서론
無標題
英文原文
This is a psalm of instruction concerning good and evil, setting before us life and death, the blessing and the curse, that we may take the right way which leads to happiness and avoid that which will certainly end in our misery and ruin. The different character and condition of godly people and wicked people, those that serve God and those that serve him not, is here plainly stated in a few words; so that every man, if he will be faithful to himself, may here see his own face and then read his own doom. That division of the children of men into saints and sinners, righteous and unrighteous, the children of God and the children of the wicked one, as it is ancient, ever since the struggle began between sin and grace, the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, so it is lasting, and will survive all other divisions and subdivisions of men into high and low, rich and poor, bond and free; for by this men's everlasting state will be determined, and the distinction will last as long as heaven and hell. This psalm shows us, I. The holiness and happiness of a godly man, Ps 1:1-3. II. The sinfulness and misery of a wicked man, Ps 1:4,5. III. The ground and reason of both, Ps 1:6. Whoever collected the psalms of David (probably it was Ezra) with good reason put this psalm first, as a preface to the rest, because it is absolutely necessary to the acceptance of our devotions that we be righteous before God (for it is only the prayer of the upright that is his delight), and therefore that we be right in our notions of blessedness and in our choice of the way that leads to it. Those are not fit to put up good prayers who do not walk in good ways.
1-3
The Happy Man
有福之人
¹ 不從惡人的計謀，不站罪人的道路，不坐褻慢人的座位， ² 惟喜愛耶和華的律法，晝夜思想，這人便為有福！ ³ 他要像一棵樹栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子，葉子也不枯乾。凡他所做的盡都順利。
詩人一開始便論到敬虔之人的性情與境遇，好使那些有分於此的人首先得著其中的安慰。此處有，
一、對敬虔之人靈性與道路的描述，我們當以此察驗自己。主是按著名認識屬祂的人，但我們必須憑他們的品行認識他們；因為這與一種試驗的狀態相符，使我們可以努力符合這品行——這品行既是律法的命令，是我們在責任上當順服的，也是應許的條件，是我們在利益上當履行的。好人的品行在此是按照他所選擇遵循、並據以量度的準則而賜下的。我們在起初出發時、以及在每一個轉折處，究竟以什麼作為我們行事為人的指引——是今世的風俗、還是神的道——其後果至關重大。在選擇標準與領袖上的錯誤是根源性的、致命的；然而，我們若在此正確，便處於行善的正途之上。
