Psalm 1:5 kjv
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Psalm 1:5 nkjv
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Psalm 1:5 niv
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
Psalm 1:5 esv
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
Psalm 1:5 nlt
They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
Psalm 1 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 5:5 | The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity. | Ungodly cannot stand before God. |
| Psa 15:1-5 | O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? ... | Conditions for dwelling with God. |
| Psa 24:3-4 | Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart... | Moral prerequisites for God's presence. |
| Psa 75:7 | But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another. | God's sovereign role in judgment. |
| Prov 2:21-22 | For the upright will dwell in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; But the wicked will be cut off... | Fate of righteous and wicked. |
| Prov 11:4 | Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. | Righteousness as defense in judgment. |
| Isa 3:10-11 | Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them... Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him... | Contrastive destinies. |
| Nah 1:3 | The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked... | God's justice in not acquitting the wicked. |
| Mal 3:2 | But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? | Impending divine judgment. |
| Dan 12:2 | And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. | Resurrection to judgment. |
| Mt 13:41-43 | The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. | Separation in final judgment. |
| Mt 25:32-33 | All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. | Universal judgment and separation. |
| Lk 21:36 | Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. | Readiness to stand before Christ. |
| Jn 5:22-29 | For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son... | Christ's role as judge. |
| Acts 17:31 | because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. | Appointed day of judgment. |
| Rom 2:6-8 | who "will render to each one according to his deeds": eternal life to those... tribulation and anguish to every human being who does evil. | Judgment according to deeds. |
| 2 Cor 5:10 | For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body... | Accountability at Christ's judgment seat. |
| Gal 5:21 | ...those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. | Exclusion from God's kingdom. |
| Eph 5:5 | For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. | Specific sins leading to exclusion. |
| Heb 10:30-31 | For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. | Fear of divine judgment. |
| Rev 20:11-15 | Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it... And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God... | The final great white throne judgment. |
| Rev 21:27 | But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. | Exclusion from the Holy City. |
Psalm 1 verses
Psalm 1 5 Meaning
Psalm 1:5 proclaims the ultimate separation and judgment awaiting the ungodly and sinners. It declares that those who oppose God's ways will not endure, be acquitted, or stand vindicated in the divine court of judgment. Furthermore, they will not be permitted to associate with, or be counted among, the community of the righteous in God's presence, signifying eternal exclusion from God's people and fellowship.
Psalm 1 5 Context
Psalm 1 introduces a foundational contrast between two distinct paths of life: the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. Verses 1-3 describe the blessedness and prosperity of the one who delights in God's law. In stark opposition, verse 4 describes the wicked as worthless chaff blown away by the wind, transient and insubstantial. Psalm 1:5 then serves as the logical conclusion and inevitable outcome of the wicked's transient nature, building directly upon their description in the preceding verse. Historically, the psalm reflects Israel's understanding of divine justice, communal purity, and the covenantal relationship, where obedience led to blessing and disobedience to judgment and exclusion from God's sacred assembly. It highlights the deeply intertwined concepts of righteous living and communal acceptance under God's watchful eye.
Psalm 1 5 Word analysis
- Therefore (לָכֵן - lakhen): This word functions as a strong logical connector, indicating that what follows is a direct and inevitable consequence of what has just been stated. It ties the fate described in this verse directly back to the nature of the wicked depicted in Psalm 1:4 as "chaff which the wind drives away."
- the ungodly (רְשָׁעִים - r'sha'im): This term refers to the "wicked" or "guilty ones." In biblical thought, the ungodly are not merely non-religious; they are actively hostile to or unconcerned with God and His moral standards, often characterized by a disregard for justice and truth, acting contrary to the Divine will.
- shall not stand (לֹא־יָקֻמוּ - lo yakumu): From the root qum, meaning "to stand, rise, endure, establish oneself." In a judicial context, "to stand" means to be acquitted, vindicated, or to hold one's ground against accusation. "Shall not stand" emphatically means they will be unable to withstand scrutiny, they will be condemned, found guilty, and thus unable to maintain their position or integrity.
