Psalm 128
Notes
Transcript
Good evening everybody… we’ll be in Psalm 128 tonight, so please make your way there….
It’s been such a joy on Wednesday’s getting to teach through the disciple making parent book.
Our aim has been to talk about how the Great Commission is the North Star of our households.
How’s it’s our main responsibility as parents to be disciple making within the home.
Two of the key factors we have raised in our conversations about discipling our children,
faith, obedience, and the fear of the Lord begin first in you as the parent. (Plane breathing bag example)
The Father if at all possible, should be the one leading the way in the discipleship of the home to remind the home that he is the house leader and Pastor (shepherd).
These two things are HUGE within the life of a family. When you have parents who are taking their own walk with the Lord seriously, then you will normally, naturally have parents who teach their children about God,
Even more so, when you have a Father who takes seriously HIS walk with the Lord… you begin to have a family then that is going to be a picture of what God extended for the family to look like.
A regularly practicing father and regularly practicing mother resulted in 32.8% of their children practicing regularly and 41.4% practicing irregularly
. An irregularly practicing father with a regularly practicing mother resulted in a mere 3.4% of their children practicing regularly.
That simple statistic shows the importance of a father in the faith life of a family.
The importance of a father leading his family in the faith is irreplaceable.
Sadly though, this is the path that much of our culture has taken. Even many within the bride of Christ, this has began to be more and more accepted.
And not just parents staying together, not just the father having an authentic faith and actually living it out, but ANYTHING in life, when done apart from the Lord… it will be in vain.
There is no REAL RESULT… THERE IS NO REAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THE END… because it’s done without the eternal perspective and goal in mind…
In Psalm 127, we see this picture given to us there of one who labors in vain because he lives his life apart from the Lord.
Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
But tonight here in Psalm 128, we are given an example of how a faithful man of the Lord, DOES NOT LABOR IN VAIN,
Psalm 128 presents a man who labors in the fear of the Lord, and from his faithful laboring, it leads to His delight in his laboring, in his wife and children, in his longevity and in his nation.
Now, something we have to keep in mind here is that there is a wisdom literature tone within Psalm 128.
And with that, we must remind ourselves that we mustn’t read this Psalm as an absolute, this is not a formula that leads to guarantee…
but it should be read like the other Psalms and other pieces of scripture in which aspects of life are highlighted more than the others.
Within Psalm 128 we see how…
It is a man’s fear of the Lord that causes ripples of blessings throughout families and communities across the world.
A Song of Ascents.
Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways!
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.
The Lord bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children!
Peace be upon Israel!
Blessed is everyone who fears God & Walks in His ways. (Vv. 1-4)
Blessed is everyone who fears God & Walks in His ways. (Vv. 1-4)
The Condition of Blessing (v. 1)
The Condition of Blessing (v. 1)
We see in the beginning of the Psalm in verses 1-4 how there is happiness that comes to the man who fears the Lord and walks in His ways.
We are told that this man IS BLESSED.
And in blessing we DO MEAN HAPPY. This man is a HAPPY MAN. (ARES = Blessed = stresses happiness)
WHO IS HAPPY?
The man who fulfills to condition for blessedness in that is is full of…
Fear Him (Reverence), and Obedience.
This makes you think of the old saying that “Godly living produces good living.”
It’s true.
The other night, as we were reading our family devotional, we read about the story of Hilkiah in 2 Chronicles 34. What a great story this is.
“While some of Josiah’s men were repairing the temple, Hilkiah the priest found and old book. The Book of the Law.”
And we spoke about how important this was to them because it helped King Josiah lead his people back to the ways of the Lord because God’s Word had been found.
In enabled us to talk about the dangers of us being left to our own way… (choosing tv and candy all the time)
It’s not our own path, the things that the world tells us leads to happiness… OUR OWN WISDOM DOES NOT LEAD US TO HAPPINESS. ONLY THE WISDOM OF OUR CREATOR WILL. HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SUCCESSFULLY TELL US HOW TO LIVE.