1. 敬虔之人為要避開罪惡，便全然棄絕與作惡之人的結交，不受他們的帶領（詩一1）：他不從惡人的計謀云云。這部分品行被置於首位，因為那些要守住神誡命的人，必須對作惡之人說：你們離開我吧（詩一一九115），而離開罪惡正是智慧的開端。（1）他看見作惡之人環繞他；這世界充滿了他們；他們在各處橫行。他們在此以三種身分被描述：惡人、罪人與褻慢人。當留意人是經由何種步驟達到不虔的極致。Nemo repente fit turpissimus——沒有人能驟然成為極惡之人。他們先是惡人——丟棄對神的敬畏、忽略對祂的本分而活；卻不停在那裏。當宗教的事奉被擱置一旁，他們就成了罪人——就是公然背叛神，從事服事罪與撒但的工。忽略為過犯開了路，藉著這些，心就如此剛硬，以致他們終於成了褻慢人——就是公然藐視一切神聖之事、譏誚宗教、把罪當作兒戲。罪惡之路就是這樣下坡的；壞人變得更壞，罪人自己也成了別人的試探者與巴力的辯護人。我們譯作惡人的字，是指那些不堅定的人——他們不瞄準確定的目標，也不按確定的準則行事，而是受每一個私慾的差遣、隨每一個試探的招呼。譯作罪人的字，是指那些決意行罪、並以此為業的人。褻慢人則是那些口向天誇大的人。好人看見他們，心中憂傷；他們常令他義人的心煩惱。但是，（2）他在無論何處看見他們都避開。他不作他們所作的；為此，他不與他們熟識來往。〔1〕他不從惡人的計謀。他不在他們的議事之中，也不與他們商議；無論他們多麼機巧、精明、博學，只要他們是不敬虔的，就不作他計謀中的人。他不贊同他們，也不說他們所說的（路二三51）。他不根據他們的原則量度自己，也不照他們所給所取的建議而行。惡人極力提供反對宗教的建議，且處理得極為巧妙，以致我們若能不被其沾染、不受其網羅，就有理由自視有福了。〔2〕他不站罪人的道路；他避免行他們所行的；他們的道路不是他的道路；他不進入其中，更不延續在其中——正如罪人意圖行不善之道（詩三十六4）。他（盡可能地）避免身在他們所在之處。為要不效法他們，他不與他們結伴，也不揀選他們作同伴。他不站在他們的路上被他們拾取（箴七8），而是遠離他們，如同遠離染瘟疫的地方或人，免受傳染（箴四14–15）。要免受傷害的人，必須避開危險之路。〔3〕他不坐褻慢人的座位；他不與那些安坐於自己罪惡之中、以自己良心麻木而自娛的人一同安息。他不與那些密坐暗謀、要為支持與推進撒但國度而尋找途徑手段的人結交，也不與那些坐在公開審判席上、威風凜凜地定罪義人之世代的人為伍。醉酒者的座位就是褻慢人的座位（詩六十九12）。從不坐在其上的，那人便為有福（何七5）。
2. 敬虔之人為要行善並持守善道，便順服神之道的引導，並使之與自己熟識（詩一2）。這正是使他遠離惡人之路、並堅固他抵擋其試探的。我藉著你嘴唇的言語，保守自己不行強暴人的道路（詩十七4）。我們既有神的道、並藉著祂的道與神自己相交，就無需求罪人的團契——無論是為娛樂、還是為長進。你醒悟時，它必與你談論（箴六22）。我們可以藉著自問來判斷自己的屬靈光景：「神的律法對我們是什麼？我們如何看待它？它在我們裏面有何地位？」請看此處，（1）好人對神律法的全然愛慕：他的喜樂是在其中。他以之為樂——儘管它是律法、是軛——因為這是神的律法，是聖潔、公義且良善的；他自由地贊同它，並如此按著裏面的人以之為樂（羅七16、22）。凡樂意有神的人，必樂意有聖經——就是神對祂自己、對祂旨意的啟示、以及唯有在祂裏面才能得著幸福的途徑。（2）好人對神之道所保持的密切熟識：他晝夜思想這律法；由此顯明他以之為樂，因為我們所愛的，我們就愛思想（詩一一九97）。默想神的道，就是以緊密的思慮、固定的意念，與自己論述其中所蘊含的偉大之事，直到我們被那些事適切地感動，並在心中經歷其滋味與能力。我們必須晝夜如此行；我們必須恆常地、習慣性地看神的道為我們行事的準則與安慰的源頭，並且無論何事發生、無論晝夜，我們都當相應地將之存於意念中。沒有不適於默想神之道的時候，也沒有不合時令於這些探訪的時刻。我們不僅當在日之初、夜之始——早晨和晚上——定意默想神的道，這些思想更當織入每日的事務與交談之中，也織入每晚的安息與睡眠之中。我醒了的時候，仍與你同在。
