(Part 1)

JBTM Jeffrey G. Audirsch
37
In all that he does, he prospers.
4
The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6
for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish. (Ps 1)
In Ps 1, the comparison between a righteous man (v. 1) and the wicked man (v. 4) establishes
the thesis/antithesis comparison. The literary structure created in vv. 1–2 is contrasted in
vv. 4–5. The psalm is concluded with the harsh reality of the comparison in v. 6a and v. 6b. 23
The final form of parallelism is synthetic or constructive. What sets this form apart
from the other two is length. Synthetic parallelism is usually longer than synonymous and
antithetical parallelisms. The lion’s share of synthetic parallelisms is found in prophetic
literature. In this form of parallelism, the second line of poetry develops the first line. The
development in the second line might be subtle and/or obscure. 24
4b
How the oppressor has ceased,
the insolent fury ceased!
5
The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,
the scepter of rulers,
6
that struck the peoples in wrath
with unceasing blows,
that ruled the nations in anger
with unrelenting persecution.
7
The whole earth is at rest and quiet;
they break forth into singing.
8
The cypresses rejoice at you,
the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Since you were laid low,
no woodcutter comes up against us.’
9
Sheol beneath is stirred up
to meet you when you come;
it rouses the shades to greet you,
all who were leaders of the earth;
it raises from their thrones
23
Bullock does an excellent job highlighting the comparison between the righteous and the wicked.
See Bullock, Encountering the Book of Psalms, 39–40.
24
Lowth, Lectures on the Sacred Poetry, 162–64. More recently, the title developmental has been
adopted instead of constructive.