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Selected Verse: Psalms 128:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 128:1	Strong Concordance	A Song [07892] of degrees [04609]. Blessed [0835] is every one that feareth [03373] the LORD [03068]; that walketh [01980] in his ways [01870].
	King James	A Song of degrees. Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
The temporal blessings of true piety. The eighth chapter of Zecariah is a virtual commentary on this Psalm. Compare Psa 128:3 with Zac 8:5; and Psa 128:2 with Lev 26:16; Deu 28:33; Zac 8:10; and Psa 128:6 with Zac 8:4. (Psa 128:1-6) (Compare Psa 1:1).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

The temporal blessings of true piety. The eighth chapter of Zecariah is a virtual commentary on this Psalm. Compare Psa 128:3 with Zac 8:5; and Psa 128:2 with Lev 26:16; Deu 28:33; Zac 8:10; and Psa 128:6 with Zac 8:4. (Psa 128:1-6)

(Compare Psa 1:1).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord - That honors God; that is truly pious. See the notes at Psa 1:1; Psa 112:1. What that blessedness is, is indicated in the following verses. That walketh in his ways - The ways which God commands or directs. On the word "walketh," see the notes at Psa 1:1.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The כּי in Psa 128:2 signifies neither "for" (Aquila, κόπον τῶν ταρσῶν σου ὅτι φάγεσαι), nor "when" (Symmachus, κόπον χειρῶν σου ἐωθίων); it is the directly affirmative כּי, which is sometimes thus placed after other words in a clause (Psa 118:10-12, Gen 18:20; Gen 41:32). The proof in favour of this asseverating כּי is the very usual כּי עתּה in the apodoses of hypothetical protases, or even כּי־אז in Job 11:15, or also only כּי in Isa 7:9, Sa1 14:39; "surely then;" the transition from the confirmative to the affirmative signification is evident from Psa 128:4 of the Psalm before us. To support one's self by one's own labour is a duty which even a Paul did not wish to avoid (Act 20:34), and so it is a great good fortune (טוב לך as in Psa 119:71) to eat the produce of the labour of one's own hands (lxx , τοὺς καρποὺς τῶν πόνων, or according to an original reading, τοὺς πὸνους τῶν καρπῶν); (Note: The fact that the τῶν καρπῶν of the lxx here, as in Pro 31:20, is intended to refer to the hands is noted by Theodoret and also by Didymus (in Rosenmuller): καρποὺς φησὶνῦν ὡς ἀπὸ μέρους τὰς χεῖρας (i.e., per synecdochen partis pro toto), τουτέστι τῶν πρακτικῶν σου δυνάμεων φάγεσαι τοὺς πόνους.) For he who can make himself useful to others and still is also independent of them, he eats the bread of blessing which God gives, which is sweeter than the bread of charity which men give. In close connection with this is the prosperity of a house that is at peace and contented within itself, of an amiable and tranquil and hopeful (rich in hope) family life. "Thy wife (אשׁתּך, found only here, for אשׁתּך) is as a fruit-producing vine." פּריּה for פּרה, from פּרה = פּרי, with the Jod of the root retained, like בוכיּה, Lam 1:16. The figure of the vine is admirably suited to the wife, who is a shoot or sprig of the husband, and stands in need of the man's support as the vine needs a stick or the wall of a house (pergula). בּירכּתי ביתך does not belong to the figure, as Kimchi is of opinion, who thinks of a vine starting out of the room and climbing up in the open air outside. What is meant is the angle, corner, or nook (ירכּתי, in relation to things and artificial, equivalent to the natural ירכי), i.e., the background, the privacy of the house, where the housewife, who is not to be seen much out of doors, leads a quiet life, entirely devoted to the happiness of her husband and her family. The children springing from such a nobel vine, planted around the family table, are like olive shoots or cuttings; cf. in Euripides, Medea, 1098: τέκνων ἐν οἴκοις γλυκερὸν βλάστημα, and Herc. Fur. 839: καλλίπαις στέφανος. thus fresh as young layered small olive-trees and thus promising are they.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The כּי in Psa 128:2 signifies neither "for" (Aquila, κόπον τῶν ταρσῶν σου ὅτι φάγεσαι), nor "when" (Symmachus, κόπον χειρῶν σου ἐωθίων); it is the directly affirmative כּי, which is sometimes thus placed after other words in a clause (Psa 118:10-12, Gen 18:20; Gen 41:32). The proof in favour of this asseverating כּי is the very usual כּי עתּה in the apodoses of hypothetical protases, or even כּי־אז in Job 11:15, or also only כּי in Isa 7:9, Sa1 14:39; "surely then;" the transition from the confirmative to the affirmative signification is evident from Psa 128:4 of the Psalm before us. To support one's self by one's own labour is a duty which even a Paul did not wish to avoid (Act 20:34), and so it is a great good fortune (טוב לך as in Psa 119:71) to eat the produce of the labour of one's own hands (lxx , τοὺς καρποὺς τῶν πόνων, or according to an original reading, τοὺς πὸνους τῶν καρπῶν);

