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The praises of a man This book was composed with ten expressions of song: 1) with conducting, 2) with melody, 3) with musical accompaniment, 4) with song, 5) with praise, 6) with prayer, 7) with blessing, 8) with thanksgiving, 9) with praises, and 10) with “Praise God.” These correspond to the ten men who composed them: 1) Adam, 2) Malchizedek, 3) Abraham, 4) Moses, 5) David, 6) Solomon, 7) Asaph, and 8-10) the three sons of Korah. Concerning Jeduthun, there is a dispute. Some say that Jeduthun was a man, as is written in Chronicles. Others maintain that Jeduthun mentioned in this Book means nothing else but the ordinances (דתות) and laws of the decrees that were passed over him and over Israel.

Happy the man! – The word אשׁרי is always used in the plural, the reason being that man is not pronounced "happy" for one good which is found in him, or for one piece of good fortune which befalls him, but for many good things which are found in him men say of him אשׁריו, "Happy is he!" And David includes in this Psalm the law of man and (a description of) what it is proper for him to do in this world, with a reference also to the good reward there is for the righteous and the punishment for the wicked. It is an exceedingly important Psalm, and therefore he opens his book with it and says:

[The author] is coming to explain the conditions on account of which a person will be a "Happy Person." There is a difference between a "Happy Person" and a "Successful Person": "Success" applies to worldly matters, [enjoyed] in life in this World; "Happiness" is in spiritual matters, [enjoyed] in the World to Come. Now, there are three areas of fulfillment, 1) fulfillment of acquisition, 2) fulfillment of the body, and 3) fulfillment of the soul. Therefore the Psalmist explains that here he is addressing the "Happiness of Man" [soleley] the "Happiness" that only man can attain, which is afforded by his being [at the level of] Man--not coupled with the "Happiness" which is afforded by being a living being (i.e. the fulfillment of acquisition or fulfillment of the body) which can also be found among animals. [In fact] we find various animals that attain their livelihood and sustenance more easily and swiftly then man; as the expression goes, "there are none more wealthy than a pig." There are also animals which can accomplish can accomplish more than man is able to though use of the body, such as the elephant and the lion; and, in regards to the senses, an eagle, hawk through their faculty of sight. This is not the "Happiness" unique to a person; rather, [the "Happiness of Man"] is the fulfillment of refined character and spiritual qualities which can only be found achieved by man. The Psalmist explains that Man's happiness depends primarily on his being careful not to sin. (2-4) "WHO DOES NOT WALK IN THE COUNSEL OF THE WICKED..." There is a difference between "the wicked" and "the sinners": "the wicked" sin intentionally and rebelliously, whether in matters between man and the Omnipresent or in matters between man and his fellow. That is why the Psalmist said, "the counsel of the wicked," because they are the ones who sin with counsel and intentionally whereas in regards to the "sinners", it would not be right to say "counsel" since they do sin with counsel. The Psalmist adds further- ["THE "HAPPY PERSON"] DOES NOT STAND IN THE PATH OF THE "SINNERS" the "sinners" are the ones who sin from out of desire alone. Meaning to say that [in addition to not sinning like the "wicked"], the "happy person" also does not sin on account of their desires either. And not only does he not "WALK on the path of the sinners"--continuously sinning out of desire--but he does not even "STAND on their path"--even momentarily. The Psalmist adds further- AND IN THE DWELLING PLACE OF THE "LAZY" HE DOES NOT DWELL, the "lazy" don't act wrongly, but they also don't do good. They only chase after wind and vapor (nothingness) and mockery, and they don't delve in Torah.

The praises of a man Heb. אשרי les felicements(?) in Old French. The praises of a man, and these are the praises of a man: that he did not follow, because since he did not follow, he did not stand, and since he did not stand, he did not sit.

Who doth not walk in the counsel of the wicked: – He first recounts the evil way, as he also says likewise elsewhere (Ps. 34:15): "Depart from evil and do good," because man first learns, from his youth up, the way of the desires of this world, to eat and to drink and to be merry, and in them grows up, as it says (Gen. 8:21): "for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." So and (then) when man arrives at years of discretion and begins to distinguish good and evil, he warns him to depart from the way of the wicked and not to follow their advice. Now the wicked are those who are feverishly anxious to amass wealth and the desires of whose heart are in this world, who do not distinguish between right and wrong, but for money's sake steal and plunder and murder because of the exceeding restlessness of their heart. For the root meaning of רשׁע (wickedness) is "restlessness," as "When He giveth quietness who then can disturb?" (ירשׁיע disquiet) (Job 34:29); "and whithersoever he turned himself he vexed (ירשׁיע disquieted) them" (I Sam. 14:47); "neither shall violence (רשׁע) deliver its masters" (Koheleth 8:8); "Be not overmuch engaged (תרשע) in worldly matters" (ibid. 7:17). It is on this account that he conjoins walk with wicked; and with these he joins counsel, for they counsel the children of men to listen to them and they shew them specious counsel (to the effect) that it is a fine thing to gather riches and to be merry. And man is largely deceived in this, for the good which is visible to his eyes appears best to him and he does not look to its end. And he (the Psalmist) Says:

Our predecessors, their memory to blessing, said that stood is harder than went and sat is harder than all of them. If so, the insulters will be worse than sinners. And Rabbi Moshe the Kohen explained to the contrary, and said that the intention of did not stand is "didn't even stand". And according to my understanding, that the word wicked are those who do not stand on one standard(?)...

scorners (Old French, gabors.)

Nor stand in the way of sinners: – for man commits sin while he is in his place at rest, in deed and in word and in thought. And the interpretation of and in the way is not the way of walking, but the habit and occupation of the man and his work, as "and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk" (Exod. 18:20); and "Yet shall the righteous hold on his way" (Job 17:9); "not doing thine own ways" (Isa. 58:13); "I declared my ways" (Ps. 119:26), and passages like these. So the interpretation of nor stand (is): he does not linger with, nor does he devote himself to them, neither does he remain in their company, lest he should learn of their works.

Nor sit in the seat of the scornful: – The scornful are those who are crafty in the knowledge of evil, who boast, and speak evil of the children of men, and slander and blame them, and who reveal secrets one to another. And this expression refers to "idlers who sit at the street-corners," and for this reason he says: nor sit in the seat of the scornful. Notice that in these three are comprised all man's position, either he walks or stands or sits. And lying down is included in sitting; and further (such) lying-down is chiefly to sleep, and while a man is asleep he does neither good nor ill. When he says, Happy the man! etc., behold, it is as if he warns him against doing according to their works, for he declares the man happy who withdraws from their way and separates himself from their works. And the interpretation our teachers of blessed memory have placed upon it is (represented) by what they have said (Babli, Abodah Zarah I8 b): "Inasmuch as he has not walked how has he stood? And inasmuch as he has not stood how has he sat? And inasmuch as he has not sat how has he scorned? it is simply to tell you that if he has walked he will finally stand, and if he has stood he will finally sit, and if he has sat he will finally scorn, and if he has scorned, of him the Scripture says (Prov. 9:12): 'And if thou scornest thou alone shalt bear it.' "