Psalms 128:1-6: a reflection

1Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways. 2For you will eat the labor of your hands. You will be happy, and it will be well with you. 3Your wife will be as a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house, your children like olive shoots around your table. 4Behold, this is how the man who fears the LORD is blessed. 5May the LORD bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. 6Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel.

This short psalm describes the blessedness of a life ordered around the fear of the LORD. Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways, it begins; and it goes on to picture the ordinary goods of such a life: eating the fruit of one's labor, a flourishing family, the good of one's community, seeing one's children's children. It is a picture of the ordinary blessings woven into a life of reverent, faithful walking with God.

Notice what the psalm connects: the fear of the LORD, and the ordinary goods of life. It does not promise extraordinary wealth or spectacular success; it pictures the ordinary blessings of a well-ordered life, honest work with its fruit, family, community, peace, woven into a life lived in reverent faithfulness to God. The fear of the LORD is not pictured as a burden, but as the root of a good and blessed life, in which the ordinary goods are received with gratitude as God's blessing.

That connection, between the fear of the LORD and a good, well-ordered life, is worth taking to heart. We can think of the fear of the LORD as a constraint, a burden that limits life's goods; but the psalm pictures it as the root of a blessed life, in which the ordinary goods, work, family, community, peace, are received as God's blessing. This is not a promise of ease or wealth for all who fear God; life is more complicated than that. But it does hold up the goodness woven into a life of reverent faithfulness, the ordinary blessings received with gratitude. Do not think of the fear of the LORD as a burden that limits the goods of life; it is the root of a good and well-ordered life. Walk in the fear of the LORD, and receive the ordinary goods of life, your work, your relationships, your daily bread, with gratitude as God's blessing, finding in a life of reverent faithfulness the ordinary blessings the psalm describes.

Lord, this short psalm describes the blessedness of a life ordered around the fear of you: blessed is everyone who fears the LORD and walks in his ways; and it pictures the ordinary goods of such a life, eating the fruit of one's labor, a flourishing family, the good of one's community, peace. Take to my heart the connection it draws, between the fear of you and a good, well-ordered life. I can think of the fear of you as a constraint, a burden that limits life's goods; but the psalm pictures it as the root of a blessed life, in which the ordinary goods, work, family, community, peace, are received as your blessing. This is not a promise of ease or wealth for all who fear you; life is more complicated than that. But it holds up the goodness woven into a life of reverent faithfulness, the ordinary blessings received with gratitude. Keep me from thinking of the fear of you as a burden that limits the goods of life; it is the root of a good and well-ordered life. Help me walk in the fear of you, Lord, and receive the ordinary goods of life, my work, my relationships, my daily bread, with gratitude as your blessing, finding in a life of reverent faithfulness the ordinary blessings the psalm describes.