Psalms 1:5 (KJV)

Passage

Therefore the ungodly 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 rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psalms 1:4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

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

Psalms 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Study Lenses

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

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