From The Accordance Shelf (FTAS) - Expositor's Bible Commentary, Abridged

[Daniel Francis]

 

This is my last planned FTAS, but I would like to encourage everyone to take up their own FTAS on a favourite work you feel may be overlooked.

 

For my third From The Accordance Shelf (FTAS) I turn back to another title from Zondervan. You may well be aware of the award winning Expositor's Bible Commentary, but the EBC Abridged gives you  all the essential information and practical insights of the original twelve-volume set while trimming off cumbersome technical details. For years I rarely recommended this because the 12 volume set use to be priced so inexpensively. But times have changed and I will admit this set gives you a very nice resource at a very affordable price. Accordance’s version has not been seriously updated for a while so the G/K numbers are not hyper linked like more modern resources but this minor flaw does not take away from the quality of this work.  If you are from the evangelical spectrum of faith or want to have a solid commentary from that view point I encourage you to look at this one. The editors have done a remarkable job in giving us the best of the authors words. 

 

I think the best thing to give you a comparative example of EBCa and EBC I have chose Psalm 1 to compare. And while the full 12 volume set offers more the EBCa distills down all that information, offering the most important information in a concise form.

 

 

 

 

Psalm 1: God’s Blessing on the Godly

 

I. The Discriminating Way of the Godly (1:1-2)

II. The Future of the Godly and the Wicked Contrasted (1:3-5)

III. The Discriminating Way of God (1:6)

 

The first psalm with its pronouncement of blessing on all who respond in fidelity to the God of the covenant appropriately introduces the book of Psalms. The placing of this psalm is significant because it both invites and encourages God’s people to live godly lives. It also provides the assurance that the righteous will be rewarded and that, in the end, God “knows the way of the righteous.” The first psalm sets the tone for the entire Psalter because of its concern for God, for godly living, and for the hope of the godly in the realization of the promises of the covenant.

Psalm 1 is a wisdom psalm and shares many features common to the book of Proverbs and to other psalms designated as wisdom psalms (34; 37; 49; 73; 111-12; 119; 127-28; 133). Psalm 1 holds forth the blessedness of godliness and encourages wisdom as the way of life.

 

I. The Discriminating Way of the Godly (1:1-2)

 

1 The opening phrase of the psalm is an appropriate introduction to the book of Psalms. The formula “Blessed is the man” evokes joy and gratitude, as man may live in fellowship with his God. The word “happy” is a good rendition of “blessed” (GK H897), provided one keeps in mind that the condition of “bliss” is not merely a feeling. Even when the righteous do not feel happy, they are still considered “blessed” from God’s perspective. Such happiness is promoted by two kinds of activities: dissociation from the wicked and association with and devotion to God. The godly do not (1) walk in the counsel of the wicked, (2) stand in the way of sinners, or (3) sit in the seat of mockers. Rather, they reflect on the Lord in their walking, standing, and sitting (cf. Dt 6:7). The parallelism is synonymous and profoundly portrays the totality of evil.

In contrast, the “mockers” (GK H4370) have no regard for God and his commandments. They do not respond to instruction (Pr 9:7; Pr 15:12) but stir up strife by their insults (22:10). Thus the way of folly entails a devotion to self and to the group in all areas of life.

 

2 The righteous are positively identified by their association with “the law of the LORD.” The “law” (torah; GK H9368) signifies primarily instruction that comes from God for the purpose of helping us to live in harmony with God’s will. The believer’s delight is not only in knowing, studying, and memorizing the Word of God but especially in doing God’s will.

“Delight” (GK H2914) expresses all that makes the child of God happy. The law is more than a delight; it is the believer’s chief desire. The fear of the Lord, as the beginning of wisdom, is expressed as a delight in God’s law (112:1). The delight of the godly in doing God’s will on earth (Mt 6:10) is the result of a special relationship with the Lord.

The godly person “meditates” (GK H2047) on the law of God day and night. Since the Bible was generally not available to God’s people, they memorized and meditated on the word (cf. 119:11), the perfections of the Lord (63:6), and his mighty acts (77:12; 143:5). The one who meditates continually reflects God’s word in life.

 

II. The Future of the Godly and the Wicked Contrasted (1:3-5)

 

3 The happiness of the godly is likened to a tree. Unlike trees growing wild or planted in the fields, where the amount of rainfall varies, the tree the psalmist envisions has been planted purposely by irrigation canals.

