Morning on the Seine, near Giverny
Claude Monet, 1896
My dear friends,
In Psalm 1, we can find a profound alignment with the laws of karma, particularly within the context of intentionality and its inevitable outcomes.
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but their delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
- Psalm 1:1-2
Here, the 'law of the LORD' can be seen as analogous to the moral discipline and intentional living endorsed in karmic law. Those who avoid corrupt influences and instead immerse themselves in spiritual practices inevitably cultivate positive karmic results, manifesting as internal and external peace and joy.
and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.
The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
- Psalm 1:3-4
The metaphor of trees by water vividly illustrates the law of karma—those who engage in skillful actions, rooted in virtuous intentions, flourish like trees nourished by constant streams, bearing fruits of well-being and satisfaction.
for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
- Psalm 1:5-6
Karmic law echoes this sentiment -- unskillful actions (akusala-kamma), driven by harmful intentions, lead to suffering and destruction, akin to chaff blown away by the wind. The protective gaze of God might be understood as the universal law of moral causation, which ensures that skillful actions (kusala-kamma) ultimately lead to happiness and vice to suffering.
Psalm 1 serves as a beautiful guide for living a karmically sound life, urging us to align our actions with the principles of integrity and mindfulness, ensuring a path of growth and true fulfillment.