Background
The Book of Psalms is subdivided into 5 parts. Psalm 1 is part of the first part. It has been counted as the beginning of part one in some translations, in some counted as a prologue, and in others Psalm 1 is combined with Psalm 2.
Patrick D. Miller suggests that Psalm 1 "sets the agenda for the Psalter through its "identification of the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked as well as their respective fates" as well as "its emphasis on the Torah, the joy of studying it and its positive benefits for those who do." Stephen Dempster suggests that the psalm serves also as an introduction to the Writings, the third section of the Tanakh. Dempster points out the similarities between Psalm 1:2-3 and Joshua 1:8-9 (the first chapter of the Prophets). In both passages, the one who meditates on the law prospers.
John Perowne, an Anglican bishop of the Victorian era, thought that Psalm 1 was written by Solomon as an introduction to his father's work, arguing that its style is similar to that of the book of Proverbs.
Read more about this topic: Psalm 1
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