College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Psalms 128:1-6
DESCRIPTIVE TITLE
A Happy Home and a Prosperous Commonwealth.
ANALYSIS
Stanza I., Psalms 128:1-3, The Happy Home Described. Stanza II., Psalms 128:4-6, The Interest of the Commonwealth in Such a Home.
(Lm.) Song of the Steps.
1
How happy every one who revereth Jehovah
who walketh in his ways!
2
The toil of thine own hands when thou eatest
how happy for thee! and good for thine!
3
Thy wife
like a fruitful vine in the recesses of thy house!
Thy children
like plantings of olive-trees around thy table!
4
Lo! surely thus shall be blessed the man who revereth Jehovah.
5
May Jehovah bless thee out of Zion;
and gaze thou upon the prosperity of Jerusalem,
6
And see thou sons to thy sons.
Peace be upon Israel!
(Nm.)
PARAPHRASE
Blessings on all who reverence and trust the Lordon all who obey Him!
2 Their reward shall be prosperity and happiness.
3 Your wife shall be contented in your home. And look at all those children! There they sit around the dinner table as vigorous and healthy as young olive trees.
4 That is God's reward to those who reverence and trust Him.
5 May the Lord continually bless you with heaven's blessings[749] as well as with human joys.[750]
[749] Literally, from Zion.
[750] Literally, of Jerusalem.
6 May you live to enjoy your grandchildren! And may God bless Israel!
EXPOSITION
Every one can see how delightful a companion picture this psalm forms to that which has immediately preceded it. It overflows with tender admiration for the man who, in his home, realises to the full the richness of Jehovah's blessing: How happy (ml., Oh the blessednesses of) twice exclaims the psalmist: first thinking of the devout mind and the well-ordered life of the chief recipient of Jehovah's blessing; then passing on to the sturdy independence of the man in being permitted to earn his own livelihood and that of his wife and children. No idler is he: no mere dependent. Happy for thee to gain thine own bread by thy toil, and to have loving ones to share it with thee, and good for thine, to nestle under thy wing and multiply thy blessings: thy wife, like a vinegraceful, dependent, fruitfulin the recesses of thy house, her sheltered heaven on earth, where she prefers to be; thy children like plantingsstill youngof olive-trees on the way to transplantation into homes of their own, but at present placed around thy table as its richest ornament.
His neighbours call attention to him (Lo!) as a witness to Jehovah's kindness and faithfulness, and as an encouragement to others. In fact, the State sends blessings into the Home; and the Homesuch a home returns blessings to the State. On such homes, worshippers implore benedictions from Jehovah: out of such homes welcoming eyes behold the prosperity of Jerusalem. And so, back and forth, the blessing goes and comes: from thee outwards to Jerusalem, from Jerusalem inwards and upwards to thy grandchildren. Out of such happiness, in giving and receiving, come finally devout good wishes for all the people: Peace be upon Israel!
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1.
It would seem that never in history was the theme of this psalm more needed in our nation. Discuss.
2.
What prominent place does the wife have in this picture?
3.
What effect upon neighboring nations would the devotion of Israel have?
4.
Are we oversimplifying to suggest that in this psalm is the answer to our domestic and national dilemma?