Psalms in Poetic Form: PSALM 128

Click here to read PSALM 128 in poetic form.

Background

Psalm 128 is in the Deuteronomy Book of the Psalms (Psalms 107-150). These 44 Psalms, like the Book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament, show God’s Word as the source of salvation, deliverance, and healing. This would be fully carried out in the life of the coming Messiah, the living Word, Jesus Christ. Whereas Psalm 119 showed that God would raise the Messiah from the dead to eternal life, Psalm 128 is the ninth of 15 “songs of the degrees” (Psalms 120-134) regarding God keeping Hezekiah alive (see the notes on Psalm 120 for more details).

Psalm 128, written by Hezekiah, shows God’s blessings upon the Messiah, and upon those who respect the Lord

Structure

(God’s blessing and peace through the Messiah)

(Verse 1) Blessed for respecting the Lord and walking in His ways (Messiah did this)

(Verse 2) You will be blessed, eat the labor of your hands, and be well

(Verse 3) Your wife and house will be fruitful

(Verse 3) Your sons will prosper like olive plants

(Verse 4) Blessed for respecting the Lord (Messiah did this)

(Verse 5) You will be blessed by the Lord out of Zion

(Verse 5) You will see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life

(Verse 6) Your son’s sons and peace upon Israel

Key Scriptures

Verse 3—“Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.” Hezekiah longed for children and an heir to the throne. God made his wife fruitful and he had a son to carry on the lineage that led to Jesus Christ.

The olive was one of the most useful of plants in Biblical times—for its wood, shade, fruit and oil, and beauty. It is used to describe God’s prosperity and a long life. It was used in sacred priestly oils, and some of its fruit was to be left for the poor and indigent when reaping.

The mount filled with olive trees alongside Jerusalem was important in the life of David and his “son,” the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

In the book of Romans, it is associated with Israel as a “natural” tree and the Gentiles as being a wild branch grafted in (see Genesis 8:11; Exodus 23:11; 27:20; 30:24; Leviticus 24:2; Deuteronomy 6:11; 8:8; 24:20; 28:40; Joshua 24:13; Judges 9:8,9; 15:5; 1 Samuel 8:14; 2 Samuel 15:30; 2 Kings 5:26; 18:32; 1 Chronicles 27:28; Nehemiah 5:11; 8:15; 9:25; Job 15:33; Psalms 52:8; 128:3; Isaiah 17:6; 24:13; Jeremiah 11:16; Hosea 14:6; Amos 4:9; Micah 6:15; Habakkuk 3:17; Haggai 2:19; Zechariah 4:3,11,12; 14:4; Matthew 21:1; 24:3; 26:30; Mark 11:1; 13:3; 14:26; Luke 19:29,37; 21:37; 22:39; John 8:1; