025 RIC Biblical Articles - The downward and upward staircase in Psalm 1 — On drifting into sin and persevering in Christ
025 RIC- Biblical Articles The downward and upward staircase in Psalm 1 — On drifting into sin and persevering in Christ April 11, 2025
Psalm 1:1 'Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful.'
Greetings, precious soul,
In this Bible article we will reflect on Psalm 1:1, the powerful opening of the book of Psalms. Right from the start, we are confronted with a deep spiritual truth. The psalm does not begin by telling us what the blessed man does, but what he refuses to do: he does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, does not stand in the way of sinners, and does not sit in the seat of scoffers. We see here a downward staircase, which I want to explain further, in order to eventually discover the upward staircase.
Let us first consider the man described in this verse. He is called ‘Blessed’. The Hebrew word:אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי־ ('aš·rê-) means: ‘happy’, but then in the deep sense of God’s favor and spiritual well-being.
The blessed one lives under God’s blessing and takes responsibility for his life. He cannot continue to live in sin, but strives for a life that pleases God and desires His blessings.
The blessed one does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. The Hebrew word הָלַךְ֮ (hā·laḵ) “to walk” does not just mean walking, but how you live, what choices you make and who you associate with. It is a picture of your life path and for Whom you live.
Psalm 1 is not about just walking around, but about consciously choosing: “I will not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” This counsel rejects God’s commandments. We must be careful not to be drawn into lifestyles that go against God’s Word, for that can be our downfall.
Let’s look at the downward staircase I mentioned earlier. Psalm 1:1 shows the gradual grip of sin in a life, namely: walking, standing, sitting.
Walking in the counsel of the ungodly begins innocently. You allow yourself to be influenced by the thoughts of people without God, and you think about it. This is the first step.
Standing in the path of sinners means that you are consciously participating. You choose to walk in their path and agree with their way of life.
Sitting in the seat of the scornful shows the lowest point. You feel at home, have no more hesitation, and sin becomes a way of life. Scoffers exalt themselves against God and ridicule the holy.
Psalm 1:2 continues; ‘but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law he meditates day and night.’ Here begins the upward staircase: delight, meditation and perseverance.
The upward staircase begins in the heart: delight in love for God and desire that blossoms in Christ. The law of the LORD is not just a collection of rules, but the heart of His covenant. It points to Christ, who came to fulfill it.
The righteous delight in the living voice of God. ‘And on his law he meditates day and night’ (Psalm 1:2). יֶהְגֶּ֗ה (yeh·geh) translated in English: He meditates (moan, growl, utter, speak, muse) is a deeply spiritual process of listening, absorbing, repeating, meditating, speaking and living out. So it means persevering in the Word. Persevering in Christ.
‘He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper’ (Psalm 1:3). The righteous in Christ is like a tree: strong, rooted, and steadfast. As a tree is deeply rooted in the earth, so the believer is rooted in Christ. He finds his strength and stability in Him, and is not easily overthrown by the storms of life.
In this article we have considered the downward staircase of sin: walking, standing, and sitting. But we have also seen the upward staircase: delight, meditation, and perseverance. In this way we are led to the image of the righteous in Christ, who is strong, rooted, and steadfast like a tree.
Psalm 1 offers us a mirror: which way do we choose? The wicked, who are carried away like chaff by the wind, or the righteous, who is firmly rooted in God's Word? The way of the wicked will perish, but the way of the righteous leads to blessing and eternal life.
If we do not yet know Christ, let us pray, seek, and knock, that we may be rooted in Him. And if we are already in Christ, let us be watchful and not be carried away by the worldly influences that can lead us away from Him.