The final verse of Psalm 1 takes us back to God's care for us.
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7.
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V/NV/JH/OR
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Quoniam novit
dominus viam iustorum; et iter impiorum peribit.
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ὅτι γινώσκει κύριος ὁδὸν δικαίων καὶ ὁδὸς ἀσεβῶν ἀπολεῖται
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DR
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For the Lord knows the way of the just: and the way of the
wicked shall perish.
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Brenton
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For the Lord knows the way of the
righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
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MD
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For the Lord knoweth the way of the just, but the
way of the wicked shall end in ruin.
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RSV
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for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way
of the wicked will perish.
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Cover
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But the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous; and the way
of the ungodly shall perish.
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Knox
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They walk, the just, under the Lord’s
protection; the path of the wicked, how soon is it lost to sight!
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Grail
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for the Lord guards the way of the just
but the way of the wicked leads to doom.
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The idea of God 'knowing' the righteous is an important one, alluded in several other psalms. It is not, of course, that God does not see the evil-doer.
Several of the Fathers, including St Hilary, see this verse as alluding to the contrasting treatment by God of Adam and Abraham:
...For it was said to Adam when he had sinned: Adam, where are you? Not because God knew not that the man whom He still had in the garden was there still, but to show, by his being asked where he was, that he was unworthy of God's knowledge by the fact of having sinned.
But Abraham, after being for a long time unknown— the word of God came to him when he was seventy years of age— was, upon his proving himself faithful to the Lord, admitted to intimacy with God by the following act of high condescension: Now I know that you fear the Lord your God, and for My sake you have not spared your dearly loved son...In essence, then, God knowing the ways of the just means that he recognises and approves of their actions.
The verse though, is not (just) a statement of approbation for the just and condemnation of the wicked, but rather a call to repentance, as St Augustine's New Testament spin on it makes clear:
As it is said, medicine knows health, but knows not disease, and yet disease is recognised by the art of medicine. In like manner can it be said that "the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous," but the way of the ungodly He knoweth not. Not that the Lord is ignorant of anything, and yet He says to sinners, "I never knew you."
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Vulgate |
Douay Rheims translation |
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Beátus vir, qui non ábiit in consílio impiórum, et in
via peccatórum non stetit, * et in cáthedra pestiléntiæ non sedit |
Blessed
is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the
way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence: |
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2 Sed in lege Dómini volúntas ejus, * et in lege
ejus meditábitur die ac nocte. |
But
his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and
night. |
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3 Et erit tamquam lignum, quod plantátum est
secus decúrsus aquárum, * quod fructum suum dabit in témpore suo: |
And
he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall
bring forth its fruit, in due season. |
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4 Et fólium ejus non défluet: * et ómnia
quæcúmque fáciet, prosperabúntur. |
And
his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper. |
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5 Non sic ímpii, non sic: * sed
tamquam pulvis, quem prójicit ventus a fácie terræ. |
Not
so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind drives from the face
of the earth. |
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6 Ideo non resúrgent ímpii in judício: * neque
peccatóres in concílio justórum. |
Therefore
the wicked shall not rise again in judgment: nor sinners in the council of
the just. |
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7 Quóniam novit Dóminus
viam justórum: * et iter impiórum períbit. |
For
the Lord knows the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish. |
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