Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 128:6

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 128:6. Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children — Thou shall not die till thou have seen thy family all settled in the world, and those of them who may be married blessed with children.

And peace upon Israel. — This is the same conclusion as in Psalms 125:5; and should be translated, Peace be upon Israel! May God favour his own cause, and bless all his people!

ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHTH PSALM

In this Psalm the prophet persuades men to fear God upon the several rewards that attend upon piety.

It is divided into three parts.

I. He describes the pious man, and pronounces him blessed, Psalms 128:1.

II. He proposes the particulars of his blessing, Psalms 128:2-6.

III. He gives his acclamation to it, Psalms 128:4.

I. He describes the man who is to expect the blessing. Two qualities he must have: -

1. He must "fear the Lord." Fear, and not decline from him.

2. He must "walk in his ways." This is the true character of his fear.

3. This man shall be "blessed." Whether rich or poor, high or low; all such shall experience the blessing of the Lord.

II. And the blessedness consists in three particulars.

1. He shall enjoy those goods he has honestly obtained with his hands: "For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands:" his happiness consists not in having much, but in enjoying what he has.

2. "Happy shalt thou be," &c. Able to help others, and leave to thy children.

3. Happy he shall be in his marriage, if his choice be prudent, and in the Lord: 1. "His wife shall be," &c. Fetifera, non sterilis. 2. Upon the walls of thy house. Staying at home and caring for the things of the house, while her husband is taking care abroad.

4. Happy in his children: 1. "Thy children like olive-plants." Fresh, green, spreading, fruitful, and pledges of peace: not like sharp and prickly thorns. 2. "Round about thy table." Sit, eat, and converse with thee.

III. The acclamation follows these temporal blessings: "Thus shall the man be blessed," &c. In his goods, wife, and children.

But there is a blessing far beyond these, the sum of which is, -

1. God's blessing: "The Lord shall bless thee," &c. By a federal, a Church blessing.

2. "Thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem," &c. The prosperity of the Church.

3. "Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children."

Et natos natorum, et qui nascuntur ab illis.

"Thy children's children, and those born of them."

4. "And peace upon Israel." A flourishing commonwealth and kingdom: for by peace is understood all prosperity.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 125-128 Lessons from Jerusalem

As the worshippers journey towards Jerusalem, they recall some of the varied experiences that the city has passed through. They see these as typical of the experiences of God’s people as a whole. Believers are like Jerusalem in that they are completely secure and fully protected (125:1-2). Although Jerusalem sometimes came under the rule of its enemies, God never allowed these enemies to control it for long, in case God’s people lost their devotion to him (3). In the same way God cares for the righteous and punishes their enemies (4-5).
On another occasion God saved Jerusalem from some who plundered the land and threatened to destroy the capital. Israel rejoiced in God’s loving deliverance (126:1-3). But their problems were not over. Hard work lay ahead of them if they were to restore the land. They relied on God to provide water in the dry Negeb region, but they realized that they would have to work hard and long before they could enjoy the fruits of the land again. The lesson for the travellers is that they must persevere if they are to enjoy God’s blessing (4-6).
Whether in governing Jerusalem or in building a family, people must acknowledge the sovereign rule of God. If they become nervous wrecks because of worry-filled days and sleepless nights, their faith in God is shown to be weak (127:1-2). The travellers receive a further encouragement to trust in God by the reminder that a large and healthy family is a blessing from God. It also gives a person stability, strength and honour in society (3-5)
If people’s lives are characterized by trust, obedience and perseverance, they will enjoy the blessings of personal security and a happy home (128:1-4). Wherever God dwells, whether in the sense of dwelling in the family or in the sense of dwelling in Jerusalem, his people there will enjoy his fullest blessing (5-6).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"Jehovah bless thee out of Zion: And see thou the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, see thou thy children's children. Peace be upon Israel."

"The Lord bless thee from Zion" The thought here is that God's blessings upon his people are actually conveyed via the Lord's established religion. The prosperity and happiness of every God-fearing family upon earth is, in some degree, contingent upon the prosperity of holy religion in their community. From this comes the obligation of every God-fearing family, in our own times as well as in theirs, to support faithfully the advancement of the Word of God. This is done by faithful attendance of public worship and by faithful study of the Bible.

"Thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life" "The man who fears the Lord is a man whose happiness is imperfect unless he can see also the prosperity of Jerusalem."The Interpreter's Bible, op. cit., p. 673.

"All the days of thy life" There is more than a hint here that the God-fearing man will have a long life, a truth which is confirmed in the following verse. To be sure, "time and circumstance happen unto all men"; and there must, of course, be exceptions to a rule such as this; but, in the general sense, it is most certainly the truth.

"May you see your children's children" Solomon said that, "Children's children are the crown of an old man" (Proverbs 17:6). Spurgeon's comment on this was that, "The good man is glad that a pious stock is likely to be continued; he rejoices in the belief that other homes as happy as his own will be established, wherein there are altars to the glory of God."Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Vol. II, p. 245.

