Limitless Word
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.
Psalms 1:3 · Berean Standard Bible · underlined terms are tappable
Parallel translations
  • WEB He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.
  • KJV And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
  • NKJV He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
  • NASB He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.
  • NLT They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The one who delights in God's word is like a fruitful, well-watered tree that thrives and endures. A life rooted in God bears lasting fruit.

Overview

The image of a tree planted by streams promises stability, nourishment, and seasonal fruitfulness for the godly. 'Whatever he does shall prosper' speaks of true and lasting flourishing under God's blessing, not a guarantee of worldly success. Jesus develops the same picture of abiding fruitfulness in John 15, where union with Christ is the source of all fruit that lasts.

Cross-references & the web

Theme

Cross-references · 24

  • Jer 17:8He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit.
  • Ezek 47:12Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.”
  • Ps 92:14In old age they will still bear fruit; healthy and green they will remain,
  • John 15:6If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.
  • Ezek 19:10Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of the abundant waters.
  • Gen 39:23The warden did not concern himself with anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
  • Josh 1:7–8Above all, be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go.
  • Ezek 17:8It had been planted in good soil by abundant waters in order to yield branches and bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’
  • Rev 22:2down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
  • Matt 13:6But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
  • Ps 128:2For when you eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours.
  • 2 Chr 31:21He was diligent in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law and the commandments, in order to seek his God. And so he prospered.
  • Gen 39:3When his master saw that the LORD was with him and made him prosper in all he did,
  • Isa 3:10Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.
  • Isa 44:4They will sprout among the grass like willows by flowing streams.
  • Job 14:9at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.
  • Matt 21:34When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit.
  • Jude 1:12These men are hidden reefs in your love feasts, shamelessly feasting with you but shepherding only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by the wind; fruitless trees in autumn, twice dead after being uprooted.
  • Isa 27:11When its limbs are dry, they are broken off. Women come and use them for kindling; for this is a people without understanding. Therefore their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor.
  • Matt 21:19Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered.
  • Matt 21:41“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.”
  • Ps 129:8May none who pass by say to them, “The blessing of the LORD be on you; we bless you in the name of the LORD.”
  • 1 Chr 22:11Now, my son, may the LORD be with you, and may you succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as He said you would.
  • 2 Chr 32:23Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the LORD and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah, and from then on he was exalted in the eyes of all nations.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 1:3YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 1:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.