Planted (Psalm 1:1-3): Meaning, Reflection and Prayer

What does “Planted” mean in Psalm 1:1-3?

The Hebrew word for meditate suggests murmuring or repeating quietly. The psalm compares a person who does this with Scripture to a tree planted by streams of water.

Going deeper

The psalm begins by naming what the blessed person avoids, and then what they love: his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Meditate here means to murmur and to turn a passage over. The result is a picture: 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. A tree by a river does not worry in a dry season, because its roots reach the water.

This is not a promise that life will be easy, since even planted trees face storms. It is a picture of stability and fruit over time. Consider how you could put down deeper roots in God's word. Choose a short passage and repeat it through the day, a line at a time. Let it be something you carry, like a stream at your roots. Over the seasons, it will bear fruit in your character and your service.