Psalm 128:1 Blessed Fear

Psalm 128:1 Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.

Psalm 128 is yet another of these songs of ascents. The psalm begins very simply with a beatitude. It says that all who fear the LORD are blessed. They are contented in God. Those who fear the LORD are defined as those who walk in his ways. The psalmist then describes in general and more specific terms the blessings that such people can expect to receive. You will eat the fruit of your labour he says blessings and prosperity will be yours. He also describes a delightful scene using trees as a metaphor in which this man who fears God is seen with his wife like a fruitful vine within your house and his sons like olive shoots round his table. Thus says the psalmist in verse 4 is the man blessed who fears the LORD. He ends the psalm by calling down God's lifelong blessing on all, specifically asking that they may see the prosperity of Jerusalem and that such people may live to see your children's children. He ends with the words Peace be upon Israel as happens in Psalm 125. The point not to miss here is that all these blessings are reserved for the person who fears the LORD, the one who walks in the ways set down by the Lord himself. Salvation is by grace but if we are stiff necked and refuse to fear God then what hope can there be of his gracious blessing? The fear of the Lord is the route to blessing and we must take it. Any other way will lead slowly but surely to disaster.