The imagery of leaves and fruit assures the godly that they will receive God’s blessing and will enjoy life as a gift of God (cf. Eze 47:12). The “prosperity” of the righteous is God’s blessing on their words and works (cf. 90:14-17). The psalmist thus encourages the godly to pursue the way of wisdom. The prosperity of the righteous—guaranteed or limited to the godly—is a gift of God, a by-product of wise living.

 

4-5 How different is the end of the wicked! The metaphor of chaff reveals both the uselessness of the wicked and the ease with which God will deal with them. Even as the winnower casts the chaff to the afternoon breeze, so the Lord will drive away the wicked.

The end of the wicked may not be clear while they are alive, but from God’s perspective they have no future. They cannot withstand the judgment of God. They are judged by being alienated from the congregation of the righteous, i.e., those who have a relationship with God and enjoy his presence—both now and in the life to come.

 

III. The Discriminating Way of God (1:6)

 

6 The reason for the certainty of the judgment lies in God’s knowledge of the affairs of humankind. God’s “knowledge” is a deep commitment to, love for, and care of his own; hence the translation “the LORD watches over.” The Lord offers no protection to those who are not reconciled to him; rather, their end is destruction (cf. Mt 7:23; cf. vv. 15-27).

 

Kenneth L. Barker and John R. Kohlenberger, eds. Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), paragraph 10702.

 

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And here is the original 12 volume set with it’s notes.

 

I. The Discriminating Way of the Godly (1:1-2)

 

 

1 The opening phrase of the psalm (“Blessed is the man”) is an appropriate introduction to the Book of Psalms. The Psalms encourage individuals as well as the community of God’s people to live for God’s glory. The formula “Blessed is the man” evokes joy and gratitude, as man may live in fellowship with his God. Blessedness is not deserved; it is a gift of God. God declares sinners to be righteous and freely grants them newness of life in which he protects them from the full effects of the world under judgment (Gen 3:15-19). Outside of God’s blessing, man is “cursed” and ultimately leads a meaningless life (Eccl 1:2). The word “happy” is a good rendition of “blessed” (‘ashre), provided one keeps in mind that the condition of “bliss” is not merely a feeling. Even when the righteous do not feel happy, they are still considered “blessed” from God’s perspective. He bestows this gift on them. Neither negative feelings nor adverse conditions can take his blessing away.

The blessing of God rested on Abraham (Gen 12:3) and was incorporated into the Abrahamic and Sinaitic covenants (Gen 17:2-16; Deut 7:13; 28:3-6). For the godly blessing is both the experience and the anticipation of the fulfillment of God’s promises (cf. Deut 30:15-20). Since man’s being is both physical and spiritual (Gen 2:7), God’s blessings extend to the whole person (cf. Pss 34, 127).

While man’s “happiness” is a free gift of God, it must be promoted by two kinds of activities: dissociation from the wicked and association with God (v.2). Dissociation is brought out by means of three negative sentences. The godly man does not (1) walk (halak) in the counsel of the wicked, (2) stand (‘amad) in the way of sinners, or (3) sit (yashab) in the seat of mockers; rather, he reflects on the Lord in his walking, standing, and sitting (cf. Deut 6:7; see Gunnel Andre, “‘Walk’, ‘Stand’, and ‘Sit,’ in Psalm i 1-2,” VetTest 32 [1982]: 327; cf. Stefan C. Reif, “Ibn Ezra on Psalm I 1-2,” VetTest 34 [1984]: 232-36).

The perfect mood of the verbs in each case emphasizes that the godly are never involved with anything tainted with evil (Jouon, par. 112d). These three descriptions do not represent three kinds of activities of the wicked or a climactic development from walking to sitting or an intensification in the depraved activities of the wicked. Instead, the parallelism is synonymous and profoundly portrays the totality of evil. For a contrastive use of complete loyalty to the Lord, see Deuteronomy 6:7.

There are two possible translations of ‘asat resha‘im : “counsel of the wicked” (NIV) and “council of the wicked” (Dahood, Psalms 1:1-2). The context does not determine the meaning because both meanings are possible. The usage of the phrase elsewhere (“schemes [counsel] of the wicked,” Job 10:3; 21:16) and of similar phrases (“the plans [counsel] of the nations,” Ps 33:10; “the advice [counsel][of] the elders,” 2 Chronicles 10:8, 13) is in favor of the traditional translation: “counsel.” The emphasis lies on the folly of the wicked rather than on the act of meeting as a deliberative body. Their whole “way” (derek) is corrupt. The “way” is a common metaphor for “manner of life” (TDOT, 3:284-86; TWOT, 1:196-97). The psalm contrasts the two ways: the way of sinners and the way of the righteous (v.6).