“THE PATH OF WISDOM AND RIGHTEOUSNESS LEADS TO LIFE”
When we see Him as He is,
revere Him as author and creator of the universe,
as Holy and righteous in ALL HIS WAYS…
When we choose to enact His ways in our lives rather than our ways… not just knowing about them but actually doing it.
Cutting off unrighteousness and putting on His righteousness.
When we FEAR GOD AND OBEY… MOST OFTEN, blessings of this life will follow.
John Calvin said,
Commentary on the Book of Psalms Psalm 128
those who desire to be partakers of the blessing of God must with sincerity of heart devote themselves wholly to him; for he will never disappoint those who serve him
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
Context of Blessing (Vv.2-4)
Context of Blessing (Vv.2-4)
This main who fears and obeys the Lord receives three blessings from the Lord.
He shall eat the fruit from the labor of his hands. V. 2
Again, in Psalm 127:1-2
Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil…
We see in Deut. 28:33 where others eat what disobedient Israel toils to produce.
A nation that you have not known shall eat up the fruit of your ground and of all your labors,
This is the unfortunate outcome for those who toil without the fear of the Lord. The men toil in vain. in the end… it’s worth nothing. In the end, there is no reward.
ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS A DIFFEREnT ESTIMATION OF WHAT HAPPINESS IS IN THE CULTURE… THIS HAPPINESS THAT IS FORMED BY THE WORLD… THIS HAPPINESS FROM EASE,
HONORS
GREAT WELATH…
THIS HAPPINESS LEADS TO RUIN.
But not for this man. No, this man gets the blessing and satisfaction of eating what his toil produces.
Nobody takes this away from him.
Not only because he’s earned it, but because he understands that he is not the one who ultimately gave it to him… it’s the Lord of Lord’s who gave it to him.
And therefore he understands that it’s not just given to him for the sake of only him… it’s given to him to be a blessedness to others.
His wife will be like a fruitful vine. V. 3a
Not only will he enjoy what he has worked so hard to produce… but he will also enjoy much blessings within his own household.
This man’s wife will be like a fruitful vine.
This is a little weird to call a lady in our culture today…
**This would sound a little weird coming from a husband who was trying to flirt with his wife on a date…
Nonetheless, this man’s wife is compared to a fruitful vine within his house. In the OT it is a picture of a blessed life as sitting under the vine.
And Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan even to Beersheba, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, all the days of Solomon.
but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,
and no one shall make them afraid,
for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
This is a blessing of a women within the household who does well in fulfilling what the Lord created her for in helping her husband.
Us men were not enough!
We needed help! And she is this to him and so much more.
She stands in contrast to the rebellious women in Prov. 7, who only destroys others & dishonors God. The Godly wife, though, blesses the husband in many ways.
This is the husband, reaping what he has sowed.
Because again, this is the Godly man who has revered the Lord, who has obey Him in His commands, and who has more than likely in our day and time taken seriously the command of Eph. 5.
He has loved his wife as Christ loved the church.
He has given himself up for her.
He has sought out to help snanctify her and cleanse her by the washing of water with the word.
The Godly man understands his role in presenting her to God, (like a man bringing his date home from their time out, without spot of wrinkle.
This man has taken seriously these things. And because of that, she is but a WELL WATERED FRUITFUL VINE within the household.
His children will be like Olive Shoots around his table. V. 3b
Around this man’s table scripture says are little Live shoots sprouting up.
It was an Olive tree which in David’s time conveyed blessing.
Here surely a reader can see not only the blessing but the promise given by the blessing of little ones around the table.
In a culture where couples want to wait as long as they can without having children so that they’re younger years are not hindered…
the man who fears the Lord understands that children do not represent a weight dragging you down but something quite the opposite… Olive shoots here represent a blessing, they represent a source of refreshment, joy, longevity of your family line.
But I am like a green olive tree
in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
forever and ever.
