Scoffers

Psalm 1:1—”Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stays in the path of sinners, nor dwells in the place of scoffers.”

The word lying behind the English word generally translated “scoffers” in Ps 1:1 is the Hebrew word לצים (le̅tzîm). The Hebrew word is not too common, but common enough to have a basis for establishing a semantic range. Generally it does have something to do with scoffing or mocking. A helpful text for comparison is Ps 119:51, which reads, “The proud persistently mock me; I do not turn from your law.” The usage at 119:51 fits the usage at 1:1, and helps to elucidate the meaning here. In the current verse, the fact that le̅tzîm is not accompanied by an object indicates that mocking/scoffing is a characteristic behavior. These mockers, just like the evil-doers and sinners of verse 1, detract from the happy man’s delight in the instruction of the Lord (v. 2). It’s natural for insolent mocking to become a group behavior. The blessed avoid it—not for fear, but to maintain their joy in the Lord’s instruction.