The “mockers” (lesim) have no regard for God and his commandments. The mocker is a fool in the language of wisdom (Prov 9:8; 14:6). He does not respond to instruction (9:7; 15:12) but stirs up strife by his insults (22:10). He delights in mocking (1:22). Thus the way of folly is comprehensive as it entails a devotion to self and to the group in all areas of life.

In contrast the godly in their walking, lying down, and getting up—whether at home or along the road—are devoted to the Lord (Deut 6:7; cf. Josh 1:7-8). In all their activities they keep distant from the ungodly, lest they get under their influence. They carefully guard themselves in their family, business, and social relations as they set the terms of their relations, while being polite and gracious (cf. Prov 25:21-22; 1 Cor 5:9-13; 2 John 10-11).

 

 

2 The righteous man is positively identified by his association with “the law of the LORD.” The “law” is not to be limited to the Five Books of Moses or even to the OT as a whole. The Hebrew word torah (“law”) signifies primarily instruction that comes from God (see the appendix to Ps 19: The Word of God). This is the distinctive difference between revelation and religion (J. Ellul, A Living Faith tr. Peter Heinegg [san Francisco: Harper & Row, 1983], pp. 111-25). Revelation comes from God for the purpose of helping man to live in harmony with God’s will, whereas religion is man’s attempt to order his path and to explain the world around him. The godly in every age live in accordance with revelation. The contents of the revelation may vary, and Christians may dispute how the OT laws relate to the church today; but there should be an earnest search for and delight in doing the will of God as set forth in Jesus’ teaching (Matt 6:10; 12:50; 1 John 3:11-24; 5:2-3; see T.E. McComiskey, The Covenants of Promise. A Theology of the Old Testament Covenants [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1985], pp. 66-80).

The psalmist does not speak here about the deadening effects of the law but of its life-giving aspects. Life responds to life, and spirit responds to spirit; so it is with the new life of the believer as he responds joyfully to the living God and to the Spirit who has inspired his word. The believer’s delight is not only in knowing, studying, and memorizing the Word of God but especially in doing God’s will, rather than being deceived by the wicked. C.S. Lewis incisively observed, “The Law’s beauty, sweetness, or preciousness, arose from the contrast of the surrounding Paganism, we may soon find occasion to recover it. Christians increasingly live on a spiritual island” (“Sweeter than Honey,” in Reflections on the Psalms, p. 64).

“Delight” (hepso) expresses all that makes the man of God happy. The law is more than his delight; it is his chief desire. The fear of the Lord, as the beginning of wisdom, is expressed as a delight in God’s law (112:1; cf. Isa 58:13-14) and not only in pious words or a good feeling about God (cf. TWOT, 1:148-49).

In the wisdom literature the way of torah signifies the adherence to, as well as the enjoyment and application of, God’s will to everyday life. The delight of the godly in doing God’s will on earth (Matt 6:10) is the result of a special relationship with the Lord.

The godly man “meditates” (hagah) in the law of God day and night. The verb hagah is onomatopoeic (TWOT, 1:205); i.e., in its basic meaning (“to murmur” or “mutter”), it alludes to the sound of animals (Isa 31:4; 38:14) or a moaning noise (Isa 16:7). Since the Bible, in part or as a whole, was generally not available to God’s people, they memorized and “pondered” the word (cf. 119:11), the perfections of the Lord (63:6), and his mighty acts (77:12; 143:5). The alternation of the perfect (v.1) and imperfect (v.2) brings up the habitual aspect of reflection on God’s word (Jouon, par. 112d). The one who meditates continually reflects God’s word in life. H. Ringgren writes that study and practice blend into one: “The zealous study of the law which results in being filled with the will of Yahweh and the doing of his commandments” (TDOT, 3:323).

Meditation is not the setting apart of a special time for personal devotions, whether morning or evening, but it is the reflection on the Word of God in the course of daily activities (Josh 1:8). Regardless of the time of day or the context, the godly respond to life in accordance with God’s word. Even where the word is not explicit, the godly person has trained his heart to speak and act with wisdom (Prov 1:1-7). According to Proverbs 3:1-6, the wise man receives instruction (torah), writes it on his heart, and wholeheartedly trusts in the Lord with all his heart in all his daily activities. The psalmist exclaims how he loves the law of God because its commandments make him wiser than his enemies and lead him to greater insight and understanding than that of his teachers and elders (119:97-100). On the connection between wisdom and the law of Moses, see Eichrodt, TOT, 2:344-49; Joseph Blenkinsopp, Wisdom and Law in the Old Testament: The Ordering of Life in Israel and Early Judaism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1983); Childs, OTTC, pp. 210-14.

