We give our Lord the proper honor and respect due Him when we walk in His ways.
Such a life yields many blessings.
“When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table.” [2]
The fruitful vine (yielding clusters of grapes) and the olive plants (yielding oil) are “biblical symbols of the abundant life. They are not food staples like wheat or corn. They symbolize rich blessing.”
“Olive trees take a long time to mature and become profitable. Patiently cultivated, they become quite valuable and continue to produce a profitable crop for centuries, longer perhaps than any other fruit-producing tree or plant.” [3]
Olive shoots are the vigorous offsets from an aged olive tree. “Beautiful; producing abundance; sending up young plants to take the place of the old when they decay and die.” [4]
“Olive shoots” may be applied to the spiritual seed and offspring of Christ. In Psalm 52:8, Zechariah 4:11, and Revelation 11:4 they are anointed ones. True believers in Christ have the anointing of the Holy Spirit in them. They are ever green in Jeremiah 11:16. In Song of Solomon 1:12, our Lord takes delight and pleasure in them. [5]
“Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.” [6]
There is assurance of blessing for all who honor and respect God the way that they should.
“The Lord bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.” [7]
Psalm 128 is a Song of Ascent. It was sung as singers walked up to Jerusalem to appear before the Lord. It was natural for singers of this psalm to think about the connection of blessing with Jerusalem. Good has come out of Zion (another name for Jerusalem).
Jesus brought forth the New Testament teaching and ministry in Jerusalem. His blessing to us!
Jesus died as a sacrifice for our sins in Jerusalem. His blessing to us!
Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to heaven from Jerusalem. His blessing to us!
The Gospel was first preached out of Jerusalem and the Church was birthed there. His blessing to us! [8]
“Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!” [9]
“The blessing to the one who fears the Lord goes beyond the holy city and impacts the holy family. The psalmist sees the blessing as enjoying grandchildren.
Since the pilgrim journeys to Israel were often made as families, it made sense for there to be much attention given to family relationships in the Songs of Ascents.
The psalmist understood that if the people of Israel did fear the Lord, this blessing of peace (shalom) would impact many. [10]
[1] Psalm 128:1
[2] Psalm 128:2-3
[3] Boise – quoted in the Enduring Word Commentary
[4] Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
[5] Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
[6] Psalm 128:4
[7] Psalm 128:5
[8] Derived from the Enduring Word Commentary
[9] Psalm 128:6
[10] Enduring Word Commentary
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