二、對敬虔之人福氣的保證，我們當以此鼓勵自己符合此品行。1. 總而言之，他是有福的（參詩五1）。神賜福給他，那福必使他快樂。福氣歸於他——各樣的福、上泉與下泉的福，足以使他完全快樂；幸福的任何成分都不會向他短缺。當詩人要描述一個有福之人時，他描述的是一個好人；因為歸根究柢，只有那些是聖潔的、真正聖潔的人，才是快樂的、真正快樂的；我們更當關心知道通往福樂之路，勝於知道那福樂將由何構成。不但如此，良善與聖潔不僅是通往幸福之路（啟二十二14），更是幸福本身；縱使此生之外沒有來世，那守住自己本分之路的人仍是有福之人。2. 他的福氣在此以一個比方說明（詩一3）：他要像一棵樹，結果子、又茂盛。這是以下兩者的結果，（1）他敬虔的實行；他思想神的律法，將之化為汁漿與血肉，這使他像一棵樹。我們越與神的道相交，就越能為各樣善言善工而裝備齊全。或，（2）應許之福的結果；他蒙主賜福，因此他要像一棵樹。神的賜福產生真實的功效。敬虔之人的福氣在於：〔1〕他是藉神的恩所栽種的。這些樹原是野橄欖，必仍如此，直到重新接枝，並藉從上頭來的能力而如此栽種。從未有良木自行生長；它是耶和華所栽種的，因此祂必在其中得榮耀。賽六十一3：耶和華的樹木必滿了汁漿。〔2〕他被置於恩典的途徑旁，此處稱為溪水——就是那使我們神的城歡喜的溪水（詩四十六4）；好人從其中領受力量與活力的供應，卻是在隱密、不為人察覺的方式中。〔3〕他的實行將成為果子，豐盈地歸於美好的帳目（腓四17）。神對那些祂所賜福的人，先是說：要結果子（創一22），而結實的安慰與尊榮至今仍是其勞苦的報償。那些享受恩典憐憫的人，理當在心思的性情和生活的行事上，順應那恩典的旨意，於是他們便結出果子。並且當留意，為那偉大的葡萄園園主之讚美的緣故，他們按時候結出果子——就是受要求於他們的——在最美麗、最有用的時候，抓住每一個行善的機會，並在當行的時候行出來。〔4〕他的信仰告白必蒙保守，免於瑕疵與衰殘：*他的葉子也不枯乾。*至於那些只結信仰告白之葉、而無任何好果子的，連他們的葉子也要枯乾，他們必因自己的信仰告白蒙羞，正如他們曾因之自誇一樣；但若神的道掌管人心，那道必保守信仰告白常青——既為我們的安慰、也為我們的尊榮；如此贏得的桂冠永不枯萎。〔5〕無論他往何處，順利必伴隨他——靈魂的興盛。凡他所做的——只要與律法相符——盡都順利，並按他所願的、或超乎他所盼望的而成。
在歌唱詩一1–3時，既因罪的惡性與危險、因神之律法超越的卓越、並因我們結果子所憑之神恩典的大能與功效而受了當有的感動，我們就必須教導並勸戒自己、也彼此教導勸戒——警醒防備罪及其一切接近的舉動，多與神的道相交，並豐盛地結出義的果子；在為這些經文禱告時，我們當向神求祂的恩典，既為堅固我們抵擋各樣惡言惡行，也為裝備我們行各樣善言善工。
英文原文
The Happy Man
¹ Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
² But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
³ And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The psalmist begins with the character and condition of a godly man, that those may first take the comfort of that to whom it belongs. Here is,
I. A description of the godly man's spirit and way, by which we are to try ourselves. The Lord knows those that are his by name, but we must know them by their character; for that is agreeable to a state of probation, that we may study to answer to the character, which is indeed both the command of the law which we are bound in duty to obey and the condition of the promise which we are bound in interest to fulfil. The character of a good man is here given by the rules he chooses to walk by and to take his measures from. What we take at our setting out, and at every turn, for the guide of our conversation, whether the course of this world or the word of God, is of material consequence. An error in the choice of our standard and leader is original and fatal; but, if we be right here, we are in a fair way to do well.
