In I Corinthians 15 v 58, Paul exhorts us to be steadfast, unmoveable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Psalm 127 teaches us to lean on, to trust in the Lord and to realise the folly of working without the Lord. We must
work for the Lord and with the Lord. Trying to worship without Him is vain. We need to move in the Holy Spirit.
In Psalm 128 we come to a work that is fruitful and that brings blessing. Your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
At the end of Psalm 127 the soul was at battle stations, as it were. The children were like arrows in a quiver.
But here in Psalm 128 the children are like olive plants around the table. There is peace that brings true
happiness and blessedness. This blessedness is for everyone. It is for the "whosoever". It is to be found
in the fulness of God's provision. This is, by the way, the ninth Song of Degrees. Nine, so often, is associated
with God's complete provision. In Matthew 5 there are nine "Blessed" statements and these are available for all.
In the last of the beatitudes, however, the matter is made personal. It is not "Blessed are they," but "Blessed are
you."
Now we also get this idea with the ninth of the Songs of Ascents. In the eighth (Psalm 127) it declares,
"Happy is the man...." 'Happy' is exactly the same word in Hebrew as the
word 'Blessed' in verse 1 of Psalm 128. But in verse 5 of this Psalm, it declares,
"the Lord shall bless thee....thou shalt see the good....thou shalt see thy children's children." Suddenly
the blessing comes near and is personal. Perhaps we are not always sure whether God's promises to
'them' include us. Here, there is no doubt. God's promises of blessing are for you...Yes, you!
In I Corinthians 12 there are nine gifts of the Holy Spirit arranged in order. There is a fulness of provision. In
Galatians 5, we read of the nine-fold fruit of the Holy Spirit. God wants us to be completely fruitful. That is what
is revealed also in this Psalm. How do we enter into this fruitfulness? The answer is here. They are blessed that
fear the Lord and walk in His way. This is the reverence and honour that comes from hearts
This is a song of blessing and of the fulness of God's provision; it is for those who fear the Lord and walk in His
ways. In Proverbs it declares that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This is the way of real
happiness. The end of all other ways is death. The world does not see it that way; the world boast is, "When
I fear no one and when I can do exactly what I want to do, then I will be happy." Do not believe it, for the
happiness of the world is very short-lived. Happiness is found only in surrendering your will to the Lord and in
walking in His ways.
Possibly we may not like what the word of God says, and certainly the flesh rebels against the will of God. Many
claim to love the Lord but do not obey His word. Jesus said to people of His day,
"Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do the things that I say?" People want to be part of the
bouncy, happy throng that seem to be enjoying themselves, but when God reveals what His will is, that certain
things must be cleared out of believers' lives, that there are things that people should be doing, ideas that do
not fit in with their fleshly plans, then rebellion manifests itself. There will never be happiness until we are doing
what the Lord says. There must be submission to His will and to each other.
The book of Psalms begins in this way of happiness and blessing; it begins in the way of submission to the Word
and will of God. "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord;
and in His law doth he meditate day and night." (Psalm 1 vv 1,2) "Lord, what would you have me to do?"
is the constant prayer of a saint of God.
Did you know that Jesus also delighted to know the fear of the Lord? In Isaiah 11 vv 2,3 there is a prophecy
about Jesus. It says that the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the
Spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord, and shall make Him of quick
understanding in the fear of the Lord. The marginal reference explains that quick understanding as a smell or
fragrance, that is, something to delight in. Let us also delight to fear the Lord.