Psalm 128

Psalm Category: Song of Ascents

Central Thought: The Lord blesses faithful people

keywords: blessed, fear

Psalm 128 is the ninth in the 15 Songs of Ascents (120-134). The overall theme of the series is ascending into the temple in Jerusalem for the 3 annual feasts (Exod. 23:14-17). These psalms are useful to us as we enter into the heavenly presence of God in public worship (Heb. 12:22-24).

Introduction

Psalms 127 and 128 share a focus on family and the theme of blessing, especially in 127:5 and 128:1 (how blessed). The emphasis on the sovereignty of God in Psalm 127 complements the emphasis on the responsibility of man in Psalm 128, demonstrating that these two doctrines are intimate friends who do not need to be reconciled. In Psalm 128, verse 4 wraps up the first section with a restatement of verse 1 and introduces the second section with a special call for our close attention (behold, see 127:3).

There is an instructive progression between these two sections. A focus on the individual (vv. 1-4) extends to the nation and the coming generations (vv. 5-6), and a description of blessing (vv. 1-4) proceeds into a declaration of blessing (vv. 5-6). There may also be a welcoming of pilgrims into Jerusalem (vv. 1-4) and a farewell to them as they depart (vv. 5-6; see Num. 6:24-26).

Beatitude: Blessing Described (vv. 1-4)

The word blessed (vv. 1, 4) implies the objective goodness of God felt and enjoyed (see Ps. 1:1, 2:12). It is the subject of the beatitudes (Matt. 5:1-12) and that which is promised to those who are faithful in God’s covenant (Lev. 26; Deut. 28). Blessing is promised to those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways (v. 1). Fear is the internal root of faith in and reverence for God; walking is the external fruit of obeying His commandments (see Jas. 2:18; Ps. 119:1). This pattern of blessing is a general rule that applies to everyone (v. 1).

Examples of blessing are now given (vv. 2-3). The first is the enjoyment of the outcome of employment (v. 2). You will not work hard while someone else enjoys all the benefits (Deut. 28:30). The means of enjoyment is eating (v. 2; see grapes, olives, table, v. 3). Eating is the primary way we enjoy many things and is therefore a suitable picture for the enjoyment of all things (Ps. 34:8). Even the Lord’s supper employs this idea (John 6:54-58).

The faithful man will enjoy a winsome (Prov. 5:18-19, 12:3; 18:22; 19:14) and productive (Prov. 31:10-31) wife who is the life-giving center of the home (within) rather than a woman who runs around to no purpose or even evil (Prov. 7:11; 1 Tim. 5:13). He will also enjoy many promising children who, like olive shoots springing from the root system of an olive tree, surround his table and take their nourishment from him (v. 3). But his sacrifice is with the prospect that they will grow strong and fruitful, helping him when he is old (v. 3; see Ps. 127:5).

These blessings are summarized as the things God gives to those He considers great in simple faithfulness (v. 4).

Benediction: Blessing Declared (vv. 5-6)

These two verses have the form of the priestly blessing (Num. 6:24-26), especially the blessing of peace (v. 6). Heavenly blessings (v. 5, from Zion; see Matt. 7:11) are declared to the faithful man and to his whole faithful community (v. 5, Jerusalem; v. 6, Israel), including the coming generations. These blessings are not just for the present but for his whole life (v. 5). The concluding climax is the familiar blessing of peace (v. 6; see Ps. 125:5; 122:6-8) which summarizes the mercy of God in not giving us the calamity we deserve, and the grace of God in giving us the good we don’t deserve (see 1 Tim. 1:2).

Lessons

We must know and believe the basic promises of God that are the substance of this psalm: the righteous shall live and the wicked shall die; the faithful shall be blessed and the unfaithful shall be cursed (see Ps. 1; Deut. 27-28; Luke 6:20-26). These hard truths drive us to Christ in whom alone—by grace, through faith, and for work—we have righteousness and faithfulness (Rom. 1:17; Eph. 2:1-10) and, thereby, life and blessing.

We must reject the “prosperity and posterity gospel,” which declares that, if you are faithful, you will be healthy and wealthy with a beautiful, productive spouse and many promising children. This is clearly false because even God Himself had an adulterous wife and rebellious children (see Hosea 3:1, 11:1-2), and He is perfectly faithful. Faithfulness does bring good fruit and blessings, but not always in ways that the world would see as prosperity, and not without suffering and loss. However, in the new creation, these things will be true for us in ways that the picture of the happy home only illustrates.

Kit Swartz | Comments welcome at oswegorpc@hotmail.com. Audio files and pdf outlines are at reformedvoice.com.