Psalm 1-2

New King James Version

BOOK ONE

Psalms 1–41

The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly

1 Blessed ^(A)is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ^[a]ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
^(B)Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
²But ^(C)his delight is in the law of the Lord,
^(D)And in His law he ^[b]meditates day and night.
³He shall be like a tree
^(E)Planted by the ^[c]rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall ^(F)prosper.

⁴The ungodly are not so,
But are ^(G)like the chaff which the wind drives away.
⁵Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶For ^(H)the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

The Messiah’s Triumph and Kingdom^(I)

2 Why ^(J)do the ^[d]nations ^[e]rage,
And the people plot a ^[f]vain thing?
²The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the ^(K)rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His ^(L)Anointed,^[g] saying,
³“Let ^(M)us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”

⁴He who sits in the heavens ^(N)shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
⁵Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
⁶“Yet I have ^[h]set My King
^[i]On My holy hill of Zion.”

⁷“I will declare the ^[j]decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
^(O)‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
⁸Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
⁹^(P)You shall ^[k]break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

¹⁰Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
¹¹Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
¹²^[l]Kiss the Son, lest ^[m]He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When ^(Q)His wrath is kindled but a little.
^(R)Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.