 

 

 

II. The Future of the Godly and the Wicked Contrasted (1:3-5)

 

 

3 The happiness of the godly is likened to a tree. The tree is a familiar metaphor for the blessed life of the godly (Jer 17:7-8). In the wisdom literature the tree is a metaphor for wisdom itself (Prov 3:18); and the wise man is likened to a tree of life in that his speech and activities are life-giving and restorative (Prov 11:30; 15:4). Unlike trees growing wild in wadis or planted in the fields, where the amount of rainfall varies, the tree the psalmist envisions has been planted purposely by irrigation canals (palge mayim “streams of water”), artificial water-channels made for the purpose of irrigation (cf. Prov 21:1; Eccl 2:5-6; Isa 30:25).

The imagery of the leaves and the fruit assure the godly that they will receive God’s blessing and will enjoy life as a gift of God (cf. Ezek 47:12). True to the language used in wisdom literature, the godly are characterized by the success the Lord sends their way. The “prosperity” of the righteous does not necessarily extend to the assurance of great wealth but primarily to God’s blessing on their words and works (cf. 90:14-17). The psalmist thus encourages the godly to pursue the way of wisdom. The wise man is characterized by success. Nevertheless, the psalm does not encourage a success-oriented faith. The godly do not seek success for its own sake, but they do receive a measure of blessing on their lives. The prosperity of the righteous—guaranteed or limited to the godly—is a gift of God, a by-product of wise living; cf. Joseph (Gen 39:2-3, 23), Joshua (1:8), Solomon (2 Chronicles 1:11-12), and Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:30). But success is not an infallible token of God’s presence, for the wicked may also prosper (Ps 37:7). Rather, the righteous live with the hope of God’s blessing.

 

 

4 How different is the end of the wicked! Whereas Jeremiah compares the lot of the wicked to a bush in the wasteland that dries up, the psalmist compares the wicked to mere “chaff.” The imagery of chaff is not uncommon in the Bible (cf. Ps 35:5; Isa 17:13; 29:5; Hos 13:3; Zeph 2:2; Matt 3:12). Malachi compares the end of the wicked on the Day of the Lord both to “stubble” and to a tree consumed by fire from root to branch (4:1). The metaphor of chaff reveals both the uselessness of the wicked and the ease with which God will deal with them. Even as the winnower casts the chaff to the afternoon breeze, so the Lord will drive away the wicked. No one will remember their place.

The brevity of the wicked’s description stands in stark contrast to the fuller portrayal of the righteous as a tree with leaves and fruit (v.3). It is also briefly compared to the lengthy description of the wicked in v.1.

 

 

5 The conclusion is clearly marked by the word “therefore” (‘al-ken). The end of the wicked may not be clear while they are alive and busying themselves with wickedness, but from God’s perspective the wicked have no future. They cannot withstand the judgment of God, whether it comes in the present, by means of adversity, or on the Day of the Lord. They are judged by being alienated from the congregation of the righteous. “The assembly of the righteous” (‘adat saddiqim) is composed of those who have a relationship with God and enjoy his presence. They will experience his presence both now and in the life to come. The word “assembly” (‘edah) is a collective term for the people of God (TWOT, 1:388), used here in a more spiritual way to indicate that the judgment of God also comes on circumcised Israelites who did not love God or keep his commandments. “Judgment” (mishpat) is the whole of the judicial process by which Yahweh will establish his rule on earth. He is the God of justice (Mal 2:17-3:5), who in his wrath and righteous indignation execrates the wicked. Therefore, it is an awful matter to fall under his judgment. The judgment of God will strike the wicked so that they will be incapable of rising (cf. Isa 2:12-21). His judgment takes place throughout redemptive history and will come to a climactic end in “the day” of the Lord (Zeph 1:14-18; cf. Matt 13:41-43; 1 Thess 5:1-11).

 

 

 

III. The Discriminating Way of God (1:6)

 

 

6 The reason for the certainty of the judgment lies in God’s knowledge of the affairs of men. God knows! The knowledge of God involves not only an objective knowledge about the righteous but also a subjective relationship with them, assuring them that he cares for his own, protects them, and will reward them (cf. 31:8; 37:18; 144:3).

