The Meaning of Psalms 1:3 Explained

Psalms 1:3

KJV: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

YLT: And he hath been as a tree, Planted by rivulets of water, That giveth its fruit in its season, And its leaf doth not wither, And all that he doth he causeth to prosper.

Darby: And he is as a tree planted by brooks of water, which giveth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf fadeth not; and all that he doeth prospereth.

ASV: And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he shall be like a tree  planted  by the rivers  of water,  that bringeth forth  his fruit  in his season;  his leaf  also shall not wither;  and whatsoever he doeth  shall prosper. 

What does Psalms 1:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

All who delight in and meditate on God"s law will prosper like a flourishing fruit tree (cf. Psalm 92:12-14). Their fruit will appear at the proper time, not necessarily immediately, and their general spiritual health, represented by the leaves, will be good. Usually the fruit God said He would produce in the lives of most Old Testament believers was physical prosperity (cf. Deuteronomy 28:1-14). The fruit a Christian bears is mainly a transformed character and godly conduct (cf. Galatians 5:22-23). In both cases it is God"s blessing on one"s words and works. His prosperity is from God"s viewpoint, not necessarily from the world"s.
The most important part of a tree is its hidden root system because it draws up water and nourishment that feeds the tree. Without a healthy root system a tree will die, and without a healthy "root system" a believer will wilt. Fruit, in biblical imagery, is what is visible to other people, not just what is hidden within a person. It is also what benefits other people, what others can take from us that nourishes them (cf. John 15:1-11). In contrast, leaves are what others simply see and admire.

Context Summary

Psalms 1:1-6 - The Two Ways And The Two Ends
Like a signpost, this psalm points the road to blessedness. The opening word may be read, "Oh, the blessedness!" The psalm begins with the same message as the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:1-48. Beneath the lintel of benediction we pass into the temple of praise.
Blessedness is obtainable in two ways: negatively, we may avoid the society of the irreligious; positively, we must enter the company of prophets and kings, of psalmists and historians, and especially of God Himself, speaking in Scripture. Do not simply read the Bible; meditate upon it. Better one verse really masticated than a whole chapter bolted.
The rewards are, to be planted by rivers, to bear fruit, and to prosper. See Genesis 39:3-4; Genesis 49:22. How blessed it is, also, to realize that God knows and loves! See Psalms 56:8. The sinner begins with ungodliness, goes on to scorning, and ends as chaff, Matthew 13:30. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 1

1  The happiness of the godly
4  The unhappiness of the ungodly

What do the individual words in Psalms 1:3 mean?

And He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water that its fruit brings forth in its season and Whose leaf not shall wither and whatever he does shall prosper
וְֽהָיָ֗ה כְּעֵץ֮ שָׁת֪וּל עַֽל־ פַּלְגֵ֫י מָ֥יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר פִּרְי֨וֹ ׀ יִתֵּ֬ן בְּעִתּ֗וֹ וְעָלֵ֥הוּ לֹֽא־ יִבּ֑וֹל וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־ יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה יַצְלִֽיחַ

וְֽהָיָ֗ה  And  He  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כְּעֵץ֮  like  a  tree 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
שָׁת֪וּל  Planted 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: שָׁתַל  
Sense: (Qal) to plant, transplant.
פַּלְגֵ֫י  the  rivers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: פֶּלֶג  
Sense: channel, canal.
מָ֥יִם  of  water 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
פִּרְי֨וֹ ׀  its  fruit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פְּרִי  
Sense: fruit.
יִתֵּ֬ן  brings  forth 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
בְּעִתּ֗וֹ  in  its  season 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
וְעָלֵ֥הוּ  and  Whose  leaf 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עָלֶה  
Sense: leaf, leafage.
יִבּ֑וֹל  shall  wither 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָבֵל 
Sense: to be senseless, be foolish.
אֲשֶׁר־  whatever 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה  he  does 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
יַצְלִֽיחַ  shall  prosper 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָלַח 
Sense: (Qal) to rush.