah, literally, to murmur, as in Jos 1.8: “This book of the law…torah…shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night.” This verse is similar to the Psalm’s mention of “day and night.” Such murmuring seems to have an affinity with that realm of our awareness, always present, which gives rise to thoughts and dreams. We catch a glimpse of it when falling asleep, that is, when our minds murmur over the day’s events, a process which apparently carries over into dreams. Contrast this Psalm’s use of hagah with one found in Ps 2.1: “Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain?”

Vs. 3: He is like a tree planted by streams of water which gives it fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Note this situation of being planted, that is, its permanency, next to streams which by their very nature are in movement. Such streams or palgy connote the idea of dividing, of making their way through a given area whose task with respect to this tree is that it may have “fruit in its season.” Note the Septuagint use for season, kairos, which connotes a specific time. Compare this verse with Rev 22.1: “Then he showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Later in vs. 5 it reads, “And night shall be no more; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light.” I.e., this river does away with the need to “meditate on his law day and night,” the previous verse, for such day and night pertains to the temporal realm.

In all that he does, he prospers. Such prospering is akin to the putting forth of fruit. The righteous person’s activity flows from that meditating on the Law or Torah. Keep in mind the image mentioned above of the stationary tree by flowing streams; the notion is that such doing takes place in a stable location and is more akin to the putting forth of fruit, a stationary act. All this is in contrast to the wicked who “are like chaff which the wind drives away” [vs. 4] or those who attempt to force, as it were, the ripening of fruit outside the correct season or kairos.

Vs. 5: Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. Such standing or qum implies the inverse of that “tree planted by streams of water,” for qum is more suggestive of rising which in the context of this Psalm pertains to something planted. Perhaps the root of such wicked persons lies in the fact that they do not remain stationary as mentioned just above.

Vs. 6: For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. This way or derek is upward or the direction in which the fruit of the righteous reaches. The growth of such fruit depends upon the Lord’s knowing and is in stark contrast to the “downward” derek of the wicked. Thus Psalm One concludes with a fuller understanding of that blessedness or ‘ashry, awareness of being known by God.