Worked example
How to write a homiletic: a complete example on Psalm 1:1-6
This page walks through one complete homiletic on Psalm 1, from the first observation to the last application question. Use it as a model for your own work: the notes are short, each step builds on the one before, and the first three steps stay with what the text says before the fourth asks what it teaches.
The example at a glance
- 15observations
- 3divisions
- 1summary sentence
- 1core truth
- 6application questions
The passage
1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3And 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.
4The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Where the KJV says “ungodly”, most modern translations say “wicked”. It is the same Hebrew word, so the steps below use “wicked” once they move beyond quoting the text.
Before you start
Psalm 1 has no title and stands at the head of the book of Psalms, introducing themes that run through the whole collection. It is a wisdom psalm: it sets two ways of life side by side and shows where each one leads. Read it slowly two or three times, and pray for understanding before you write anything.
Step 1: Observe
Go through the psalm verse by verse and write down what it says. Keep the notes short, keep the verse references, and resist explaining anything yet.
| Verses | Observation |
|---|---|
| v. 1 | The man who is “blessed” is described first by three things he does not do. |
| v. 1 | He does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful. |
| v. 1 | Three verbs: walk, stand, sit. Three groups: the ungodly, sinners, the scornful. |
| v. 2 | “But”: his delight is in the law of the LORD. |
| v. 2 | He meditates in the LORD’s law day and night. |
| v. 3 | He will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water. |
| v. 3 | The tree brings forth its fruit in its season; its leaf does not wither. |
| v. 3 | Whatever he does will prosper. |
| v. 4 | “The ungodly are not so” - a direct contrast with verses 1-3. |
| v. 4 | They are like the chaff that the wind drives away. |
| v. 5 | “Therefore”: the ungodly will not stand in the judgment. |
| v. 5 | Sinners will not stand in the congregation of the righteous. |
| v. 6 | “For”: the LORD knows the way of the righteous. |
| v. 6 | The way of the ungodly will perish. |
| vv. 1-6 | Repeated words: “way” (vv. 1, 6), “ungodly” (vv. 1, 4, 5, 6), “sinners” (vv. 1, 5), “stand” (vv. 1, 5), “righteous” (vv. 5, 6), “law” (twice in v. 2). |
Step 2: Divide
The connecting words mark the seams: “not so” in verse 4, “therefore” in verse 5 and “for” in verse 6. Grouping the observations along those turns gives three divisions, each summarized in one factual sentence.
Division 1 (vv. 1-3)
The blessed man refuses the counsel of the wicked, delights in the LORD’s law day and night, and flourishes like a tree planted by water.
Division 2 (vv. 4-5)
The wicked are not like him: they are like chaff driven by the wind and will not stand in the judgment or among the righteous.
Division 3 (v. 6)
The LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Step 3: Summarize
What is the psalm about? Two ways of life. What does it say about them? One flourishes, the other is blown away. Combining the three divisions into about 15 words:
Summary
Whoever delights in the LORD’s law flourishes like a tree; the wicked blow away like chaff.
Step 4: Core truth
Verse 6 explains everything else: the two ways end differently because of how the LORD relates to them. To “know” the way of the righteous is more than being aware of it; it is God’s attentive care, which some modern translations render “watches over”. The main teaching of the psalm is therefore about God as much as about us:
Core truth
This passage teaches that true blessing belongs to those who delight in God’s Word, because the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, while the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
Cross-references that confirm it: Jeremiah 17:7-8 (a tree planted by water), Joshua 1:8 (meditating on God’s law day and night) and Matthew 7:13-14, 24-27 (two ways, two builders).
Step 5: Apply
At least one question for each division, mixing questions that search the heart, a practical step and encouragement:
Division 1 (vv. 1-3)
Principle: What shapes our thinking and what we delight in set the direction of our life.
- Whose counsel is shaping my decisions right now - in what I read, watch, scroll and listen to - and how does it compare with God’s Word?
- What would help me delight in God’s Word rather than read it out of duty, and what one change will I make this week?
- Which verse from this passage will I come back to during the day, and at what moments will I do it?
Division 2 (vv. 4-5)
Principle: A life without God has no lasting weight, however solid it looks.
- What am I relying on for security - money, reputation, approval, success - that would blow away like chaff under pressure?
Division 3 (v. 6)
Principle: The LORD knows and watches over the way of the righteous.
- How does knowing that the LORD watches over my way change how I face a season when I see little fruit?
- Who do I know who is drifting away from God, and how will I pray for them and point them to the way that lasts?
What to learn from this example
- The observations stay close to the wording of the text and keep their verse references.
- The divisions follow the connecting words - “not so”, “therefore”, “for” - rather than an equal split.
- The summary is one sentence and could not describe any other psalm.
- The core truth goes beyond the summary: it explains why the two ways end differently, and it says something about God.
- The application questions are specific, and each one is tied to a division.
Your homiletic on the same passage will not look exactly like this one, and it does not need to. The test is whether you can support every step from the text.
The five step guides
Observation
Step 1: Observe
Key question: What does the text say?
Read the passage closely and write down the facts - people, actions, places, repeated words and connecting words - verse by verse, without interpreting.
Observation
Step 2: Divide
Key question: How does the passage unfold?
Group the verses into two to four natural sections and summarize each one in a factual sentence with its verse reference.
Observation
Step 3: Summarize
Key question: What is the whole passage about?
Distill the whole passage into one sentence of about 15 words: what it is about and what it says about it.
Interpretation
Step 4: Core truth
Key question: What does the passage teach?
Move from facts to meaning: state the timeless truth the author wants every reader to understand, consistent with the rest of Scripture.
Application
Step 5: Apply
Key question: How should I respond?
Write specific questions, at least one per division, that press the core truth into your thinking, attitudes and actions.