THE POWER OF GOOD POETRY

“1 Blessed is the one
     who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
     or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
     and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
     which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
     whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
     They are like chaff
     that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
     nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
     but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.”  (Psalm 1 NIV)

Psalm 1 contains three metaphors that bounce back and forth in a chiastic structure. This means the ideas of verse 1 match up with that of verse 6, verse 2 connects with verse 5, and verse 3 to verse 4.

The opening and closing metaphor contrasts the picture of a deceptive party seeking to corrupt travelers, and the Lord watching over the righteous, telling them what roads will lead to destruction. The second image we’re given in verses 2 and 5 contrasts the law being a source of delight for the righteous, and the wicked being exposed by it in a courtroom. The middle metaphor shows us someone being planted by rushing streams, and another being blown away by powerful winds. Both are in proximity to forces they cannot control. But whereas one is a source of nourishment to its neighbors, the other is a destructive power that tosses them about.

The use of contrast when mirroring these ideas not only makes the message of the poem clear, but compelling. The message is, “A blessed life is not a destination the wicked can point you to, but the results of enjoying the journey with God.”

The metaphor is simple. But the message is anything but. 

-- Excerpted from Lo Alaman in “Wake-up Call”

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