judgment. Uses Judaism Psalms 1, 2, 3, and 4 are recited on Yom Kippur night after Maariv. Verse 1 is quoted in the Mishnah in Pirkei Avot (3:2), wherein Haninah ben Teradion explains that a group of people that does not exchange words of Torah is an example of the psalm's "company of scoffers". Psalm 1 is recited to prevent a miscarriage. In the Talmud (Berakhot 10a) it is stated that Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 were counted as one composition and David's favorite as he used the word "ashrei" ("blessed") in the opening phrase of Psalm 1 (ashrei ha′ish) and the closing phrase of Psalm 2 (ashrei kol choso vo). Christianity In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, Psalm 1 is appointed to be read on the morning of the first day of the month. English poet John Milton translated Psalm 1 into English verse in 1653. Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote a paraphrase of it, referring to "the man, in life wherever plac'd, ... who walks not in the wicked's way, nor learns their guilty lore!" Some see the Law and the work of the Messiah set side by side in Psalms 1 and 2, 18 and 19, 118 and 119. They see the law and the Messiah opening the book of Psalms. Book 1 of the Psalms begins and ends with 'the blessed man': the opening in Psalms 1–2 and the closing in Psalms 40–41. Theologian Hans Boersma notes that "beautifully structured, the first book concludes just as it started". Many see the 'blessed man being Jesus'. Musical settings Thomas Tallis included Psalm 1, with the title Man blest no dout, in his nine tunes for Archbishop Parker's Psalter (1567). Heinrich Schütz wrote a setting of a paraphrase in German, "Wer nicht sitzt im Gottlosen Rat", SWV 079, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628. Marc-Antoine Charpentier composed around 1670, one "Beatus vir qui non abiit", H.175, for 3 voices, 2 treble instruments and continuo. Music artist Kim Hill recorded a contemporary setting of Psalm 1. The Psalms Project released its musical composition of Psalm 1 on the first volume of its album series in 2012. References Cited sources Further reading Berlin, Adele and Brettler, Marc Zvi, The Jewish Study Bible, Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York p. 1284-1285. (also known under the title of Homelies on Psalms) External links Psalms Chapter 1 תְּהִלִּים