Verse 1. - Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord (comp. Psalm 112:1; Psalm 115:13); that walketh in his ways. The psalmist assumes that true religious fear of God, and a good and holy life, will necessarily go together. The point on which he wishes to insist is that on every such case will rest God's blessing.
For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Verse 2. - For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands. This is the first point of the "blessedness." God's faithful servant shall enjoy the fruits of his own industry, and not have them devoured by strangers (comp. Deuteronomy 28:33; Leviticus 26:16; Psalm 109:11). Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee; rather, happy thou, and well is it with thee (comp. Deuteronomy 33:29).
Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Verse 3. - Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides (rather, in the inner chambers) of thine house. The second point of blessedness is a fruitful wife, content to dwell in the female apartments of the house, to keep at home (Titus 2:5) and guide the household. Thy children like olive plants; or, "olive shoots" - the vigorous offsets from an aged olive tree, which spring up around it, ready to take its place. Round about thy table. Clustering around thy board, at once a source of cheerfulness and strength (see Psalm 127:5). This is the third point of blessedness.
Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. Verse 4. - Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. The promise must not be regarded as universal and absolute, but as general and admitting exceptions. Still, even under the new covenant, "Godliness has the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come" (1 Timothy 4:8).
The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Verse 5. - The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion. To the Israelite all blessings came out of Zion, which he regarded as God's earthly dwelling-place. And thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. The "good of Jerusalem" seems to mean here the "good fortune," or "prosperity," of Jerusalem. To see this would add still further to the blessedness of God's faithful servant.
Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel. Verse 6. - Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children. This is mentioned as the crowning blessing granted to Job in his second period of happiness (Job 42:16). It is here promised to the faithful generally, And peace upon Israel. This is best taken as a detached clause, like the concluding clause of Psalm 125, and rendered, "Peace be upon Israel." |
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