(Note: The fact that the τῶν καρπῶν of the lxx here, as in Pro 31:20, is intended to refer to the hands is noted by Theodoret and also by Didymus (in Rosenmuller): καρποὺς φησὶνῦν ὡς ἀπὸ μέρους τὰς χεῖρας (i.e., per synecdochen partis pro toto), τουτέστι τῶν πρακτικῶν σου δυνάμεων φάγεσαι τοὺς πόνους.)

For he who can make himself useful to others and still is also independent of them, he eats the bread of blessing which God gives, which is sweeter than the bread of charity which men give. In close connection with this is the prosperity of a house that is at peace and contented within itself, of an amiable and tranquil and hopeful (rich in hope) family life. "Thy wife (אשׁתּך, found only here, for אשׁתּך) is as a fruit-producing vine." פּריּה for פּרה, from פּרה = פּרי, with the Jod of the root retained, like בוכיּה, Lam 1:16. The figure of the vine is admirably suited to the wife, who is a shoot or sprig of the husband, and stands in need of the man's support as the vine needs a stick or the wall of a house (pergula). בּירכּתי ביתך does not belong to the figure, as Kimchi is of opinion, who thinks of a vine starting out of the room and climbing up in the open air outside. What is meant is the angle, corner, or nook (ירכּתי, in relation to things and artificial, equivalent to the natural ירכי), i.e., the background, the privacy of the house, where the housewife, who is not to be seen much out of doors, leads a quiet life, entirely devoted to the happiness of her husband and her family. The children springing from such a nobel vine, planted around the family table, are like olive shoots or cuttings; cf. in Euripides, Medea, 1098: τέκνων ἐν οἴκοις γλυκερὸν βλάστημα, and Herc. Fur. 839: καλλίπαις στέφανος. thus fresh as young layered small olive-trees and thus promising are they.

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¹ Blessed [0835] is the man [0376] that walketh [01980] not in the counsel [06098] of the ungodly [07563], nor standeth [05975] in the way [01870] of sinners [02400], nor sitteth [03427] in the seat [04186] of the scornful [03887].

¹ A Song [07892] of degrees [04609]. Blessed [0835] is every one that feareth [03373] the LORD [03068]; that walketh [01980] in his ways [01870].
² For thou shalt eat [0398] the labour [03018] of thine hands [03709]: happy [0835] shalt thou be, and it shall be well [02896] with thee.
³ Thy wife [0802] shall be as a fruitful [06509] vine [01612] by the sides [03411] of thine house [01004]: thy children [01121] like olive [02132] plants [08363] round about [05439] thy table [07979].
⁴ Behold, that thus shall the man [01397] be blessed [01288] that feareth [03373] the LORD [03068].
⁵ The LORD [03068] shall bless [01288] thee out of Zion [06726]: and thou shalt see [07200] the good [02898] of Jerusalem [03389] all the days [03117] of thy life [02416].
⁶ Yea, thou shalt see [07200] thy children's [01121] children [01121], and peace [07965] upon Israel [03478].

⁴ Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635]; There shall yet old men [02205] and old women [02205] dwell [03427] in the streets [07339] of Jerusalem [03389], and every man [0376] with his staff [04938] in his hand [03027] for very [07230] age [03117].

⁶ Yea, thou shalt see [07200] thy children's [01121] children [01121], and peace [07965] upon Israel [03478].