1. A godly man, that he may avoid the evil, utterly renounces the companionship of evil-doers, and will not be led by them (Ps 1:1): He walks not in the council of the ungodly, etc. This part of his character is put first, because those that will keep the commandments of their God must say to evil-doers, Depart from us (Ps 119:115), and departing from evil is that in which wisdom begins. (1.) He sees evil-doers round about him; the world is full of them; they walk on every side. They are here described by three characters, ungodly, sinners, and scornful. See by what steps men arrive at the height of impiety. Nemo repente fit turpissimus—None reach the height of vice at once. They are ungodly first, casting off the fear of God and living in the neglect of their duty to him: but they rest not there. When the services of religion are laid aside, they come to be sinners, that is, they break out into open rebellion against God and engage in the service of sin and Satan. Omissions make way for commissions, and by these the heart is so hardened that at length they come to be scorners, that is, they openly defy all that is sacred, scoff at religion, and make a jest of sin. Thus is the way of iniquity down-hill; the bad grow worse, sinners themselves become tempters to others and advocates for Baal. The word which we translate ungodly signifies such as are unsettled, aim at no certain end and walk by no certain rule, but are at the command of every lust and at the beck of every temptation. The word for sinners signifies such as are determined for the practice of sin and set it up as their trade. The scornful are those that set their mouths against the heavens. These the good man sees with a sad heart; they are a constant vexation to his righteous soul. But, (2.) He shuns them wherever he sees them. He does not do as they do; and, that he may not, he does not converse familiarly with them. [1.] He does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. He is not present at their councils, nor does he advise with them; though they are ever so witty, and subtle, and learned, if they are ungodly, they shall not be the men of his counsel. He does not consent to them, nor say as they say, Lu 23:51. He does not take his measures from their principles, nor act according to the advice which they give and take. The ungodly are forward to give their advice against religion, and it is managed so artfully that we have reason to think ourselves happy if we escape being tainted and ensnared by it. [2.] He stands not in the way of sinners; he avoids doing as they do; their way shall not be his way; he will not come into it, much less will he continue in it, as the sinner does, who sets himself in a way that is not good, Ps 36:4. He avoids (as much as may be) being where they are. That he may not imitate them, he will not associate with them, nor choose them for his companions. He does not stand in their way, to be picked up by them (Pr 7:8), but keeps as far from them as from a place or person infected with the plague, for fear of the contagion, Pr 4:14,15. He that would be kept from harm must keep out of harm's way. [3.] He sits not in the seat of the scornful; he does not repose himself with those that sit down secure in their wickedness and please themselves with the searedness of their own consciences. He does not associate with those that sit in close cabal to find out ways and means for the support and advancement of the devil's kingdom, or that sit in open judgment, magisterially to condemn the generation of the righteous. The seat of the drunkards is the seat of the scornful, Ps 69:12. Happy is the man that never sits in it, Ho 7:5.
2. A godly man, that he may do that which is good and cleave to it, submits to the guidance of the word of God and makes that familiar to him, Ps 1:2. This is that which keeps him out of the way of the ungodly and fortifies him against their temptations. By the words of thy lips I have kept me from the path of the deceiver, Ps 17:4. We need not court the fellowship of sinners, either for pleasure or for improvement, while we have fellowship with the word of God and with God himself in and by his word. When thou awakest it shall talk with thee, Pr 6:22. We may judge of our spiritual state by asking, "What is the law of God to us? What account do we make of it? What place has it in us?" See here, (1.) The entire affection which a good man has for the law of God: His delight is in it. He delights in it, though it be a law, a yoke, because it is the law of God, which is holy, just, and good, which he freely consents to, and so delights in, after the inner man, Ro 7:16,22. All who are well pleased that there is a God must be well pleased that there is a Bible, a revelation of God, of his will, and of the only way to happiness in him. (2.) The intimate acquaintance which a good man keeps up with the word of God: In that law doth he meditate day and night; and by this it appears that his delight is in it, for what we love we love to think of, Ps 119:97. To meditate in God's word is to discourse with ourselves concerning the great things contained in it, with a close application of mind, a fixedness of thought, till we be suitably affected with those things and experience the savour and power of them in our hearts. This we must do day and night; we must have a constant habitual regard to the word of God as the rule of our actions and the spring of our comforts, and we must have it in our thoughts, accordingly, upon every occasion that occurs, whether night or day. No time is amiss for meditating on the word of God, nor is any time unseasonable for those visits. We must not only set ourselves to meditate on God's word morning and evening, at the entrance of the day and of the night, but these thoughts should be interwoven with the business and converse of every day and with the repose and slumbers of every night. When I awake I am still with thee.