"Peace be upon Israel" When this was written, God's Israel was composed of the "seed" of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; but, even at that time, all of the literal posterity of the patriarchs were not counted as God's Israel, as for example, in the case of the Edomites and the Ishmaelites, all of whom were just as much Abraham's children as were any others.

The true Israel, for a long period of history, was indistinguishable from the nation, which became more and more wicked. For example, in the times of Elijah, there were only 7,000 worshippers of God in the millions of the population of the nation. By the times of Christ, the true Israel had dwindled to a comparatively few, including the apostles and prophets of the new dispensation. These became the nucleus of the Greater Israel known as Christianity, of which Paul wrote, when he said, "Peace be... and mercy upon the Israel of God" (Galatians 6:16).

In our own times, all who fear the Lord and follow his teachings, are as fully concerned for the peace and prosperity of the Church which is the New Israel as were any who lived under the Old Covenant were solicitous for the welfare of the Old Israel.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children - This is a continuation of the idea of blessedness as connected with a numerous posterity - an object of so much interest to the Hebrews (see the notes at Psalms 128:3), and having its foundation in our nature.

And peace upon Israel - See Psalms 125:5. As the crowning blessing; a blessing above that of success in worldly affairs; above that of seeing a numerous and happy posterity. The love of God is the supreme affection in the mind of a pious man; the desire that his cause may prosper and triumph is to him a supreme desire. Man is truly and completely blessed only in religion.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 128:1-6

Continuing to deal with the family and all, the next psalm.

Blessed is every one that feareth [or reverences] the LORD; and walks in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labor of your hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee ( Psalms 128:1-2 ).

Who is that? The man who reverences the Lord and walks in the ways of the Lord. You'll eat the fruit of your own labor. You'll be happy. It will be well with you.

Your wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of your house: and your children like olive plants round about the table ( Psalms 128:3 ).

So all these little olive skin kids sitting around the table, you know. I love it. Ten little faces, big smiles.

Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that reverences the LORD. The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion ( Psalms 128:4-5 ):

Now we're still coming towards Jerusalem and we're still looking forward to getting there.

and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel ( Psalms 128:5 , Psalms 128:6 ).

So you get to see your grandkids and that's neat. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 128

In this wisdom ascent psalm, the writer rejoiced in the Lord’s blessings. He reviewed previously received blessings and then prayed for greater blessings (cf. Numbers 6:24-26).

"In one form or another, the word ’bless’ is used four times, but it is the translation of two different Hebrew words. In Psalms 128:1-2, it is the word asher which is often translated ’happy’ (Genesis 30:12-13), and in Psalms 128:4-5, it is barak, which means ’blessed of the Lord.’" [Note: Ibid., p. 348.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

3. Specific supplications for blessing 128:5-6

The psalmist offered a general prayer for his readers’ future, and then specified particular blessings following the form he used in Psalms 128:1-4. The petition concerning seeing Jerusalem prosper all of one’s days is appropriate in a psalm of ascent. The prosperity of the city would extend to every family in the nation ultimately. Seeing one’s grandchildren also expresses God’s continued blessing for many years to come.

"From bride and groom to grandparents in just six verses! How time flies! Three generations are represented in the psalm, and all of them walking with the Lord." [Note: Ibid., p. 349.]

This psalm beautifully tied family and nation together in the thinking of the pilgrim Israelite who traveled with his family to Jerusalem for a national feast. It is a reminder of the importance of God’s blessing on both home and nation that are mutually dependent. Families and nations can only succeed with God’s blessing.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Yea, thou shall see thy children's children,.... A numerous race of descendants from him, which are the crown and glory of old men,

Proverbs 17:6; this is also true of Christ's spiritual children by his church in successive ages, Isaiah 59:21;

[and] peace upon Israel: all kind of prosperity, temporal and spiritual; peace, and abundance of it; as will be in the latter day, in the spiritual reign of Christ, Psalms 72:8. It may be considered as a wish or prayer, with which the psalm is concluded; let "peace be upon Israel" a, as in Psalms 125:5; see Galatians 6:16.

a שלום על ישראל "pax sit super Israele", Cocceius; so Gejerus.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

A song of degrees.

      1 Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.   2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.   3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.   4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.   5 The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.   6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.

      It is here shown that godliness has the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

