Psalms 1:4-6
Like Chaff in the Wind
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
The second half of the first Psalm draws a sharp contrast between the godly and the ungodly. "The ungodly are not so." The ungodly were used in verse one to represent the least offensive of the sinners. Even these least objectionable persons will not be like the godly person. They will not experience the spiritual growth and blessings that bring joy to the godly. No degree of sin is acceptable to God, no matter how small it may be.
The ungodly are like the chaff. The chaff is the husk and fine particles of straw that fall from the grain when it is threshed. Until the harvest, these useless parts of the grain remain attached to the good parts and enjoy the same material blessings given to the rest of the plant. Similarly, the ungodly live among God's people and benefit from the same material blessings. The godly are even instructed to love them. "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:44-45)
The day of harvest will inevitably come, however, and the chaff will fall away from the grain. The chaff has little substance and is light enough to be blown away by even a gentle breeze, but some translate the verse to say that they shall be driven away by a whirlwind. In other words the chaff has no chance.
The ungodly will be separated from the godly in God's day of harvest. The ungodly are spiritually dead, unable to produce anything good, and of no value to God. They have as much chance of staying with the harvest as the chaff in a whirlwind.
Then comes the judgment. The ungodly will not stand. Their sins will neither be excused nor forgiven. There will be no acceptable defense for them in God's court and they will have no legal standing there. The great congregation that is assembled before the throne of God will have all of the blessings that come with being in His presence and being one with Him. What a victorious day that will be for His people, but there will not be one sinner in the crowd.
The congregation is made up of the righteous, but there is none righteous, no not one. Only they, whose righteousness is given to them as the gift of grace through Jesus Christ, will be there. They will wear His righteousness to stand before the throne of the Father. This is the righteousness with which God is familiar. He knows its ways, understands its intentions, and loves its purity, because it comes from Him.
The self-righteous ways of the sinner are foreign to God. His ways are not their ways. They stand opposed to one another and cannot coexist. The way of the sinner is the weaker of the two and it shall be destroyed.
Before The Throne:
Pray that God would cover you in the righteousness of Jesus. Confess that there is no good in you except what Jesus can place there. Praise Him for allowing you to stand in the congregation of the righteous. Thank Him for all of the many blessings that He has given you. Pray that He would grant you the wisdom and strength to keep all sin at a distance until the day that Jesus comes to claim you.
For Further Study:
(v.4) ** like. Psa 35:5; Job 21:18; Isa 17:13; 29:5; Hos 13:3; Mt 3:12;
(v.5) ** shall. Psa 5:5; 24:3; Luk 21:36; Jude 1:15; ** sinners. Psa 26:9; Mal 3:18; Mat 13:49; 25:32,41,46;
(v.6) ** knoweth. Psa 37:18-24; 139:1,2; 142:3; Job 23:10; Nahum 1:7; John 10:14,27; 2Tim 2:19; ** way. Psa 112:10; 146:9; Prov 14:12; 15:9; Mat 7:13; 2Pet 2:12;
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
The second half of the first Psalm draws a sharp contrast between the godly and the ungodly. "The ungodly are not so." The ungodly were used in verse one to represent the least offensive of the sinners. Even these least objectionable persons will not be like the godly person. They will not experience the spiritual growth and blessings that bring joy to the godly. No degree of sin is acceptable to God, no matter how small it may be.
The ungodly are like the chaff. The chaff is the husk and fine particles of straw that fall from the grain when it is threshed. Until the harvest, these useless parts of the grain remain attached to the good parts and enjoy the same material blessings given to the rest of the plant. Similarly, the ungodly live among God's people and benefit from the same material blessings. The godly are even instructed to love them. "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:44-45)
The day of harvest will inevitably come, however, and the chaff will fall away from the grain. The chaff has little substance and is light enough to be blown away by even a gentle breeze, but some translate the verse to say that they shall be driven away by a whirlwind. In other words the chaff has no chance.
The ungodly will be separated from the godly in God's day of harvest. The ungodly are spiritually dead, unable to produce anything good, and of no value to God. They have as much chance of staying with the harvest as the chaff in a whirlwind.
Then comes the judgment. The ungodly will not stand. Their sins will neither be excused nor forgiven. There will be no acceptable defense for them in God's court and they will have no legal standing there. The great congregation that is assembled before the throne of God will have all of the blessings that come with being in His presence and being one with Him. What a victorious day that will be for His people, but there will not be one sinner in the crowd.
The congregation is made up of the righteous, but there is none righteous, no not one. Only they, whose righteousness is given to them as the gift of grace through Jesus Christ, will be there. They will wear His righteousness to stand before the throne of the Father. This is the righteousness with which God is familiar. He knows its ways, understands its intentions, and loves its purity, because it comes from Him.
The self-righteous ways of the sinner are foreign to God. His ways are not their ways. They stand opposed to one another and cannot coexist. The way of the sinner is the weaker of the two and it shall be destroyed.
Before The Throne:
Pray that God would cover you in the righteousness of Jesus. Confess that there is no good in you except what Jesus can place there. Praise Him for allowing you to stand in the congregation of the righteous. Thank Him for all of the many blessings that He has given you. Pray that He would grant you the wisdom and strength to keep all sin at a distance until the day that Jesus comes to claim you.
For Further Study:
(v.4) ** like. Psa 35:5; Job 21:18; Isa 17:13; 29:5; Hos 13:3; Mt 3:12;
(v.5) ** shall. Psa 5:5; 24:3; Luk 21:36; Jude 1:15; ** sinners. Psa 26:9; Mal 3:18; Mat 13:49; 25:32,41,46;
(v.6) ** knoweth. Psa 37:18-24; 139:1,2; 142:3; Job 23:10; Nahum 1:7; John 10:14,27; 2Tim 2:19; ** way. Psa 112:10; 146:9; Prov 14:12; 15:9; Mat 7:13; 2Pet 2:12;
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