¹⁰ For before [06440] these days [03117] there was [01961] no hire [07939] for man [0120], nor any hire [07939] for beast [0929]; neither was there any peace [07965] to him that went out [03318] or came in [0935] because of the affliction [06862]: for I set [07971] all men [0120] every one [0376] against his neighbour [07453].

³³ The fruit [06529] of thy land [0127], and all thy labours [03018], shall a nation [05971] which thou knowest [03045] not eat up [0398]; and thou shalt be only oppressed [06231] and crushed [07533] alway [03117]:

¹⁶ I also will do [06213] this unto you; I will even appoint [06485] over you terror [0928], consumption [07829], and the burning ague [06920], that shall consume [03615] the eyes [05869], and cause sorrow [01727] of heart [05315]: and ye shall sow [02232] your seed [02233] in vain [07385], for your enemies [0341] shall eat [0398] it.

² For thou shalt eat [0398] the labour [03018] of thine hands [03709]: happy [0835] shalt thou be, and it shall be well [02896] with thee.

⁵ And the streets [07339] of the city [05892] shall be full [04390] of boys [03206] and girls [03207] playing [07832] in the streets [07339] thereof.

³ Thy wife [0802] shall be as a fruitful [06509] vine [01612] by the sides [03411] of thine house [01004]: thy children [01121] like olive [02132] plants [08363] round about [05439] thy table [07979].

¹ Praise [01984] ye the LORD [03050]. Blessed [0835] is the man [0376] that feareth [03372] the LORD [03068], that delighteth [02654] greatly [03966] in his commandments [04687].

¹⁶ For these things I weep [01058]; mine eye [05869], mine eye [05869] runneth down [03381] with water [04325], because the comforter [05162] that should relieve [07725] my soul [05315] is far [07368] from me: my children [01121] are desolate [08074], because the enemy [0341] prevailed [01396].

²⁰ She stretcheth out [06566] her hand [03709] to the poor [06041]; yea, she reacheth forth [07971] her hands [03027] to the needy [034].

⁷¹ It is good [02896] for me that I have been afflicted [06031]; that I might learn [03925] thy statutes [02706].

³⁴ Yea [1161], ye yourselves [846] know [1097], that [3754] these [3778] hands [5495] have ministered [5256] unto my [3450] necessities [5532], and [2532] to them that were [5607] with [3326] me [1700].

⁴ Behold, that thus shall the man [01397] be blessed [01288] that feareth [03373] the LORD [03068].

³⁹ For, as the LORD [03068] liveth [02416], which saveth [03467] Israel [03478], though it be [03426] in Jonathan [03129] my son [01121], he shall surely [04191] die [04191]. But there was not a man among all the people [05971] that answered [06030] him.

⁹ And the head [07218] of Ephraim [0669] is Samaria [08111], and the head [07218] of Samaria [08111] is Remaliah's [07425] son [01121]. If ye will not believe [0539], surely ye shall not be established [0539].

¹⁵ For then shalt thou lift up [05375] thy face [06440] without spot [03971]; yea, thou shalt be stedfast [03332], and shalt not fear [03372]:

³² And for that the dream [02472] was doubled [08138] unto Pharaoh [06547] twice [06471]; it is because the thing [01697] is established [03559] by [05973] God [0430], and God [0430] will shortly [04116] bring it to pass [06213].

²⁰ And the LORD [03068] said [0559], Because the cry [02201] of Sodom [05467] and Gomorrah [06017] is great [07227], and because their sin [02403] is very [03966] grievous [03513];

¹⁰ All nations [01471] compassed me about [05437]: but in the name [08034] of the LORD [03068] will I destroy [04135] them.
¹¹ They compassed me about [05437]; yea, they compassed me about [05437]: but in the name [08034] of the LORD [03068] I will destroy [04135] them.
¹² They compassed me about [05437] like bees [01682]; they are quenched [01846] as the fire [0784] of thorns [06975]: for in the name [08034] of the LORD [03068] I will destroy [04135] them.

² For thou shalt eat [0398] the labour [03018] of thine hands [03709]: happy [0835] shalt thou be, and it shall be well [02896] with thee.