Psalms 1:3 (ASV)

Passage

And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Nearby Context

Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers:

Psalms 1:2 But his delight is in the law of Jehovah; And on his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalms 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psalms 1:4 The wicked are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Psalms 1:5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "shall", "like", "tree", "planted", "streams", "water", "bringeth", and "forth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "shall" and "like", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "But his delight is in the law..." into verse 4's "The wicked are not so But are...", so "shall" and "like" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "shall" and "like" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.