Psalm 1 is both poetry and wisdom. How is the wise person described? The behavior of the wise man is based on the Law of the Lord. He delights in the Law and meditates on it constantly. The reward of the wise man is that he is prosperous in what he does. Since the metaphor in the Psalm is a “tree by water,” the wise man bears fruit at the proper time and his leaves never wither. He does exactly what plants are supposed to do: grow and bear fruit.
The wicked, by contrast, are like plants not near a water source. They wither, dry up, and are blown away by the wind. There is no reference to fruit; they are completely useless as plants.
What is the difference between these two plants? The prosperous plant is near the Lord, His Law, and is dedicated to that Law.
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