      I. It is here again and again laid down as an undoubted truth that those who are truly holy are truly happy. Those whose blessed state we are here assured of are such as fear the Lord and walk in his ways, such as have a deep reverence of God upon their spirits and evidence it by a regular and constant conformity to his will. Where the fear of God is a commanding principle in the heart the tenour of the conversation will be accordingly; and in vain do we pretend to be of those that fear God if we do not make conscience both of keeping to his ways and not trifling in them or drawing back. Such are blessed (Psalms 128:1; Psalms 128:1), and shall be blessed, Psalms 128:4; Psalms 128:4. God blesses them, and his pronouncing them blessed makes them so. They are blessed now, they shall be blessed still, and for ever. This blessedness, arising from this blessing, is here secured, 1. To all the saints universally: Blessed is everyone that fears the Lord, whoever he be; in every nation he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him, and therefore is blessed whether he be high or low, rich or poor, in the world; if religion rule him, it will protect and enrich him. 2. To such a saint in particular: Thus shall the man be blessed, not only the nation, the church in its public capacity, but the particular person in his private interests. 3. We are encouraged to apply it to ourselves (Psalms 128:2; Psalms 128:2): "Happy shalt thou be; thou mayest take the comfort of the promise, and expect the benefit of it, as if it were directed to thee by name, if thou fear God and walk in his ways. Happy shalt thou be, that is, It shall be well with thee; whatever befals thee, good shall be brought out of it; it shall be well with thee while thou livest, better when thou diest, and best of all to eternity." It is asserted (Psalms 128:4; Psalms 128:4) with a note commanding attention: Behold, thus shall the man be blessed; behold it by faith in the promise; behold it by observation in the performance of the promise; behold it with assurance that it shall be so, for God is faithful, and with admiration that it should be so, for we merit no favour, no blessing, from him.

      II. Particular promises are here made to godly people, which they may depend upon, as far as is for God's glory and their good; and that is enough.

      1. That, by the blessing of God, they shall get an honest livelihood and live comfortably upon it. It is not promised that they shall live at ease, without care or pains, but, Thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands. Here is a double promise, (1.) That they shall have something to do (for an idle life is a miserable uncomfortable life) and shall have health, and strength, and capacity of mind to do it, and shall not be forced to be beholden to others for necessary food, and to live, as the disabled poor do, upon the labours of other people. It is as much a mercy as it is a duty with quietness to work and eat our own bread,2 Thessalonians 3:12. (2.) That they shall succeed in their employments, and they and theirs shall enjoy what they get; others shall not come and eat the bread out of their mouths, nor shall it be taken from them either by oppressive rulers or invading enemies. God will not blast it and blow upon it (as he did, Haggai 1:9), and his blessing will make a little go a great way. It is very pleasant to enjoy the fruits of our own industry; as the sleep, so the food, of a labouring man is sweet.

      2. That they shall have abundance of comfort in their family-relations. As a wife and children are very much a man's care, so, if by the grace of God they are such as they should be, they are very much a man's delight, as much as any creature-comfort. (1.) The wife shall be as a vine by the sides of the house, not only as a spreading vine which serves for an ornament, but as a fruitful vine which is for profit, and with the fruit whereof both God and man are honoured, Judges 9:13. The vine is a weak and tender plant, and needs to be supported and cherished, but it is a very valuable plant, and some think (because all the products of it were prohibited to the Nazarites) it was the tree of knowledge itself. The wife's place is the husband's house; there her business lies, and that is her castle. Where is Sarah thy wife? Behold, in the tent; where should she be else? Her place is by the sides of the house, not under-foot to be trampled on, nor yet upon the house-top to domineer (if she be so, she is but as the grass upon the house-top, in the next psalm), but on the side of the house, being a rib out of the side of the man. She shall be a loving wife, as the vine, which cleaves to the house-side, an obedient wife, as the vine, which is pliable, and grows as it is directed. She shall be fruitful as the vine, not only in children, but in the fruits of wisdom, and righteousness, and good management, the branches of which run over the wall (Genesis 49:22; Psalms 80:11), like a fruitful vine, not cumbering the ground, nor bringing forth sour grapes, or grapes of Sodom, but good fruit. (2.) The children shall be as olive plants, likely in time to be olive-trees, and, though wild by nature, yet grafted into the good olive, and partaking of its root and fatness,Romans 11:17. It is pleasant to parents who have a table spread, though but with ordinary fare, to see their children round about it, to have many children, enough to surround it, and those with them, and not scattered, or the parents forced from them. Job makes it one of the first instances of his former prosperity that his children were about him,Job 29:5. Parents love to have their children at table, to keep up the pleasantness of the table-talk, to have them in health, craving food and not physic, to have them like olive-plants, straight and green, sucking in the sap of their good education, and likely in due time to be serviceable.

      3. That they shall have those things which God has promised and which they pray for: The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion, where the ark of the covenant was, and where the pious Israelites attended with their devotions. Blessings out of Zion are the best-blessings, which flow, not from common providence, but from special grace, Psalms 20:2.

      4. That they shall live long, to enjoy the comforts of the rising generations: "Thou shalt see thy children's children, as Joseph, Genesis 50:23. Thy family shall be built up and continued, and thou shalt have the pleasure of seeing it." Children's children, if they be good children, are the crown of old men (Proverbs 17:6), who are apt to be fond of their grandchildren.

      5. That they shall see the welfare of God's church, and the land of their nativity, which every man who fears God is no less concerned for than for the prosperity of his own family. "Thou shalt be blessed in Zion's blessing, and wilt think thyself so. Thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem as long as thou shalt live, though thou shouldest live long, and shalt not have thy private comforts allayed and embittered by public troubles." A good man can have little comfort in seeing his children's children, unless withal he see peace upon Israel, and have hopes of transmitting the entail of religion pure and entire to those that shall come after him, for that is the best inheritance.