The intimate acquaintance with God as an expression of his love and care is expressed by the verb “know” (yodea‘; NIV, “watches over”; cf. KB, p. 365). The verb, also used for the intimate relationship of husband and wife (Gen 4:1), marks the love of God for his children. God heard the groaning of the Israelites in Egypt, and he “knew” (Exod 2:25; NIV, “was concerned”). This knowledge about their miserable condition is the beginning of the magnificent story of the Exodus, because he demonstrated his love for them by many signs and wonders (cf. Exod 19:4). God’s “knowledge” is a deep commitment to, love for, and care of his own; hence the translation “the LORD watches over” (cf. Rom 8:29-39). As such it is an expression of his covenantal commitment (see Herbert B. Huffmon, “The Treaty Background of Hebrew Yada‘ “ BASOR 181 [1966]: 31-37).

The “way of the righteous” is characterized by a love for God and a readiness to live a godly life. However, there is a second way: “the way of the wicked” (cf. v.1). The Lord offers no protection to those who are not reconciled to him; rather, their end is destruction. Jesus warned us that those who know him must do the will of God as interpreted by him (Matt 5-7). Those who do not produce fruit will come under the judgment of his words: “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matt 7:23; cf. vv.15-27).

 

Willem A. VanGemeren, Psalms, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein and J. D. Douglas, vol. 5 of Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991), paragraph 25727.

 

NOTES:

 

Ps 1:1 The phrase אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ (‘ashre ha’ish  “Blessed is the man”) is a formula of blessing and is a synonym of בָּרוּךְ (baruk  “blessed”; cf. TWOT, 1:80). Walter Kaser (“Beobachtungen zum alttestamentlichen Makarismus,” ZAW 82 [1970]: 225–50) gives a convincing argument that the expression “blessed is” represents a form of wisdom literature. By this form the author proclaims the blessings of covenantal life and the joy of living continually in the presence of God who is faithful from day to day (cf. 94:12; 112:1; 119:1-2). The formula is found as early as the Pyramid Texts. However, in the covenantal structure of Israel, it was transformed and enriched (cf. TDOT, 1:445–48). Our Lord also used this expression in the Beatitudes (Matt 5:3-12).

 

Dahood’s proposal to read דֶּרֶךְ חַטָּאִים (derek hatta’im  “the way of sinners”) as “assembly of sinners” (Psalms  1:2) is based on the parallel construction and on a doubtful etymology.

 

Ps 1:2  “LORD” is an English translation of the tetragrammaton יהוה (YHWH), usually pronounced as “Yahweh.” In reading the Psalms, the name of God is an important marker of his presence and his closeness to his people. The significance of the name will receive further attention when important to the exposition of the text (see the appendixes to Ps 3: “Yahweh Is My God,” and to Ps 7: “The Name of Yahweh”; cf. Willem A. VanGemeren, “Tetragrammaton,” in Elwell, EDB, pp. 1079–80).

 

Brueggemann treats Ps 1 together with Pss 15; 24; 119 as “Songs of Torah” (Message of the Psalms, pp. 38-42).

 

Ps 1:3 On the shift from active to passive verbs, see Alter, p. 115; R. Lack, “Le Psaume 1—Une Analyse Structurale,” Biblica  57 (1977): 154–67.

 

Ps 1:3-4 The literary approach of holistic interpretation espoused by Meir Weiss adds a new dimension to understanding the text. He integrates the tree imagery in Ps 1 and Jer 17 as descriptive of the nature of the wise (see The Bible From Within. The Method of Total Interpretation  [Jerusalem: Magnes, 1984], pp. 133–63).

 

Ps 1:5 The צַדִּיקִים (saddiqim  “righteous”) are those who love God and do his will. They have close fellowship (cf. Ps 15) as they practice the will of the Most High in all areas of life. The OT concept of righteousness includes justification by faith but also a relationship of communion with God and of responsiveness to Yahweh in doing his will (see 111:3-4; 112:3-4; see W.A. VanGemeren, “Righteousness,” in Elwell, BEB, 2:1860–62; TWOT, 2:752–55; see appendix to Ps 25: The Perfections of Yahweh).

 

 

EBC Notes. 1st, Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990), paragraph 5013.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Dan Francis

[ukfraser]

Totally agree with you dan that the abridged is a little gem and a great single volume commentary for an initial go to snapshot.

 

Ideal if you are storage strapped on an ios device.

 

;o)