"The Reward of Obedience to
the Lord and Care"
Psalm 128
Good News Translation (GNT)
*************************
1 Happy are those who obey the Lord, who live
by his commands.
2 Your work will provide for your needs; you will
be happy and prosperous.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in your
home, and your children will be like young
olive trees around your table.
4 A man who obeys the Lord will surely be
blessed like this.
5 May the Lord bless you from Zion! May you
see Jerusalem prosper all the days of your life!
6 May you live to see your grandchildren!
Peace be with Israel!
*************************
Commentary taken from 'word-on-the-web'
supplied by Scripture Union
'The Reward of Obedience to
the Lord'
Psalm 128
It's easy to think that this psalm proclaims a
health-and-wealth gospel to the Jewish pilgrims
who travelled up to the temple in Jerusalem.
With its emphasis upon prosperity, children, longevity
and peace, the psalm appears to promise the good life
to those who fear the Lord.
Yet, the experience of many sincere believers is very different:
barrenness, ill-health, poverty and conflict.
Does this mean that they do not truly 'fear the Lord'?
Before we jump to this conclusion, we need to understand
the context.
In the Old Testament Israel, Jerusalem and Zion frequently
represent God's people, city and temple respectively.
As such, they are a partial fulfilment of God's creation plan.
At the beginning of Genesis, the divine mandate to humanity was to be
fruitful, and multiply and fill the earth, with the intention of establishing
a world-wide temple-city that would be God's dwelling place on earth.
Although Adam and Eve's betrayal of God jeopardised the divine project,
those who journeyed to Jerusalem did so in the belief that the
temple-city they visited anticipated a time when God's presence and
glory would fill a transformed earth, dominated by a greater temple-city.
The psalm rightly associates blessing with the divine presence, but
the blessings listed look towards the future.
Centuries later, in a different context, Jesus too affirmed
that those who feared God will be blessed.
Other versions are available here
Return to the Home Page
Contact the Rector
The Revd.Nic.Edwards
The Rectory,
Church Lane,
BUGBROOKE,
Northampton,
NN7 3PB
Land Line: 01604 - 815496
(Can be accessed from the mobile device)
Mobile: .....
E-mail:
thebeneficeofbhkandr at gmail dot com
Contact the Benefice Office
Sunday School Rooms, Church Lane,
BUGBROOKE, Northampton, NN7 3PB
Land Line: 01604 830373
E-mail:
thebeneficeofbhkandr at gmail dot com
Mon., Tues., Wed,, Thur., Fri.
9:00am to 11:30am
For Baptism bookings (Christenings)
to arrange an appointment please contact
the Benefice Office.
For Wedding bookings:
please contact the Benefice Office to arrange
an appointment.
Who Made This?
Seeing as you asked, if you can give helpful
advice or report factual corrections and
'deliberate mistakes',email:-
regparker3 at gmail dot com
Email addresses shown using words in an attempt to avoid 'spam',
Type the email address replacing 'at' with '@', and 'dot' with '.'
|