The Meaning of Psalms 1:6 Explained

Psalms 1:6

KJV: For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

YLT: For Jehovah is knowing the way of the righteous, And the way of the wicked is lost!

Darby: For Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.

ASV: For Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous; But the way of the wicked shall perish.

Discover Psalms 1:6

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Psalms 1:6?

MEANING: What does Psalms 1:6 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Psalms 1:6 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Psalms 1:6?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the LORD  knoweth  the way  of the righteous:  but the way  of the ungodly  shall perish. 

What does Psalms 1:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The instrument of the judgment that will determine the ultimate fate of these two basic kinds of people is God"s knowledge (cf. Matthew 7:23). He knows (has intimate, loving concern about) what they have done (cf. Exodus 2:25; Exodus 19:4; Romans 8:29-30). The "way" refers to the whole course of life including what motivates it, what it produces, and where it ends. "Knows" (lit.) or "watches over" (NIV) is the antithesis of "perish" (cf. Psalm 31:7; Proverbs 3:6).
This whole psalm is a solemn warning that the reader should live his or her life in view of ultimate judgment by God. Not only will the godly way prove the only adequate one then, but it also yields a truly beneficial existence now. [1]
"It [2] announces that the primary agenda for Israel"s worship life is obedience, to order and conduct all of life in accordance with God"s purpose and ordering of the creation. The fundamental contrast of this psalm and all of Israel"s faith is a moral distinction between righteous and wicked, innocent and guilty, those who conform to God"s purpose and those who ignore those purposes and disrupt the order. Human life is not mocked or trivialized. How it is lived is decisive." [3]

Context Summary

Psalms 1:1-6 - The Two Ways And The Two Ends
Like a signpost, this psalm points the road to blessedness. The opening word may be read, "Oh, the blessedness!" The psalm begins with the same message as the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:1-48. Beneath the lintel of benediction we pass into the temple of praise.
Blessedness is obtainable in two ways: negatively, we may avoid the society of the irreligious; positively, we must enter the company of prophets and kings, of psalmists and historians, and especially of God Himself, speaking in Scripture. Do not simply read the Bible; meditate upon it. Better one verse really masticated than a whole chapter bolted.
The rewards are, to be planted by rivers, to bear fruit, and to prosper. See Genesis 39:3-4; Genesis 49:22. How blessed it is, also, to realize that God knows and loves! See Psalms 56:8. The sinner begins with ungodliness, goes on to scorning, and ends as chaff, Matthew 13:30. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 1

1  The happiness of the godly
4  The unhappiness of the ungodly

What do the individual words in Psalms 1:6 mean?

For knows Yahweh the way of the righteous but the way of the ungodly shall perish
כִּֽי־ יוֹדֵ֣עַ יְ֭הוָה דֶּ֣רֶךְ צַדִּיקִ֑ים וְדֶ֖רֶךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים תֹּאבֵֽד

יוֹדֵ֣עַ  knows 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
יְ֭הוָה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
דֶּ֣רֶךְ  the  way 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
צַדִּיקִ֑ים  of  the  righteous 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
וְדֶ֖רֶךְ  but  the  way 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
רְשָׁעִ֣ים  of  the  ungodly 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
תֹּאבֵֽד  shall  perish 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.

What are the major concepts related to Psalms 1:6?

Loading Information...

Similar Scriptures for Psalms 1:6

2 Timothy 2:19 [21]
John 10:14 [15]
Nahum 1:7 [14]
Proverbs 15:9 [13]
Psalms 37:18-24 [11]
Psalms 146:9 [11]
John 10:27 [10]
Psalms 139:1-2 [9]
Proverbs 14:12 [7]
Job 23:10 [7]
2 Peter 2:12 [7]
read more (4)
Psalms 9:6 [6]
Matthew 7:13 [6]
Psalms 142:3 [5]
Psalms 112:10 [5]
read less