Psalm 1:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He first addresses his fellow criminal: “Or do you not fear God, when you yourself are condemned to the same thing? And we are condemned justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:40-41). What pride is this? You stole, and now you presume to pass judgment? You took a life, and yet teach about reverence? “Or do you not fear God?” Recognize the cross of Christ; let this proclamation lead you to godliness. Here lies a remarkable truth: the robber admonishes his companion, “Or do you not fear God?” God preaches through the one who willingly suffered alongside them and endured for humanity. What did he say of the Savior in those words, “Or dost thou not fear God?” Query this in light of his following remarks: “Or dost thou not fear God, when you are condemned to the same thing? And we are justly condemned, for we receive the due reward of our works; but He has done nothing wrong” (vv. 40-41).

I linger on this confession to inspire you towards godliness and encourage you to fervently uphold Christ, both in private and in public, so that you may receive a crown of righteousness like this wise robber. Pay attention to his words to his blaspheming partner: “Or do you not fear God, when you yourself have been condemned to the same thing? And we are justly condemned, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but He has done nothing wrong. And he said unto Jesus, Remember me, Lord, when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Luke 23:42)! This is the true defense! By this, he acknowledges Christ as the true God: “Remember me, Lord, when Thou comest into Thy kingdom”! He admits his sins and stands for his Lord. How much persuasion did the judge exert to make you aware of your crimes of theft and murder, and did you confess? Here, you declare freely, “we have received what is due according to our deeds.” Despite countless torments, you barely recognized your wrongdoing before the magistrate, yet here you admit it so easily? He acknowledges that there condemnation leads to death, while here, acknowledgment leads to repentance and life. “We have received the due reward according to our deeds, but He has done nothing wrong.” We acted justly in our own eyes, but He acted justly in truth. We took lives, but He restored them; we stole from others, yet He spent Himself for the world. The robber argued with his companion, saying, “Until now, we traveled the same path on the cross, but that path has now diverged: if you wish to embrace life, follow me; if not, you must part ways. Thus far, we walked together, but now the cross separates our future paths. Through repentance, the paths of the robbers have split. Thus, the psalm is fulfilled: ‘The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish’ (Psalm 1:6). Having affirmed the truth, the robber turns to the King of glory and declares, “Remember me, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy kingdom”!

The knowledge of God equates to existence, while His ignorance corresponds to non-existence. For the Lord Himself proclaimed, I am the Being, and the Being has sent me to you (Exodus 3:14).

In terms of Knowledge and Existence, one can assert that the Lord knows the path of the just, yet remains unaware of the way of the unrighteous. This does not imply a lack of knowledge on the Lord's part, but as He stated to sinners, I never knew you (Matt. 7:23). The assertion that the way of the wicked shall perish fundamentally aligns with the notion, ‘The Lord does not know the way of the wicked.’ This can be further clarified to illustrate that to be unknown to the Lord results in perishing, while to be known by Him ensures persistence. Thus, Being relates to the knowledge of God, whereas non-being pertains to ignorance.

In contrast, to those who engage in wrongdoing, the Lord declares, "Depart from Me, all you workers of unrighteousness; I do not know you" (Luke 13:27). His unknowing of them is not due to ignorance but rather because they are unworthy of being known by God. It is aptly stated, "And the way of the wicked shall perish" (Psalm 1:6). The Latin text notably employs the word "road," differentiating between a path and a way, while the Greek consistently uses "way." This distinction in the Latin text is intentional; the Lord did not simply declare, "I am the way." He specifically said that the "road of the wicked shall perish," yet He does not annihilate the wicked themselves; He preserves the lives of those who, upon conversion, abandon the path of unrighteousness, which was neither their beginning nor their end. The transient will perish, but the eternal will endure. The wicked face destruction as stated, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezek. 18:4), meaning they will succumb to the consequences of their sin, not to the obliteration of their existence.

In contrast, the virtues of the righteous will endure as their treasures and glory. Conversely, the deeds and iniquities of the wicked, now referred to as their path, will fade away and lose their power. The words of the apostle echo this sentiment: "But his work shall be burned up and brushed off" (1 Cor. 3:15).

