#880 A Family That Fears Together

Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,

who walks in his ways!

2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;

you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

within your house;

your children will be like olive shoots

around your table.

4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed

who fears the Lord.

5 The Lord bless you from Zion!

May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem

all the days of your life!

6 May you see your children's children!

Peace be upon Israel! Psalm 128 ESV

A Psalm of Ascents, blessing those who fear the Lord.

This Psalm is titled, A Song of Ascents. It is another of the 15 songs sung by travelers on their way to Jerusalem, usually for one of the three yearly feasts (Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles). Like Psalm 127 it has a focus on God’s work in and through the family. - Enduring Word

“It is of real significance that these songs of home and of true civic consciousness are found among those which are sung on the way that leads to worship. It is ever good to carry into the place of our communion with God the interests of home and city. It is only by doing so that we can influence these for their lasting good.” (G. Campbell Morgan)

Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord - What a long reach, Jew or Gentile, everyone who fears the Lord. This is the beginning of wisdom.

Who walks in His ways - And this is who fears Him. Faith without works is dead. He is not an idol that men nod to, nor an ideal that men invent. He is not fickle like men, quick to anger like us, no, but His wrath is just, and those that truly fear His holiness will walk in His ways. Those that love Him will hate His disappointment. 

…21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls. 22 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. 23 For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,…

…24 and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so— not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer— he will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.… James 1: 21-26

You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - We are to work, and those that fear the Lord will, but they shall eat of it and provide for their little ones. Labor is an honorable way to the table and we should thank God for the ability. 

…9 Not that we lack this right, but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate. 10 For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.” 11 Yet we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives and accomplishing nothing but being busybodies.… 2 Thessalonians 3: 9-11

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine - From out of her comes love, joy, peace and patience, as she gently works in the Spirit, bringing light and laughter to the home. This is the guard, the very heart of the home.

- Though the idea of bearing children is found in the figure of the fruitful vine, it goes far beyond it. “Good wives are also fruitful in kindness, thrift, helpfulness, and affection: if they bear no children, they are by no means barren if they yield us the wine of consolation and the clusters of comfort.” (Spurgeon)

Your children will be like olive shoots around your table - The vine above takes cultivating, but it's reach goes far from the root. It brings the fruit wherewith we make the drink that gladdens the heart. It is not necessary to your life, but he who finds a wife finds a good thing. The olive tree takes years of pruning, but produces fruit from which we gain oil. It is a luxury too, not a base thing, but a sign of blessing. It causes the face to shine.

“Though the olive tree may not bear after it has been planted for forty years, it is a symbol of longevity and productivity. So are children within the household of faith! They are not like grass, which is here today but is gone tomorrow. Rather, they are olive trees that in due time bear their fruit.” (VanGemeren)

Who fears the Lord - It is a great thing to us here and now, but the blessings of this life, the wine and the oil, nice thought they are, they are not to be mistaken for the glories which await those that truly fear the Lord. Oh, more than the things which fill the bowls and cups at my table, are the people with which I share it, Oh that they would fear the Lord. I would rather that then all the dainties of the wealthiest man here. May we meet again at God's table, my reservation is there.

May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem - It starts at home, with men and women who dare to make God the center of their lives. They teach their children the fear of God, and this is revival for the whole city. Godly parents are the height of civil duty; they are the building blocks of church and community. The law is for the lawless, but they fear God and so love their neighbor, and so they have fulfilled the law.

Peace be upon Israel - They have traveled together as families, generations deep, to worship the Lord together. They are not solely fixed upon their local dwelling, immediate family, but their prayer is for all Israel. As part of the body of Christ, we should have a world view, knowing especially that we have an extended family of brothers and sisters who at this time may not know peace where they live. 

…12 And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else, just as our love for you overflows, 13 so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 3: 12-13

1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered on behalf of all men 2 for kings and all those in authority, so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,… 1 Timothy 2: 1-3