Psalms 1: 1 Commentary

KEN LEVESQUE:
Ohooooh! YOU HIT IT RIGHT IN THE HEAD WITH YOUR COMMENT!

By TIUCHE (wrote 2753 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 5/16/2011 12:50 pm

Etsah is “counsel, advice, plans”. It extends to the deliberation part of making plans, looking at all the angles and coming up with a conclusion. The rasha “ungodly” are those w/o God - guilty, criminals, in jeopardy of death. Vine’s says they are turbulent on the inside, Based on the reference in v. 4, the “ungodly”, I believe vv. 1-3 refer to the “godly”, or saying it in a contemporary way, Christians taking advice from those who don’t have their minds renewed by God’s Word. This can be Christian’s advice or that of non-Christians. The word “counsel” is the same word for good or bad advice in the OT. Application: Christians take bad advice because they don’t know what God says about a matter, not meditating in the Word.

By Ken Levesque (wrote 1 Bible Commentary - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 5/16/2011 12:42 pm

I understand now that ‘ungodly’ has more to do with being enemies of God than not believing in him. Thanks, gentleman.

By stacy hague (wrote 3 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 5/12/2011 19:15 pm

Roland - nice job! Stacy - Roland hit the nail on the head - I also think the idea of ‘walketh not’ is critical. The Psalm is exhorting us to not order our lives listening to the advice of those who are hostile to God. There are many voices ‘out there’ all screaming for our attention, but the wise believer will avoid opinions which run contrary to God’s Word and character. For instance, God’s Word says ‘do not commit adultery’. But what do we hear from the ungodly: ‘I’ll try anything once’ or ‘You only go around once in life, so grab all the gusto you can’. Who are you going to listen to?

By Tractorman (wrote 2613 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 5/12/2011 12:25 pm

I do get busy sometimes. Here’s the whole thing for “ungodly” pertaining to this verse:

רָשָׁע adjective masculine plural absolute
BDB 9313 רָשָׁע [9314] (Hebrew) (page 957) (Strong 7563)
רָשָׁע:263 adj. wicked, criminal;—abs. ר׳: Gn 18:23 +; pl. רְשָׁעִים Is 13:11 +; cstr. רִשְׁעֵי Psalm 75:9 + 3 t. fs. רְשָׁעָה Ez 3:18 (del. Co), v:19 (רָשָׁע Co);—†1. usu. as subst., one guilty of crime, deserving punishment; sts. also wicked; opp. צַדִּיע; רָשָׁע Ex 2:13, 23:1 (E), Dt 25:2, Pr 17:23, 18:5, 25:5, Jb 9:22, 9:24; coll. Gn 18:23, 18:25, 18:25 (J) Mi 6:10, Pr 3:33, 28:4, רשׁעים 1 S 24:14, Je 5:26, Pr 19:28, 20:26, 29:12, אנשׁים רשׁעים 2 S 4:11 (murderers), רָשָׁע לָמוּת Nu 35:31 (P) guilty of death, מוֹשֵׁל ר׳: Pr 28:15, cf. 29:2, הִצְדִּיק ר׳: Ex 23:7 (E) Is 5:23, Pr 17:15; הִרְשִׁיעַ ר׳: Dt 25:1, 1 K 8:32 = לְרָשָׁע השׁיב 2 Ch 6:23; אמר לר׳ צַדִּיק: Pr 24:24. 2. guilty of hostility to God or his people, wicked enemies: רשׁע sg. Psalm 17:13 + 6 t. Psalms, Is 26:10; coll. Psalm 9:6, 9:17, 10:2 + 6 t. Psalms, Is 11:4, Hb 3:13; רשׁעים Psalm 3:8, 7:10, 9:18 + 5 t. Psalms, Is 48:22, 57:20, 57:21, Je 25:31, Ez 21:34, Mal 3:21 ( + (poss.) other cases; often hard to decide); specif. of Pharaoh Ex 9:27 (J), Babylon Is 13:11, 14:5, Chaldeans Hb 1:4, 1:13; || שׂנְאֵי יהוה 2 Ch 19:2. 3. guilty of sin, against either God or man, wicked: האנשׁים הרשׁעים Nu 16:26 (J, rebellious Korahites), Mal 3:18 (not serving י׳:), opp. צַדִּיק; sg. indiv. Ez 3:18, 3:18, 21:30, 33:8, 33:8, Psalm 11:5, 32:10, Pr 9:7 +; coll. Is 3:11, Jb 34:18, 36:6, 36:17, pl. רשׁעים Is 53:9, Je 23:19 = 30:23, Zp 1:3, Psalm 26:5, Pr 10:3, Ec 8:10 +; || חסֹידים 1 S 2:9 (Poem), Psalm 12:9, 50:16, 97:10, 145:20; || עֹזְבֵי תוֹדָתֶ֑ךָ 119:53, cf. v:61, +; †אדם ר׳: Pr 11:7, Jb 20:29, 27:13; אִישׁ ר׳: Pr 21:29; מלאך ר׳: 13:17; זֶרַע רשׁעים Psalm 37:28; †עֲצַת רשׁעים 1:1, Jb 10:3, 21:16, 22:18; †רשׁעים דֶּרֶךְ Je 12:1, Psalm 1:6, 146:9, Pr 4:19, 12:26; דֶּרֶךְ רשׁע 15:9; הָֽרְשָׁעה מִדַּדְכּוֹ Ez 3:18, 3:19 (but v, Co, supr.); †ארץ(ה) רִשְׁעֵי Psalm 75:9, 101:8, 119:119, Ez 7:21 (LXX Co עריצי).—is rare before exil; chiefly Ez Psalms WisdLit.

By Roland G (wrote 1414 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 5/12/2011 01:14 am

Although you cut and pasted it, thanks you for the effort to answer my question!

By stacy hague (wrote 3 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 5/11/2011 19:57 pm

Here is a quick cut and paste with reference cited on the meaning of “ungodly” for this verse.

Rasha`
wicked, criminal guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst) wicked (hostile to God) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)
Lexicons - Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon - Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon - New American Standard - Rasha

By Roland G (wrote 1414 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 5/11/2011 18:55 pm

Can anyone explain what the Bible is referring to with the words “counsel of the ungodly”? Isn’t it the case that in ancient time all people believed in God or gods? Thanks in advance, Stacy

By stacy hague (wrote 3 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 5/11/2011 18:02 pm