Just as God created the visible sun for all humanity to illuminate their works—“A man shall go out to his work, and to his labour until evening” (Psalm 105:23)—so too did He provide the radiant light of His law, guiding all to conduct their lives in a manner aligned with His will. As the psalmist beautifully declares: “Thy law is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my paths” (Psalm 118:105). Those who place their faith in Christ and govern their lives by the Word of God and Christ's example are deemed righteous, devout, and holy. Conversely, those who stray from the guiding light and follow their own desires are unrighteous, even if they bear the name of Christ. They chart divergent paths that lead to differing destinations.

The Lord is well aware of the way of the righteous and holds it in high regard, as it aligns with His divine purpose and leads to a blessed conclusion, eternal joy. “The firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, ‘The Lord hath known His own’” (2 Tim. 2:19). Moreover, “I know My own, and Mine know Me” (John 10:14). Although He is aware of the way of the wicked, He does not commend it as it is contrary to His will, for “God is not pleased with iniquity” (see Ps. 5:5), and thus the wicked's way “shall perish,” meaning it will lead them to eternal ruin.

Like a blind man walking unsuspectingly towards a pit, those who lack the enlightened vision of the heart unknowingly head towards eternal demise, with all their actions and thoughts culminating in destruction. They may eventually come to regret their choices and seek repentance, but it will be too late: “Therefore we have gone astray from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness has not shone upon us, neither has the sun shone upon us. We were filled with works of iniquity and destruction, and walked in impassable wildernesses, but we did not know the way of the Lord. What good has arrogance done us, and what have riches with vanity brought us? All this has passed away as a shadow and as a passing rumor” (Prem. 5:6-9).

In the Gospel, the Lord addresses these two paths: “Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many go in by it; for narrow is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). The path of the righteous is narrow because they choose to live not according to their own desires but in accordance with God's will. In contrast, the path of the wicked is wide and accommodating, as they disregard God's intentions and follow their own whims. Just as some transition into eternal spaciousness after enduring temporary restrictiveness, others may find themselves in eternal constriction after a brief period of freedom, as noted by Solomon.

There is no third pathway; just as Scripture reveals only two outcomes in the age to come—eternal bliss or everlasting torment—every individual on this earth either travels the path of the righteous, destined for eternal joy, or the path of the wicked, headed toward eternal destruction. Reflect on these truths, heed the light of God's Word, and discern which path leads to salvation and which to destruction, ensuring to be mindful of your conduct in this world. “Lord, guide me in Thy way” (Psalm 85:11)—I entrust myself, and you, dear reader, to Him as well. May you find salvation.

And ‘it shall perish’ - the path of the wicked - for eternity in that dreadful pit, having led all who traversed it to destruction. ‘The Lord shall know the way of the righteous, and the way of the wicked shall perish.’ ‘Blessed is the man that goeth not into the counsel of the wicked,’ who is not swayed by their philosophies, their morals, or their conduct, ‘but in the law of the Lord is his whole will.’ Thus, the heavenly and marvelous Singer resounds with His divine melody, which the solitary sojourner eagerly heeds.

When it is stated that the Lord knows, it does not refer to God's all-encompassing knowledge of all people, including the wicked, but rather to His attentive governance, care, favor, and divine love that bless the righteous. In contrast, the absence of these qualities, along with the presence of God's disfavor, wrath, or withdrawal, results in shortcomings for sinners.

For instance, in John 8:43, the lack of understanding is attributed to an absence of affection or approval. Similarly, Exodus 1:8 illustrates how the new king chose not to acknowledge Joseph, disregarding his contributions. Proverbs 12:10 reminds us that a righteous person is compassionate toward the well-being of their animals, and 2 Timothy 2:19 emphasizes that the Lord cares for His own. In Matthew 7:23, the response "I do not know you" signifies separation. Hence, God actively oversees, engages with, and loves the way of the righteous, leading to their success and blessing. Conversely, the paths of the wicked are destined to fail. Their intentions, plots, and actions are not known to God, nor are they regarded as aligned with His will, as He opposes wrongdoing (Psalm 5:5). Therefore, their paths are doomed to end unhappily, dissipating like smoke (Psalms 36:20) or melting away like wax (Psalms 67:3; Psalms 128:6-7; Psalms 9:19; Job 8:13; Job 20:7; Proverbs 10:28; Proverbs 11:4).