Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
All Commentaries on Psalms 1:1 Go To Psalms 1
Thomas Aquinas
AD 1274
This psalm stands out distinctly from all the rest of the work: for it does not have a title, but it is, as it were, the title of the entire work. But David also composed the Psalms by the mode of one who is praying, which does not hold to one mode, but is varied according to the diverse feelings and movements of the one who prays. Thus this first psalm expresses the feeling of a man who is lifting his eyes to the entire state of the world and considering how some do well, while others fail. And Christ is the first among the blessed ones; Adam the first among the evil ones. But it should be noted, that in one all come together, and in two they differ. They agree in happiness, which all seek; they differ in the way to happiness, and in the outcome, because some reach it, and others do not. Thus this psalm is divided in two parts. In the first part is described the way of all to happiness. In the second part is described the outcome, where it says, And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters etc. With respect to the first he does two things. First he touches upon the way of evil men. Second, the way of good men, where he says, But his will is in the law of the Lord etc. In the way of evil men, three things are to be considered. First, deliberation about sin, and this is in cogititation. Second, there is consent and execution. Third, inducing others to something similar, and this is the worst. First he presents the counsel of evil men, where he says Blessed is the man etc. He says, Who hath not walked, because as long as a man is deliberating, he is going. Second. he presents consent and execution, where he says: And in the way of sinners, that is, in operation; Proverbs 4:19 "The way of the wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall"; nor stood, that is, in consenting and operating. He says of the ungodly, because impiety is a sin against God, and of sinners, as against one's neighbour, and in the chair; behold the third, namely to induce others to sin. In a chair thus as an authoritative teacher, and teaching others to sin and therefore he says, pestilence, because a pestilence is an infective disease. Proverbs 29:8 "Corrupt men bring a city to ruin." Thus he who walks in this way is not happy, but only he who walks in the contrary way. The happiness of man is in God. Psalm 143:15 "Happy is that people whose God is the Lord" etc. Thus there is the right way to happiness, first that we should submit ourselves to God, and this is in two respects. First by the will to obey his commands; and thus he writes: But (his will is) in the law of the Lord; and this pertains in a special way to Christ. John 6:38 "I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me." The same may be said of each just person.
He says, in the law, meaning because of love, not as under the law because of fear. I Timothy 1:9 "The law is not made for the just man" etc. Second, through the understanding, by always meditating; and so he says: and on his law he shall meditate day and night, that is, continuously, or at certain hours of the day and night, or in prosperity and adversity.
