Psalm 1
The Psalter opens by contrasting the righteous tree with wind-blown chaff.
As the opening psalm, Psalm 1 sets the tone for the whole book: the blessed man avoids the counsel of the ungodly and instead delights in God's law, becoming 'like a tree planted by the rivers of water.' See how the theme develops in Psalms 2.
Blessid is the man, that yede not in the councel of wickid men; and stood not in the weie of synneris, and sat not in the chaier of pestilence.
But his wille is in the lawe of the Lord; and he schal bithenke in the lawe of hym dai and nyyt.
And he schal be as a tree, which is plauntid bisidis the rennyngis of watris; which tre schal yyue his fruyt in his tyme. And his leef schal not falle doun; and alle thingis which euere he schal do schulen haue prosperite.
Not so wickid men, not so; but thei ben as dust, which the wynd castith awei fro the face of erthe.
Therfor wickid men risen not ayen in doom; nethir synneres in the councel of iust men.
For the Lord knowith the weie of iust men; and the weie of wickid men schal perische.