- in the judgment (בַּמִּשְׁפָּט - bam-mishpat): Refers to a divine verdict or legal proceeding, a "court" of justice. This is not simply a human judgment but the ultimate, righteous, and inescapable judgment by God Himself.
- nor sinners (וְחַטָּאִים - v'chatta'im): A parallel term to "ungodly," sometimes specifically implying those who miss the mark, err, or transgress God's commands. Its use here reinforces the inclusive condemnation of all who do not align with God's righteousness, emphasizing active wrongdoing.
- in the congregation (בַּעֲדַת - ba'adat): "Congregation" (from edah) refers to an assembly, a gathered community, especially the community of Israel convened before God or for sacred purposes. It signifies the collective body of God's covenant people.
- of the righteous (צַדִּיקִים - tzaddiqim): Refers to those who are "just, righteous, upright," aligning with God's character and commandments. They are characterized by integrity, faithfulness, and adherence to the covenant.
Words-group analysis:
- "Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment": This phrase delivers the inescapable divine verdict. The inherent nature and actions of the wicked prevent them from being justified or escaping condemnation when God brings His justice to bear. Their transience (v.4) directly leads to their condemnation (v.5a).
- "nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous": This clause elaborates on the separation, not only a legal condemnation but also a communal exclusion. It implies that the unrighteous cannot belong to God's chosen community. They lack the moral and spiritual qualifications to share in the blessings and fellowship of God's redeemed people, whether in this life's assembly or in the eschatological community.
Psalm 1 5 Bonus section
The strong imagery of "standing" in a judicial context connects this verse to the broader biblical concept of "justification." To "stand" before God implies being found innocent or righteous, which, in New Testament theology, is granted to believers through faith in Christ. Conversely, the inability of the ungodly to stand highlights their state of condemnation and the absence of such justification. The exclusion from the "congregation of the righteous" can be understood both as present disfellowshipping from the spiritual assembly on earth and ultimately, the eternal exclusion from the New Jerusalem, the dwelling place of God and His people (Rev 21:27). The Psalm is not just about human behavior but God's active role in judging and segregating based on these behaviors, ensuring the final triumph of His righteous order.
Psalm 1 5 Commentary
Psalm 1:5 serves as a solemn warning and a clear declaration of divine justice, building upon the contrast established in the preceding verses. The verse emphatically asserts that the fundamental distinction between the wicked and the righteous culminates in two critical outcomes: the judicial condemnation of the wicked and their irreversible separation from God's true community.
"Shall not stand in the judgment" vividly portrays the absolute inability of the ungodly to withstand God's righteous scrutiny. Unlike the tree-like righteous individual, firmly rooted (Ps 1:3), the wicked, depicted as "chaff" (Ps 1:4), have no substance to endure the divine test. Their ungodly lives will collapse under the weight of God's holiness. This judgment is not a mere human evaluation but God's definitive declaration of guilt and accountability for those who choose a path contrary to Him.
Furthermore, "nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous" clarifies that this separation extends beyond just a legal ruling to a social and spiritual exclusion. The "congregation of the righteous" symbolizes the true people of God, those living in accordance with His ways and enjoying His presence. Sinners, by their very nature and choices, are fundamentally incompatible with this holy community. They will have no part in its fellowship, its blessings, or its eternal dwelling with God. This underlines a profound theological truth: there is an irreconcilable difference between those who follow God and those who reject Him, a distinction that will ultimately manifest in eternal destiny and fellowship.
This verse offers a crucial lesson: choices made in this life—to walk in God's ways or to defy them—have eternal ramifications for one's standing before God and one's inclusion in His eternal family. It challenges believers to live righteously, and warns the wicked of their coming demise, serving as a reminder that the character formed on earth determines destiny in eternity.