Psalms 1:5 (ASV)

Passage

Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

Nearby Context

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.

Psalms 1:6 For Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous; But the way of the wicked shall perish. Psalm 2

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "therefore", "wicked", "shall", "stand", "judgment", "sinners", "congregation", and "righteous". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "therefore" and "wicked", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "The wicked are not so But are..." into verse 6's "For Jehovah knoweth the way of the...", so "therefore" and "wicked" 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 "therefore" and "wicked" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.