II. An assurance given of the godly man's happiness, with which we should encourage ourselves to answer the character of such. 1. In general, he is blessed, Ps 5:1. God blesses him, and that blessing will make him happy. Blessednesses are to him, blessings of all kinds, of the upper and nether springs, enough to make him completely happy; none of the ingredients of happiness shall be wanting to him. When the psalmist undertakes to describe a blessed man, he describes a good man; for, after all, those only are happy, truly happy, that are holy, truly holy; and we are more concerned to know the way to blessedness than to know wherein that blessedness will consist. Nay, goodness and holiness are not only the way to happiness (Re 22:14) but happiness itself; supposing there were not another life after this, yet that man is a happy man that keeps in the way of his duty. 2. His blessedness is here illustrated by a similitude (Ps 1:3): He shall be like a tree, fruitful and flourishing. This is the effect, (1.) Of his pious practice; he meditates in the law of God, turns that in succum et sanguinem—into juice and blood, and that makes him like a tree. The more we converse with the word of God the better furnished we are for every good word and work. Or, (2.) Of the promised blessing; he is blessed of the Lord, and therefore he shall be like a tree. The divine blessing produces real effects. It is the happiness of a godly man, [1.] That he is planted by the grace of God. These trees were by nature wild olives, and will continue so till they are grafted anew, and so planted by a power from above. Never any good tree grew of itself; it is the planting of the Lord, and therefore he must in it be glorified. Isa 61:3, The trees of the Lord are full of sap. [2.] That he is placed by the means of grace, here called the rivers of water, those rivers which make glad the city of our God (Ps 46:4); from these a good man receives supplies of strength and vigour, but in secret undiscerned ways. [3.] That his practices shall be fruit, abounding to a good account, Php 4:17. To those whom God first blessed he said, Be fruitful (Ge 1:22), and still the comfort and honour of fruitfulness are a recompense for the labour of it. It is expected from those who enjoy the mercies of grace that, both in the temper of their minds and in the tenour of their lives, they comply with the intentions of that grace, and then they bring forth fruit. And, be it observed to the praise of the great dresser of the vineyard, they bring forth their fruit (that which is required of them) in due season, when it is most beautiful and most useful, improving every opportunity of doing good and doing it in its proper time. [4.] That his profession shall be preserved from blemish and decay: His leaf also shall not wither. As to those who bring forth only the leaves of profession, without any good fruit, even their leaf will wither and they shall be as much ashamed of their profession as ever they were proud of it; but, if the word of God rule in the heart, that will keep the profession green, both to our comfort and to our credit; the laurels thus won shall never wither. [5.] That prosperity shall attend him wherever he goes, soul-prosperity. Whatever he does, in conformity to the law, it shall prosper and succeed to his mind, or above his hope.
In singing Ps 1:1-3, being duly affected with the malignant and dangerous nature of sin, the transcendent excellencies of the divine law, and the power and efficacy of God's grace, from which our fruit is found, we must teach and admonish ourselves, and one another, to watch against sin and all approaches towards it, to converse much with the word of God, and abound in the fruit of righteousness; and, in praying over them, we must seek to God for his grace both to fortify us against every evil word and work and to furnish us for every good word and work.
