Psalm 128

A song of ascents.

Blessed are all who fear the Lord,(A)
    who walk in obedience to him.(B)
You will eat the fruit of your labor;(C)
    blessings and prosperity(D) will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine(E)
    within your house;
your children(F) will be like olive shoots(G)
    around your table.
Yes, this will be the blessing(H)
    for the man who fears the Lord.(I)

May the Lord bless you from Zion;(J)
    may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem(K)
    all the days of your life.
May you live to see your children’s children—(L)
    peace be on Israel.(M)

Psalm 129

A song of ascents.

“They have greatly oppressed(N) me from my youth,”(O)
    let Israel say;(P)
“they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
    but they have not gained the victory(Q) over me.
Plowmen have plowed my back
    and made their furrows long.
But the Lord is righteous;(R)
    he has cut me free(S) from the cords of the wicked.”(T)

May all who hate Zion(U)
    be turned back in shame.(V)
May they be like grass on the roof,(W)
    which withers(X) before it can grow;
a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,(Y)
    nor one who gathers fill his arms.
May those who pass by not say to them,
    “The blessing of the Lord be on you;
    we bless you(Z) in the name of the Lord.”

128 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.

For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: 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.

129 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:

Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.

The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.

The Lord is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:

Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.

Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the name of the Lord.

Blessings of Those Who Fear the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

128 Blessed (A)is every one who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways.

(B)When you eat the [a]labor of your hands,
You shall be happy, and it shall be (C)well with you.
Your wife shall be (D)like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your (E)children (F)like olive plants
All around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the Lord.

(G)The Lord bless you out of Zion,
And may you see the good of Jerusalem
All the days of your life.
Yes, may you (H)see your children’s children.

(I)Peace be upon Israel!

Song of Victory over Zion’s Enemies

A Song of Ascents.

129 “Many a time they have (J)afflicted[b] me from (K)my youth,”
(L)Let Israel now say—
“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth;
Yet they have not prevailed against me.
The plowers plowed on my back;
They made their furrows long.”
The Lord is righteous;
He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.

Let all those who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned back.
Let them be as the (M)grass on the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up,
With which the reaper does not fill his hand,
Nor he who binds sheaves, his [c]arms.
Neither let those who pass by them say,
(N)“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 128:2 Fruit of the labor
  2. Psalm 129:1 persecuted
  3. Psalm 129:7 armsful, lit. bosom