Thomas Aquinas

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.

In this part he describes the outcome of happiness: and first he sets forth its diversity; second he assigns the reason for it, where he says: For the Lord knoweth etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the outcome of good men, second, that of evil men, where he says: not so the wicked, etc. Concerning the outcome of good men he uses a similarity; and first he sets it forth, then he shows how it is appropriate, where he writes: And all whatsoever he shall do etc. The similarity is taken from a tree, in which three things are considered, namely, planting, bearing of fruit, and conservation. For planting, one needs earth moistened by the waters, otherwise the tree dries up, and so he says: which is planted near the running waters, that is, next to the streams of graces, John 7:38 "He that believeth in me (as the scripture saith) out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." And he who has roots next to this water will bear fruit in doing good works; and this is what follows: which shall bring forth its fruit. Galatians 5:22 "The fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace, and patience, long-suffering, goodness, benignity" etc. In due season, that is, just when it is time to act. Galatians 6:10 "Whilst we have time, let us work good to all men." But it does not dry up, but rather is kept alive. Some trees are kept alive in their underlying substance, but not in the leaves, and others are also kept alive in their leaves: so also the just, whence he says: and his leaf shall not fall off that is, he will not be deserted by God even in the smallest exterior works. Proverbs 11:28 "But the just shall spring up as a green leaf."

Then when he says, And all, he shows how the similarity applies: because the blessed prosper in all things, and this is when they achieve the intended end with respect to all that they desire, because the just attain blessedness. Psalm 117:25 "O Lord, save me: O Lord, give good success" etc. The outcome of evil men is the contrary, and this is described where he says: Not so etc. He does two things with regard to this. First he sets forth a similarity, then he shows its fittingness, where he says: The (wicked) shall not rise again. But note that here he repeats the words "not so" twice, for the sake of greater certainty. Genesis 41:32 "That thou didst see the second time...is a token of the certainty." Or not so do they act in their way, and so not so do they receive in their outcome. Luke 16:25 "Thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted; and thou art tormented." They are compared properly to dust, because dust has three things that are said of the just man; that dust does not stick to the earth, but it is on the surface, but a planted tree has roots. Again a tree is held together in itself, and it is moist; but dust is divided, dry and arid; through this we have a sign that good men are united like a tree by charity. Psalm 117:27 "Appoint a solemn day, with shady boughs, even to the horn of the altar": but evil men are divided: Proverbs 13:10 "Among the proud there are always contentions." Again, good men cling as with roots in spiritual things and divine goods, but evil men are sustained in exterior goods. Again, they are without the water of grace, Genesis 3:19 "For dust thou art" etc.And so all their malice flows away. Luke 21:18 "A hair of your head shall not perish." But of these evil men it is said that they are totally driven from the face, that is, from superficial goods; the wind, that is tribulation, driveth them from the face of the earth. Job 4:8 "I have seen those who work iniquity, and sow sorrows, and reap them, perishing by the blast of God, and consumed by the spirit of his wrath." Then he makes the similarity fit, where he says, The wicked shall not rise again, because they are dust. But, on the other hand, 2 Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ." Again, 1 Corinthians 15:51 "We shall all indeed rise again." In this regard, we should say that this can be read in two ways. A man is properly said to rise in judgment, when his cause is supported by the sentence of a judge. Those men, then, do not rise, because in judgment the sentence is not in their favor, but rather against them: hence another reading says: They will not be made to stand. With good men it is thus: although they are afflicted by the sin of the first parent, yet they have a sentence in their favor. Nor (do) sinners congregate in the council of the just: because good men are gathered together for eternal life, to which evil men are not admitted. Or it may be said, that this is understood of the reparation of justice, to which they make reparation in their own judgment. 1 Corinthians 11:31 "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." And in this respect he says: The wicked will not rise again in judgment, that is in the proper judgment, of which it is said in Ephesians 5:14 "Rise thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead: and Christ shall enlighten you." Some men are restored by the advice of the good, and in this respect evil men still do not rise from sin. But the wicked, that is unfaithful men, shall not rise again in judgment, that of discussion, and examination, because according to Gregory some are condemned without being judged, such as the unfaithful. Some will not be judged, nor will they be condemned, namely the Apostles and perfect men. Some are judged and condemned, namely evil men who have faith. In this way, then, men with faith do not rise in the judgment of discussion to be examined. John 3:18 "He that doth not believe, is already judged." Sinners, however, will not rise in the council of the just, that is, to be judged and yet not condemned. Then he gives the reason why such do not rise in judgment: For the Lord knoweth etc. In proper terms he is saying: because when someone knows that something is lost, he has it replaced; when he does not know, he does not have it replaced. The just are dissolved by death, but still God knows them; 2 Timothy 2:19 "God knoweth who are his." He knows them with a knowledge of approval, and so they are restored. But because he does not know the way of the wicked by a knowledge of approval, therefore the way of the wicked shall perish. Psalm 118:176 "I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost: seek thy servant, because I have not forgotten thy commandments". Psalm 34:6 "Let their way become dark and slippery" etc.