4-6
Description and Doom of the Ungodly
惡人的描述與結局
⁴ 惡人並不是這樣，乃像糠秕被風吹散。 ⁵ 因此當審判的時候惡人必站立不住；罪人在義人的會中也是如此。 ⁶ 因為耶和華知道義人的道路；惡人的道路卻必滅亡。
此處有：
一、惡人的描述（詩1:4）。 1. 概括而言，他們與義人相反，無論在品格或境遇上都是如此：惡人並不是這樣。七十士譯本著重地重複這話：惡人並不是這樣；他們並不是這樣；他們被惡人的計謀所引領，站在罪人的道路上，坐在褻慢人的座位上；他們對神的律法毫無喜樂，也從不思想；他們所結的不過是所多瑪的葡萄；他們白佔地土。 2. 具體而言，義人如同有價值、有用處、多結果子的樹，他們卻像糠秕被風吹散——就是最輕的糠秕，是場主巴不得被風吹散的塵埃，因為它毫無用處。你要估量他們嗎？你要衡量他們嗎？他們如同糠秕，在神的帳上毫無價值，不管他們多麼高看自己。你要知道他們的心境嗎？他們輕浮虛妄；他們裏面沒有實質，沒有堅實；他們被各樣的風和試探吹來吹去，毫無定見。你要知道他們的結局嗎？神的忿怒必在他們的惡行中驅散他們，如同風吹散糠秕，再不被收聚、再無人理會。糠秕也許一時與麥子同在；但那手裏拿著簸箕、要揚淨他場子的他即將來到。那些因自己的罪和愚妄使自己如同糠秕的人，在神烈怒的狂風和烈火之前必被發現確是如此（詩35:5），全然不能在其前站立、也不能逃脫（賽17:13）。
二、惡人的結局宣告（詩1:5）。 1. 他們在受審之時必如被定罪的叛徒被棄絕：當審判的時候惡人必站立不住——就是說，他們必被定罪，必羞愧混亂地垂下頭來，他們一切的抗辯和託辭都必被裁定為無理取鬧。將來必有審判，在那審判中每一個人如今的品格和行為，無論掩飾、偽裝得多麼巧妙，都必真實而完全地被顯明出來，顯出本來的面目，每一個人將來的境遇也必因此藉著不可逆轉的判決被定為永遠。惡人必須在那審判中顯現，為在身體中所行的事受報。他們或許盼望能脫身——不，更盼望能體面地脫身——但他們的盼望必欺騙他們：當審判的時候惡人必站立不住，因為證據如此明顯地對他們不利，而其上的判決又如此公正無私。 2. 他們必永遠被拒於蒙福之人的群體之外。他們必不能在義人的會中站立——就是說，在審判之中（有人如此理解），在那聖徒作為基督陪審員審判世界的法庭之中，在那他將要同著降臨執行審判眾人的聖潔萬軍之中（猶14；林前6:2）。或是指在天堂。不久便必看見有總會聚集，就是長子之會所共聚的總會，一個義人的聚集——一切聖徒的聚集，且惟有聖徒的聚集，又是已經得以完全的聖徒的聚集——這樣的聚集是今世所從未有過的（帖後2:1）。惡人在那會中必無分。在新耶路撒冷裏，凡不潔淨的、未成聖的，都不得進去；他們必看見義人進入國度，自己卻被趕到外面去——這是他們永遠的痛苦（路13:27）。惡人和褻慢人在今世嘲笑義人和他們的聚會，藐視他們，不在乎與他們作伴；因此他們被永遠與之隔絕，乃是公義的。今世的假冒為善之人，或可藉著似是而非的信仰表白混入義人的會中，在那裏不受干擾、不被發現；但基督卻不能被欺哄——雖然他的僕人可以；那日必到，他必將綿羊和山羊、稗子和麥子分別出來（太13:41、49）。迦勒底譯本稱之為那大日——那必是顯露之日、分別之日，也是最終劃分之日。那時你們必歸回，看出義人和惡人之間的分別，而這在今世有時是難以作到的（瑪3:18）。
三、義人與惡人境遇不同的理由（詩1:6）。 1. 義人的昌盛和福樂，一切榮耀都必歸於神。他們之所以蒙福，是因為耶和華知道義人的道路；他揀選他們進入這路，使他們傾向選擇這路，又在此路中引領引導他們，安排他們一切的腳步。 2. 罪人必自負自己滅亡的一切責任。惡人之所以滅亡，是因為他們自己所選擇、所定意要行的那條路，直直地引向毀滅；它天然地趨向於敗亡，因此必然以其為終局。或者我們可以這樣理解：耶和華悅納並喜愛義人的道路，因此在他恩惠笑臉的影響之下，這路必亨通、結局美好；但他向惡人的道路發怒，他們所行的一切在他眼中都是可憎的，因此這路必滅亡，他們也必在其中滅亡。每個人的判斷都是從耶和華而出，這是確實的；我們的景況是好是壞，並可能在永遠裏繼續如此，全在乎我們是否為神所悅納。願這話扶持義人下垂的心——耶和華知道他們的道路，知道他們的心（耶12:3），知道他們隱密的靈修（太6:6），知道他們的品格——無論被人怎樣抹黑和玷污——並不久便要使他們和他們的道路在全世面前顯明出來，成為他們不朽的喜樂和榮耀。願這話挫抑罪人的安逸和狂歡——他們的道路如今雖然愉悅，結局卻必滅亡。
我們唱詩1:4-6、並以此禱告之時，當以聖潔的敬畏存記惡人的分，又以堅定而活潑的、對將來審判的盼望來懇求免去那分，並激發自己預備這審判，以聖潔的謹慎在凡事上討神的喜悅，全心全意地求他的恩寵。
英文原文
Description and Doom of the Ungodly
⁴ The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
⁵ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
⁶ For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Here is, I. The description of the ungodly given, Ps 1:4. 1. In general, they are the reverse of the righteous, both in character and condition: They are not so. The LXX. emphatically repeats this: Not so the ungodly; they are not so; they are led by the counsel of the wicked, in the way of sinners, to the seat of the scornful; they have no delight in the law of God, nor ever think of it; they bring forth no fruit but grapes of Sodom; they cumber the ground. 2. In particular, whereas the righteous are like valuable, useful, fruitful trees, they are like the chaff which the wind drives away, the very lightest of the chaff, the dust which the owner of the floor desires to have driven away, as not capable of being put to any use. Would you value them? Would you weigh them? They are like chaff, of no worth at all in God's account, how highly soever they may value themselves. Would you know the temper of their minds? They are light and vain; they