Psalm 128:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

NIV: You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

NASB: When you eat the fruit of the labor of your hands, You will be happy and it will go well for you.

CSB: You will surely eat what your hands have worked for. You will be happy, and it will go well for you.

NLT: You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be!

KJV: For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

NKJV: When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.

God offered the nation of Israel a unique promise. He tied blessings and prosperity to their obedience (Leviticus 26:3–5; Deuteronomy 30:15–16). This even included military success (Leviticus 26:6–9). Disobedience would result in loss of crops (Deuteronomy 28:38–40), among other things. Rejecting the Lord would eventually lead to defeat and exile (Deuteronomy 30:17–18). In this psalm, the writer evokes those ideas by calling the one who fears the Lord (Psalm 128:1) "blessed."

Those promises were given to the nation of Israel as a single unit. They were not offered to any specific person—then or now. However, the Bible does indicate that those who follow godly wisdom (Psalm 128:1; Proverbs 9:10–11) are at much less risk for disaster than those who ignore Him (Proverbs 11:3–8; 14:27).

Psalm 128:1–2 describes some of the benefits of honoring the Lord as God. These ideas are echoed in the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 9:10–11; 11:3–8; 14:27). "Fearing" God by submitting to His will is not a magical guarantee of prosperity. Yet the Lord's guidance is much better than the advice of a fallen world.

Those who properly honor and follow the Lord are said to "fear" Him (Proverbs 9:10–11). This results in being blessed. The psalm does not guarantee prosperity, but Scripture indicates that the Lord's commands offer greater chance of success and less chance of negative consequences (Proverbs 8:33–36). Godly living benefits one's marriage, children, and life in general. The psalm ends with a prayer of blessing which refers to Zion, the location of Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:1).

This is one of fifteen songs labeled "of ascents" (Psalms 120—134). These were used when traveling "up" the hills to Jerusalem for various festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16). Themes in this psalm echo lessons from the book of Proverbs regarding the benefits of godly wisdom (Proverbs 9:10–11; 11:3–8; 14:27). Other psalms make similar remarks (Psalm 112:1; 119:1).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 6/1/2025 3:21:46 PM