Psalm 1
Sermon on Psalm 1: The Tree and the Chaff
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly… But his delight is in the law of the LORD."
— Psalm 1:1–2 (KJV)
Big Idea
There are only two ways to live — rooted like a tree in God's Word, or scattered like chaff before the wind.
Context
Psalm 1 is the gateway to the entire Psalter — a wisdom poem that frames every prayer to follow with the great Two Ways.
Expository Outline (verse-by-verse)
1. The Blessed Man Described (v. 1–2)
- •Three negatives: not walked, not stood, not sat — progression into sin.
- •One positive: delight in the law of the LORD.
- •Meditates day and night — Scripture in the bloodstream.
2. The Blessed Man Fruits (v. 3)
- •Planted by rivers of water — chosen location.
- •Brings forth fruit in season — Spirit-paced productivity.
- •Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper — God-defined prosperity.
3. The Two Destinies (v. 4–6)
- •The ungodly are chaff — weightless, drifting.
- •Will not stand in the judgment.
- •The LORD knoweth the way of the righteous.
Topical Outline (one big idea)
1. Marks of a Rooted Life
- •Daily intake of Scripture.
- •Distance from ungodly counsel.
- •Fruit in season, not on demand.
2. Marks of a Chaff Life
- •Driven by every cultural wind.
- •Productive in appearance, weightless in substance.
- •No standing on the day of reckoning.
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 17:7-8 — Tree planted by the waters — almost verbatim Psalm 1.
- John 15:5 — Abide in me — fruit comes only from connection.
- Joshua 1:8 — Meditate day and night — the original delight in the Word.
Illustrations
- "A drought tests trees, not seasons. The roots show in dry years."
Application questions
- Where are you planted? What are you delighting in this week?
Closing prayer
Lord, plant us by Your rivers. Make us trees, not chaff. Amen.