One writer says…
“Follow me into the grove, and I will show you what may have suggested the comparison. Here we have lilt upon a beautiful illustration. This aged and decayed tree is surrounded, as you see, by several young and thrifty shoots, which spring from the root of the venerable parent. They seem to uphold, protect, and embrace it. We may even fancy that they now bear that lead of fruit which would otherwise be demanded of the feeble parent. Thus do good and affectionate children gather round the table of the righteous. Each contributes something to the common wealth and welfare of the whole - a beautiful sight, with which may God refresh the eyes of every friend of mine.”
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed (barake)
who fears the Lord.
Not only is this man happy, as we have seen from verse one BLESSED ((ARES = Blessed = stresses happiness).
But now we see that the writer emphasizes that the man is BLESSED (barake) which stressed more so from the fact that his favor has been received from the Lord!
This man has received ample compensation from the Lord. AND HE UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS FROM THE LORD…
Getting to enjoy the results of the toil of his labor,
Having the blessing of a well watered wife,
and well cultivated children.
THESE ARE THE ULTIMATE GIFTS FROM THE LORD. AND IT IS ONLY FROM HIM THAT THESE BLESSINGS COME.
Commentary on the Book of Psalms Psalm 128
those who desire to be partakers of the blessing of God must with sincerity of heart devote themselves wholly to him; for he will never disappoint those who serve hi
Prayer of Blessing (Vv. 5-6)
Prayer of Blessing (Vv. 5-6)
As in any person’s individual life, when faced with the reality and the understanding that all these blessings are from the Lord… not out of the man’s own power did he manifest this blessed life into being. It was all from the unmerited favor shown by God by His grace into this man’s life, but which is tied to his fear and obedience.
There is church always a connection between God fearing labor and God centered prayer.
Out of this gratitude comes a prayer for there to be this continunace of blessing as the ripples get wider and wider.
Prays for these blessings to continue to come straight from Zion, the site of Yahweh’s rule. (Psalm 146:10)
Prays for this blessing to be seen throughout his lifetime.
He prays for a longevity with a possibility of getting to see his grandchildren, getting to see evidence of this legacy that was left by him for the purpose of God’s Kingdom.
This is a legacy began by the man of God. Who out of his reverence and obedience, has now by God’s grace, produced this family that is following in the footsteps of their father, and of now their grandfather.
OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE THIS IS!
NOT ONLY DO A MAN’S FAMILY REAP THE BENEFIT OF A MAN WHO FEARS THE LORD… NATIONS ALSO REAP THIS SAME BENEFIT WHEN GODLY MEN FEAR AND OBEY THE LORD.
THEOLOGY AND RESPONSE
THEOLOGY AND RESPONSE
What an gracious God we serve. That even in the midst of this sinful flesh that we currently abide in, He still in his goodness allows us to receive gifts from above.
Gifts befitting for children who discipline their lives to live within His Kingly Reign.
A King that is lavish in His gifts to His Godly people.
Blessing individual lives, their families and their communities.
These blessings are tangible expressions of his generous nature that delights in pouring out every good and perfect gift.
James 1:17
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Now, like I said… this should not be view as an absolute, but this is a Psalm in which certain aspects are being highlighted.
Especially aspects of life in a child of God who gives themselves over to living within the confines of the Father’s house.
Through out the bible we see that God blesses his people so that they in turn will be a blessing to others.
When the Lord blessed Abram,
I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
In the NT the Lord’s people inherit this same blessing so that they can then bless others through the blessing.
not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.
Part of the way that this blessing will be given to the nations through the Lord’s people is through the blessing of Godly families.
This shows a contrast from that of the depreciating family that we see within our culture.
It is through these Godly families that the Lord continues these blessings throughout generations to the next generation of father’s and their families so long as they continue in the fear of the Lord and the obedience to His ways.
And through this… these families are blessings to the nations.
Let us then… out of the abundance of blessings within our own lives, be a blessing to others.
Let us serve with our gifts, talents, and resources,
let us be hospitable,
let us foster, adopt, baby sit,
let us guide, disciple and counsel and show the way,
let us ultimately be families who shine the GOSPEL in our neighborhoods showing the people around us what God has originally intended for the family to look like.
Glory be to God for this opportunity.
PRAY
