Psalms 128

General context

The psalm blesses every one who fears the Lord and walks in his ways. It then addresses that person: he shall eat the labour of his hands, be happy, and it shall be well with him. His wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of his house, and his children like olive plants round about his table. The psalm says that thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. It then wishes that the Lord bless him out of Zion, that he see the good of Jerusalem all the days of his life, and that he see his children's children, and peace upon Israel.

Cited passages: Psalms 128:1, Psalms 128:2, Psalms 128:3, Psalms 128:4, Psalms 128:5, Psalms 128:6

Psalms 128 (KJV)

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Historical context

The source prints no heading for this psalm; verse 1 begins with "Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord", so no title, author or occasion is given and none is asserted. The person blessed is described only by conduct, fearing the Lord and walking in his ways, and is addressed as "thou" without a name. The household is a wife and children; the psalm speaks of the man's house and table and does not describe the wife or the children beyond the two comparisons. Zion and Jerusalem are named as the source of blessing and the place whose good the man will see; Israel is named in the closing wish for peace. The psalm does not say who speaks the blessing or in what setting. No Selah occurs.

Cited passages: Psalms 128:1, Psalms 128:3, Psalms 128:5, Psalms 128:6

Literary context

The psalm opens in the third person, "every one that feareth the Lord", moves to direct address in verses 2-3, returns to the third person in verse 4 with "the man be blessed that feareth the Lord", which repeats the opening phrase, and then addresses "thee" again in verses 5-6. The word "blessed" or "bless" appears in verses 1, 4 and 5. The two comparisons in verse 3 are both plants, a vine and olive plants, and both are placed in the house, by its sides and around its table. The scope widens as the psalm goes on: from the man's hands, to his wife and children, to Zion and Jerusalem, to children's children and Israel. The last word is "Israel", as in the closing line of Psalm 125, so a blessing that began with one man ends with the whole people.

Cited passages: Psalms 128:1, Psalms 128:4, Psalms 128:2, Psalms 128:3, Psalms 128:5, Psalms 128:6, Psalms 125:5

Key moments

1. Blessed is the one who fears (Psalms 128:1). The psalm blesses every one who fears the Lord and walks in his ways.
2. Eating one's own labour (Psalms 128:2). The one addressed shall eat the labour of his hands and it shall be well with him.
3. Vine and olive plants (Psalms 128:3). Wife and children are pictured as a fruitful vine and olive plants around the table.
4. Blessing out of Zion (Psalms 128:5). The Lord is to bless him out of Zion and he will see the good of Jerusalem.
5. Children's children (Psalms 128:6). He will see his children's children, and peace upon Israel.

For reflection

The psalm ties the man's blessing to eating the labour of his own hands and to a household pictured as vine and olive plants, then to the good of Jerusalem. What does the poem suggest connects one household's table to the peace of a whole people?

People in this chapter

• Jacob