Useful Bible Studies > Songs of Ascent Commentary

Psalm 128

· To get the maximum benefit from this study, please open your Bible and read Psalm 128 first.

In Psalm 127, the poet taught that only God can establish a family. In Psalm 128, the poet describes the family that God has established.

The start of Psalm 128 is similar to Psalm 1. In both Psalms, the poet sets out to describe the person who knows real happiness. And he begins with the word that we translate ‘happy’. The poet does not mean that such people always have happy feelings. He means that such people are content. God has given them genuine satisfaction in their lives.

Psalm 128:1 describes these people’s attitude and their behaviour. Their attitude is that they respect God. And they behave in the manner that God approves. There is a connection between these two things. Because they respect God, they obey him. And they choose to live in a manner that pleases him.

Then the poet blesses each person whom he has described. In other words, the poet declares good things that God will do for that person. Or, he expresses the good things in God’s perfect plan for that person.

Firstly, that person’s work will be successful. He will not be like the builders in Psalm 127:1, who worked in vain. This person’s work will produce results. Those results will be as good and plentiful as the fruit at the harvest. So this person will not have to depend on other people. He will be like the farmer who has his own fruit to eat. And the results of his work will satisfy him.

Many good things and much happiness will be in this man’s life. This man’s wife and children and his chief reason for happiness. He is happy because of the good family that God has given to him.

Next part: The wife and children of the man who respects God

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