Not so the wicked!This phrase contrasts the fate of the wicked with that of the righteous, as described in the preceding verses. The righteous are like a tree planted by streams of water, symbolizing stability and prosperity. In contrast, the wicked do not enjoy such blessings. The term "wicked" refers to those who live in opposition to God's law and righteousness. Throughout the Bible, the wicked are often depicted as those who reject God's commandments and pursue their own desires (
Proverbs 4:14-19). This distinction between the righteous and the wicked is a recurring theme in Scripture, emphasizing the moral and spiritual divide between those who follow God and those who do not.
For they are like chaff
Chaff is the husk or outer shell of grain that is separated from the edible part during the threshing process. In ancient agricultural practices, chaff was considered worthless and was discarded. This imagery is used to describe the wicked as being without substance or value in the eyes of God. The metaphor of chaff is also found in other biblical passages, such asJob 21:18 andIsaiah 17:13, where it symbolizes the fleeting and insubstantial nature of the wicked. The use of agricultural imagery would have been familiar to the original audience, who lived in an agrarian society and understood the process of winnowing and the insignificance of chaff.
driven off by the wind.
The wind represents the forces that scatter and disperse the chaff, illustrating the instability and impermanence of the wicked. Unlike the righteous, who are firmly rooted and nourished, the wicked are easily swept away by the trials and judgments of life. This imagery is echoed in other parts of Scripture, such asHosea 13:3 andMatthew 3:12, where the wind or fire is used to depict divine judgment. The idea of being driven away by the wind also suggests a lack of direction and purpose, as the wicked are not anchored in God's truth. This phrase underscores the ultimate futility of a life lived apart from God, as the wicked will not stand in the judgment or have a place among the righteous (Psalm 1:5).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
The WickedIn the context of
Psalm 1, the wicked are those who do not follow God's law and live in opposition to His ways. They are contrasted with the righteous, who delight in the law of the Lord.
2.
ChaffChaff is the husk of grain that is separated and discarded during the winnowing process. It symbolizes worthlessness and instability, as it is easily blown away by the wind.
3.
The WindIn biblical imagery, the wind often represents forces of judgment or the transient nature of life. Here, it signifies the ease with which the wicked are scattered and their lack of permanence.
Teaching Points
The Transience of WickednessThe wicked may appear to prosper temporarily, but their success is fleeting. Like chaff, they lack substance and permanence.
The Importance of Righteous LivingIn contrast to the wicked, the righteous are rooted and stable, like a tree planted by streams of water. This highlights the importance of living according to God's Word.
Judgment and AccountabilityThe imagery of chaff being driven by the wind serves as a reminder of God's judgment. The wicked will not stand in the judgment, emphasizing the need for repentance and alignment with God's will.
The Value of Substance Over AppearanceChaff may look similar to grain but lacks its value. This teaches us to seek genuine righteousness rather than superficial appearances.
The Role of God's WordThe stability of the righteous is attributed to their delight in and meditation on God's law. This underscores the transformative power of Scripture in our lives.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Psalm 1:4?
2.How does Psalm 1:4 describe the wicked compared to the righteous?
3.What does "chaff" symbolize in Psalm 1:4, and why is it significant?
4.How can we avoid becoming like "chaff" as described in Psalm 1:4?
5.What other scriptures warn against the instability of the wicked?
6.How can Psalm 1:4 inspire us to pursue righteousness daily?
7.What does "the wicked are like chaff" mean in Psalm 1:4?
8.How does Psalm 1:4 contrast the righteous and the wicked?
9.What historical context influences the imagery in Psalm 1:4?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Psalm 1?
11.What does "chaff" mean in the Bible?
12.Why does Psalm 1:4–5 suggest the wicked will be swiftly judged when history and current events show corrupt individuals often thriving?
13.How can Psalm 1's vision of immediate justice be reconciled with biblical accounts like Job, where the righteous suffer while the wicked seem to prosper?
