The book of Psalms contains 150 hymns that are introduced by a pair of Psalms. We might normally think of an introduction to a book as being a single chapter, but in this case, Psalms 1 and 2 form the entryway to the Psalter. Think of Psalms 1 and 2 as two mighty pillars through which you pass into all the subsequent songs.
Psalm 1 is about how the Blessed Man delights in God’s law and flourishes in all he does, while the wicked are like chaff driven away by the wind.
PSALM 1
1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Psalm 2 is about the promised Davidic king who will rule the nations and be a refuge for all come to him.
PSALM 2
1 Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”
10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Interpreters who have written on Psalms have noted connections between Psalms 1 and 2. There are multiple thematic and exegetical links. Consider these seven:
The opening line of Psalm 1 and the last line of Psalm 2 pronounce “Blessed.” We can see this frame of a promise that someone is “blessed,” and the rest of Psalms 1 and 2 unfold within this frame of promised blessing.
Both psalms end with the warning that the wicked will perish. In 1:6 “the way of the wicked will perish.” And in 2:12, the wicked will “perish in the way.”
Both psalms depict the wicked in a substance-less and disposable way. In 1:4, the wicked are “like chaff that the wind drives away.” In 2:9, the wicked are dashed “in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Both psalms have a theme of mockery. In 1:1, there are wicked who “sit” as “scoffers” on the earth. And in 2:4, the Lord “sits” in the heavens and “laughs” with a righteous ridicule.
The word for “meditation” appears in both psalms. Here’s how it’s translated. In 1:2, the blessed man “meditates” day and night on the word of the Lord. In 2:1, the “peoples plot in vain,” and in the original language that’s the notion of meditating on—or thinking about—vanity.
Both psalms talk about the end for the righteous. In 1:5-6, the righteous will stand before the Lord in vindication at the judgment, for he knows their way, and in 2:12, the righteous have taken refuge from the judgment of God.
Both psalms talk about a figure who is fruitful and triumphant. In 1:3, the figure is the Blessed Man who prospers in whatever he does, like a tree planted by streams of water. In 2:8-9, the figure is the King of Israel, who will succeed over the nations and whose reign is fruitful over the ends of the earth. We might even say that the ultimate Blessed Man in view in Psalm 1 is the Anointed One in Psalm 2.
When we realize how connected Psalms 1 and 2 are, we can see how the Psalter is introduced by these two mighty pillars. In Psalm 1, we’re invited to delight in God’s law. In Psalm 2, we’re invited to find refuge in God’s Son.
Might others find this post helpful?