There is a way which seems right to a man,
but its end is the way of death.
Proverbs 14:12
People take one of two paths: one path belongs to the righteous and leads to blessing, and the other belongs to the wicked or ungodly and leads to death and destruction.
Why would anyone choose the path that leads to death, you might ask?
Because the path that leads to death seems right, anyone who goes that way doesn’t believe it’s the wrong path. They don’t accept what God says in His word about where each path leads.
Besides, their reasoning goes something like this: “Everyone dies. So, why not live your best life now in the way you think is right?”
However, the people who get on the path that leads to blessing and life do so because they believe God knows what He’s talking about.
What does it look like to be on the path of blessing?
And what ultimately happens to those who choose the path of death?
Let’s find out.
Table of Contents
What Are the Two Paths People Take?
There are two paths in life: the one that leads to eternal life with God and the path that leads to eternal death apart from God. One way is wide and filled with many people. It leads to death but seems like the right path. Aren’t the majority always right? The other path is narrow and has fewer individuals, but is the road that leads you to God. Most people won’t get on the narrow road because they like the wide one better.
The Path of the Righteous (the Blessed)
Blessed or happy are those on the path that leads to God.
The word “happy” (HB’ashrei, “blessedness of”) refers to the joy and satisfaction that comes with knowing that one is right with God. Even though conflict with and in the world brings difficulties at times.
The blessed (or the righteous) do not believe like, behave like, or belong to the realm of the wicked. There are things they don’t do and things they do to demonstrate it.
First are the things the righteous don’t do.
How blessed is the man who does not
- Walk in the counsel of the wicked – listen to and act upon ungodly advice.
- Nor stand in the path with sinners – hang out with those who choose to live in sin and turn away from God.
- Nor sit in the seat with scoffers – participate in mocking the righteous.
Notice a progression in these parallels from a casual influence of ungodly people to collusion with them in scorning the righteous.
Second are the things the righteous do.
- But his delight is in the law of the Lord – in the Lord’s instructions in His word.
- In His law he meditates day and night – delight leads to meditating on (thinking about, studying, and retaining) His instructions.
Essentially, the righteous person is not influenced by the ungodly but by God’s word.
Their godly lives result in the following characteristics:
- He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water – the word “firmly” suggests confidence and security.
- Which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither – notice its fruit is in season, not continuously.
- And in whatever he does, he prospers – like the tree’s fruit is in season, so is prosperity, and it doesn’t necessarily look like you think it will. Consider Joseph (Genesis 39:2-3, 23).
The Path of the Wicked
The wicked (ungodly) are in direct contrast with the blessed. The ungodly signifies those who are not in a covenant relationship with God. Or today, we would say, those who haven’t been redeemed and brought into a right relationship with God through what Jesus did on the cross.
The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away – the worthless husks or straw that blows away in the wind.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment – they won’t survive in the end when they stand before God and are judged for their sins. They will be consigned to the lake of fire, which is the second death and eternal separation from God.
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous – God will separate the righteous from the wicked as a man separates wheat from tares (see What is the parable of the Wheat and the Tares? and Matthew 13:36-43)
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish – God knows who is who, not us. This reality should keep us from judging.
Psalm 1 – The Two Ways
Fun Facts About Psalm 1
Psalm 1…
- Introduces the entire collection in the Book of Psalms by describing the type of person who reads and uses them.
- Is a wisdom psalm that is more concerned with the conflicting lifestyles of the believer and unbeliever.
- Psalm 1 and 8 form an inclusio (set of literary bookends) that describes what God expects of the ideal person and contrasts the godly person with the ungodly. Jesus is the only human that fully meets this ideal.
- Is anonymous: we don’t know who wrote it.
- Shows us that only the way of wisdom will triumph.
- Introduces the hopeful anticipation of the Lord’s return, where He will remove all evil from His creation, and the righteous will fully prosper.
- Is similar in contrast to passages like Matthew 7:13-14 and 1 John 5:12.
Final Thoughts
What are the two paths people take?
Psalm 1 gives us the answer by contrasting two groups of people: the blessed and the wicked.
The blessed are the righteous people who love and study God’s word, seek to obey His instructions, and are firm in their faith. They are not influenced by the ungodly.
The wicked, on the other hand, reject God. Instead, they choose what seems right to them and give no thought to what God says in the Scriptures.
Which path are you on?
If you want to know more about how to get on the path that leads to blessing and life, I invite you to check out my article on what it means to be born again.