14.Psalm 68:1–2: How can the defeat of enemies described as “vanishing like smoke” be understood in light of historical or scientific plausibility?What Does Psalm 1:4 Mean
Not so the wicked!“Not so the wicked!” (Psalm 1:4a) snaps us back from the beautiful picture of the righteous in verses 1–3. The righteous delight in God’s law and are “like a tree planted by streams of water” (Psalm 1:3), but the wicked enjoy none of that stability or blessing.
• God draws a clear line between those who walk with Him and those who rebel (Malachi 3:18;Proverbs 14:32).
• The phrase underscores that everything said about fruitfulness, endurance, and prosperity does not apply to the wicked (Psalm 92:12–13).
• It also anticipates the sober truth of verse 5—that the wicked will not stand in God’s judgment (Psalm 5:5).
They are like chaff“for they are like chaff” (Psalm 1:4b). Chaff is the light, worthless husk removed from grain when it is threshed.
•Job 21:18 asks, “Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a storm?”—showing chaff as a symbol of emptiness.
•Isaiah 17:13 parallels this image: nations raging against God become “like chaff on the mountains before the wind.”
•Matthew 3:12 pictures Jesus gathering His wheat and “burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire,” reminding us that chaff is destined for destruction, not storage.
• Where the righteous tree has roots, chaff has no substance, no life, no value.
Driven off by the wind“driven off by the wind” (Psalm 1:4c). In ancient threshing, farmers tossed grain into the air so the breeze carried the chaff away.
•Psalm 35:5 prays, “May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away,” showing that God Himself directs the scattering.
•Hosea 13:3 says the rebellious “will be like chaff swirling from the threshing floor,” emphasizing their fleeting existence.
•James 1:6 warns that doubters are “like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind,” a New-Testament echo of rootless instability.
• The wind is God’s instrument of judgment (Isaiah 41:16), sweeping away what has no weight of righteousness.
summaryPsalm 1:4 paints the wicked as the exact opposite of the rooted, flourishing righteous. They lack substance, worth, and permanence. Like chaff, they are weightless before God, easily scattered by His sovereign wind and ultimately destined for destruction.
(4)
The ungodly.--Better,
Not so the ungodly.But are like.--They shall be winnowed out of the society of the true Israel by the fan of God's judgment. The image is a striking one, although so frequent as almost to have become a poetical commonplace (Habakkuk 3:12;Joel 3:14;Jeremiah 51:33;Isaiah 21:10). (SeeBible Educator,iv. 4.)
Verse 4. -
The ungodly are not so; or, the
wicked (see the comment on ver. 1.
But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. "Chaff" is used throughout Scripture as an emblem of what is weak and worthless (see
Job 21:18;
Psalm 35:5;
Isaiah 5:24;
Isaiah 17:13;
Isaiah 29:5;
Isaiah 33:11;
Isaiah 41:15;
Jeremiah 23:28;
Daniel 2:35;
Hosea 13:3;
Zephaniah 2:2;
Matthew 3:12;
Luke 3:17). In ancient times it was considered of no value at all, and when corn was winnowed, it was thrown up in the air until the wind had blown all the chaff away (see the representation in the author's 'History of Ancient Egypt,' vol. 1. p. 163).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Notלֹא־(lō-)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nosoכֵ֥ן(ḵên)Adverb
Strong's 3651:So -- thusthe wicked!הָרְשָׁעִ֑ים(hā·rə·šā·‘îm)Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7563:Wrong, an, bad personForכִּ֥י(kî)Conjunction
Strong's 3588:A relative conjunction[they are]אִם־(’im-)Conjunction
Strong's 518:Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, notlike chaffכַּ֝מֹּ֗ץ(kam·mōṣ)Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4671:Chaff, threshed loose)driven offתִּדְּפֶ֥נּוּ(tid·də·p̄en·nū)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5086:To shove asunder, disperseby the wind.רֽוּחַ׃(rū·aḥ)Noun - common singular
Strong's 7307:Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit
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OT Poetry: Psalm 1:4 The wicked are not so (Psalm Ps Psa.) 
