LISTEN
New American Standard Bible:
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
New Living Translation:
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.
New King James Version:
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
New International Version:
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
Amplified Bible:
Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers).
Context:
To begin this marvelous book of poetry, the psalmist provides a list of things that godly people should avoid.
Observations:
We are not to walk in the counsel of the wicked, which means we shouldn’t plan our lives based on things not of God.
We are not to stand in the way of sinners, which means we shouldn’t dwell around wicked people or get in their way.
We are also not to sit in the seat of scoffers, which means we should hang around those who mock God and mock others.
Staying away from these activities comes with a blessing.
Application:
We should want to live a blessed life and obtain favor with God. The psalmist gives us direction on how we can do that in this verse.
