Psalms 1:4 (YLT)

Passage

Not so the wicked: But--as chaff that wind driveth away!

Nearby Context

Psalms 1:2 But--in the law of Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> his delight, And in His law he doth meditate by day and by night:

Psalms 1:3 And he hath been as a tree, Planted by rivulets of water, That giveth its fruit in its season, And its leaf doth not wither, And all that he doth he causeth to prosper.

Psalms 1:4 Not so the wicked: But--as chaff that wind driveth away!

Psalms 1:5 Therefore the wicked rise not in judgment, Nor sinners in the company of the righteous,

Psalms 1:6 For Jehovah is knowing the way of the righteous, And the way of the wicked is lost!

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wicked", "but--as", "chaff", "wind", "driveth", and "away". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wicked" and "but--as", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "And he hath been as a tree..." into verse 5's "Therefore the wicked rise not in judgment...", so "wicked" and "but--as" 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 "wicked" and "but--as" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.