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Psalm chapter 128

What does Psalm chapter 128 mean?

The songs "of ascent" (Psalms 120—134) often follow unique themes. This psalm focuses on the benefits of reverence for the Lord. The lesson is not that obedience guarantees prosperity for all people. Rather, it evokes God's unique promises to Israel (Deuteronomy 30:15–18) and the idea that godly wisdom is more likely to bring success than disaster (Proverbs 9:10–11; 11:3–8; 14:27).

The psalm opens with a direct statement that obedience to God results in being "blessed." Such persons have reason to anticipate good things in life, especially regarding their family. Israel knew better than most nations that hardship and disaster can come to anyone, no matter how pious (Psalm 11:5; 49:10; 90:10; Deuteronomy 8:5). Yet they also knew that following God's instructions would naturally lead them towards good and away from evil (Psalm 128:1–4).

With that in mind, the psalmist prays for a blessing, presumably on the God-honoring person. This connects to Jerusalem, which was founded in the mountain fortress, Zion, captured by David (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1). To see a lifetime of peace and prosperity in the city of David would be quite a blessing, indeed (Psalm 128:5–6).
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