have no substance in them, no solidity; they are easily driven to and fro by every wind and temptation, and have no stedfastness. Would you know their end? The wrath of God will drive them away in their wickedness, as the wind does the chaff, which is never gathered nor looked after more. The chaff may be, for a while, among the wheat; but he is coming whose fan is in his hand and who will thoroughly purge his floor. Those that by their own sin and folly make themselves as chaff will be found so before the whirlwind and fire of divine wrath (Ps 35:5), so unable to stand before it or to escape it, Isa 17:13.
II. The doom of the ungodly read, Ps 1:5. 1. They will be cast, upon their trial, as traitors convicted: They shall not stand in the judgment, that is, they shall be found guilty, shall hang down the head with shame and confusion, and all their pleas and excuses will be overruled as frivolous. There is a judgment to come, in which every man's present character and work, though ever so artfully concealed and disguised, shall be truly and perfectly discovered, and appear in their own colours, and accordingly every man's future state will be, by an irreversible sentence, determined for eternity. The ungodly must appear in that judgment, to receive according to the things done in the body. They may hope to come off, nay, to come off with honour, but their hope will deceive them: They shall not stand in the judgment, so plain will the evidence be against them and so just and impartial will the judgment be upon it. 2. They will be for ever shut out from the society of the blessed. They shall not stand in the congregation of the righteous, that is, in the judgment (so some), that court wherein the saints, as assessors with Christ, shall judge the world, those holy myriads with which he shall come to execute judgment upon all, Jude 1:14, 1Co 6:2. Or in heaven. There will be seen, shortly, a general assembly of the church of the first-born, a congregation of the righteous, of all the saints, and none but saints, and saints made perfect, such a congregation of them as never was in this world, 2Th 2:1. The wicked shall not have a place in that congregation. Into the new Jerusalem none unclean nor unsanctified shall enter; they shall see the righteous enter into the kingdom, and themselves, to their everlasting vexation, thrust out, Lu 13:27. The wicked and profane, in this world, ridiculed the righteous and their congregation, despised them, and cared not for their company; justly therefore will they be for ever separated from them. Hypocrites in this world, under the disguise of a plausible profession, may thrust themselves into the congregation of the righteous and remain undisturbed and undiscovered there; but Christ cannot be imposed upon, though his ministers may; the day is coming when he will separate between the sheep and the goats, the tares and the wheat; see Mt 13:41,49. That great day (so the Chaldee here calls it) will be a day of discovery, a day of distinction, and a day of final division. Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, which here it is sometimes hard to do, Mal 3:18.
