Psalms 128–6
Psalm 128:1-6
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Psa.128.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- שיר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- המעלות: NOUN,f,pl,def
- אשרי: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- כל: DET
- ירא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ההלך: VERB,qal,ptc,ms,sg
- בדרכיו: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,suff3ms
Parallels
- Psalm 112:1 (verbal): Shares near-identical diction and theme: 'Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,' linking fear of God with blessedness and upright life.
- Deuteronomy 10:12 (verbal): Expresses the same moral summons—'to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways'—providing a Deuteronomic source-form for the psalm's language and ethical focus.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13 (thematic): Summarizes human duty as fearing God and keeping his commandments, echoing the psalm's central claim that reverent obedience defines the blessed person.
- Micah 6:8 (thematic): Calls for ethical conduct described as 'walking humbly with your God,' resonating with the psalm's motif of walking in God's ways as the mark of the righteous.
Alternative generated candidates
- A song of ascents. Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways.
- A song of ascents. Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways.
Psa.128.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יגיע: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כפיך: NOUN,f,pl,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- תאכל: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
- אשריך: ADJ,m,sg,abs+2,m,sg
- וטוב: CONJ+ADJ,m,sg
- לך: PRON,2,m,sg
Parallels
- Ps.128.1 (structural): Verse 2 continues and specifies the blessing announced in v.1 (‘Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD’): the blessed person eats the fruit of his hands.
- Prov.12:11 (verbal): ‘He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread’—close verbal and conceptual parallel: satisfaction/food as the direct result of one’s own labor.
- Prov.28:19 (thematic): ‘Whoever tills his land will have plenty of bread’—shares the theme that diligent work produces provision and well‑being.
- Eccl.5:18 (thematic): ‘It is good and fitting that one should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil’—echoes the idea of enjoying the fruit of one’s labor as a God‑given good.
- Deut.28:12 (allusion): Covenantal language about God blessing ‘the work of your hands’—background for Psalm 128’s linking of fearing the LORD with blessing on one’s labor.
Alternative generated candidates
- You shall eat the fruit of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.
- You shall eat the fruit of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
Psa.128.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אשתך: NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- כגפן: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- פריה: NOUN,m,sg+PRON,3,f,sg
- בירכתי: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ביתך: NOUN,m,sg,abs+2ms
- בניך: NOUN,m,pl,abs+POSS,2,m,sg
- כשתלי: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,const
- זיתים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- סביב: ADV
- לשלחנך: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+2ms
Parallels
- Psalm 128:1-2 (structural): Immediate context — the preceding verses frame the whole psalm as a blessing for the one who fears the LORD; vv.1–2 set up the household blessings expressed in v.3 (wife as vine, children as olive plants).
- Psalm 127:3-5 (thematic): Parallel theme of children as a divine blessing and strength for the household (children likened to arrows; both psalms celebrate procreative blessing and secure family life).
- Genesis 49:22 (verbal): Jacob’s blessing of Joseph—'a fruitful bough by a spring'—uses vine/fruitful-plant imagery to describe fecundity and prosperity, resonant with the 'wife like a fruitful vine' motif in Ps 128:3.
- Deuteronomy 7:13 (thematic): Part of the covenantal blessing list promising fruitfulness of the womb and household wellbeing to Israel; echoes the idea that wife and children are signs of God’s blessing on the home.
- Judges 9:8-11 (allusion): Jotham’s fable personifies the olive, fig and vine as desirable productive plants vying for honor; shares the cultural imagery of olive plants and vines as symbols of household fertility and economic blessing found in Ps 128:3.
Alternative generated candidates
- Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children like olive shoots around your table.
- Your wife is like a fruitful vine within your house; your children are like olive shoots around your table.
Psa.128.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- הנה: PART
- כי: CONJ
- כן: ADV
- יברך: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- גבר: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- ירא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 128:1 (structural): Immediate parallel within the same psalm: verse 1 declares the blessing on the one who fears the LORD, which verse 4 restates ('thus shall the man be blessed').
- Psalm 112:1 (verbal): Uses the same formula 'Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,' linking fear of Yahweh with the blessing on the righteous (verbal and thematic parallel).
- Psalm 115:13 (verbal): Speaks of God blessing 'those who fear the LORD, both small and great,' echoing the promise of blessing for those who revere God (similar language and theme).
- Proverbs 19:23 (thematic): Declares that 'the fear of the LORD leads to life' and protection from harm, thematically connecting fear of God with well-being/blessing.
- Psalm 25:12-14 (thematic): Asks 'Who is the man who fears the LORD?' and answers that the LORD instructs and is close to those who fear him—linking reverence for God with favor and blessing.
Alternative generated candidates
- Behold—for thus shall the man who fears the LORD be blessed.
- Behold, thus shall the man who fears the LORD be blessed.
Psa.128.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יברכך: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg,obj:2,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- מציון: PREP+NOUN,prop,sg,abs
- וראה: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- בטוב: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ירושלם: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- כל: DET
- ימי: NOUN,m,pl,cs
- חייך: NOUN,m,pl,abs+2ms
Parallels
- Psalm 134:3 (verbal): Shares nearly identical wording—'May the LORD bless you from Zion'—a direct verbal echo linking blessing with Zion as source.
- Psalm 122:6-9 (thematic): Calls for prayer for the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem ('May there be peace within your walls; prosperity within your palaces'), echoing the wish to see Jerusalem's good.
- Numbers 6:24-26 (allusion): Both are benedictory formulas invoking God's favor and peace; Ps 128 frames the blessing specifically as coming 'from Zion,' echoing priestly blessing tradition.
- Isaiah 66:10-14 (thematic): Promises joy and consolation centered on Jerusalem—'you shall nurse and be carried... you shall see and your heart shall rejoice'—resonates with the hope to 'see the good of Jerusalem'.
Alternative generated candidates
- The LORD will bless you from Zion; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
- May the LORD bless you from Zion; may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
Psa.128.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וראה: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- בנים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- לבניך: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- שלום: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- על: PREP
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Ps.127:3-5 (thematic): Children as a blessing and heritage—theme of fruitful offspring and the joy of seeing descendants, paralleling 'may you see your children's children.'
- Ps.112:2 (thematic): The righteous' descendants are blessed and prosper in the land—echoes the promise of flourishing progeny found in Ps 128:6.
- Ps.122:6-7 (thematic): Prayer for and declaration of peace on Jerusalem/Israel ('peace be within your walls'), parallel to the concluding blessing 'peace be upon Israel.'
- Num.6:24-26 (verbal): Priestly blessing culminating in 'the LORD give you peace' (shalom), a close verbal/thematic parallel to the benediction 'peace upon Israel.'
- Isa.54:13 (thematic): Promise of blessing and 'great will be the peace of your children,' linking the motifs of children's well-being and peace found in Ps 128:6.
Alternative generated candidates
- May you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel.
- And may you see your children's children—peace be upon Israel.
A song of ascents. Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways.
When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy; it shall be well with you.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children like olive shoots round about your table.
Behold, for thus shall the man who fears the LORD be blessed.
The LORD will bless you from Zion; may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
May you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel.