Psalm 128

This is the 9th psalm of the fifteen Song of Ascents psalms

¹ Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.
² You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
³ Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.
⁴ Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.
⁵ May the LORD bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem,
⁶ and may you live to see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel.

Verse, one points back to Psalm one and focus on our walk with God which I believe is the main theme of the Book of Psalms. To determine whether your walk is “the way of righteous or the way of the wicked” ask yourself these two simple questions: do I fear the Lord, and do I desire to walk in his ways? The first question “do I fear the Lord” really cannot be answered until you define what this phase means to you. One of the ways I have found helpful in defining this phase is looking at how it is used in the scriptures. To fear the Lord means to walk in his ways. How do we walk in his ways? Paul tells Timothy to study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needs not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. So, the first step involves studying. The second step in serving the Lord is to serve him. By performing a word search on the “fear of God” in the Bible and studying the scriptures associated with the “fear of God” you will soon realize that this phase is also tied to the phase “and walk in his ways”. The third step in fearing the Lord is to shun or stay away from evil.

In Proverbs the fear of the Lord is associated with:

• the beginning of wisdom and knowledge
• those who shun and hates, evil behavior, pride, arrogance and perverse speech
• adds length to life
• a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
• teaches a man humility
• being kept safe from evil.

One of the greatest blessings that one can have in live is to live and see your children’s children. I have grown to learn that your grandchildren can be one of the greatest blessings you can enjoy in your old age. Just as I am typing these words I am listening to the playful noises of my grandchildren playing downstairs. Yes I live for the Lord, and yet in my retirement years I am blessed to have many grandchildren to live for and enjoy.

Even when families break apart there can be wonderful blessings for those who stay faithful in their walk with God. I love Psalm 119: 96 “I have seen a limit to all perfection, but thy commandment is exceedingly broad”. Sometimes we get very disappoint were the things and issues that surround us are not as perfect as we desire. We need to be careful that we do not strive to take corrective actions to make these things or issues perfect when they are no longer in our hands. But when we walk in the commandment of the Lord seems to restore the brokenness into something beautiful.