III. The reason rendered of this different state of the godly and wicked, Ps 1:6. 1. God must have all the glory of the prosperity and happiness of the righteous. They are blessed because the Lord knows their way; he chose them into it, inclined them to choose it, leads and guides them in it, and orders all their steps. 2. Sinners must bear all the blame of their own destruction. Therefore the ungodly perish, because the very way in which they have chosen and resolved to walk leads directly to destruction; it naturally tends towards ruin and therefore must necessarily end in it. Or we may take it thus, The Lord approves and is well pleased with the way of the righteous, and therefore, under the influence of his gracious smiles, it shall prosper and end well; but he is angry at the way of the wicked, all they do is offensive to him, and therefore it shall perish, and they in it. It is certain that every man's judgment proceeds from the Lord, and it is well or ill with us, and is likely to be so to all eternity, accordingly as we are or are not accepted of God. Let this support the drooping spirits of the righteous, that the Lord knows their way, knows their hearts (Jer 12:3), knows their secret devotions (Mt 6:6), knows their character, how much soever it is blackened and blemished by the reproaches of men, and will shortly make them and their way manifest before the world, to their immortal joy and honour. Let this cast a damp upon the security and jollity of sinners, that their way, though pleasant now, will perish at last.
In singing Ps 1:4-6, and praying over them, let us possess ourselves with a holy dread of the wicked man's portion, and deprecate it with a firm and lively expectation of the judgment to come, and stir up ourselves to prepare for it, and with a holy care to approve ourselves to God in every thing, entreating his favour with our whole hearts.
本篇是論善與惡的訓誨詩，將生與死、福與禍擺在我們面前，好叫我們走那引到福樂的正路，避開那必以悲慘與毀滅為結局的歧途。敬虔人與惡人——事奉神的人和不事奉祂的人——其性情與結局的分別，在此用寥寥數語便清楚陳明；因此每個人若肯忠於自己，就能在此看見自己的面貌，繼而讀出自己的定案。世人分為聖徒與罪人、義人與不義之人、神的兒女與惡者之子，這一區分既古老——自從罪與恩典、女人的後裔與蛇的後裔之間的爭戰開始便已存在——也持久，必存於人類一切其他貴賤、貧富、為奴與自由的分門別類之後；因為人的永遠歸宿將由此判定，這分別也要如天堂與地獄一般長存。本篇向我們指明：一、敬虔人的聖潔與福樂（詩 1:1-3）；二、惡人的罪惡與悲慘（詩 1:4,5）；三、兩者的根據與緣由（詩 1:6）。無論是誰搜集了大衛的詩篇（很可能是以斯拉），都極有理由將本篇置於卷首，作為其餘各篇的序，因為我們的敬拜若要蒙悅納，就必須在神面前為義（因為惟有正直人的祈禱為祂所喜悅），因此我們對福樂的觀念、對引到福樂之途的選擇，都必須正確。凡不行在善道中的人，並不配獻上美好的禱告。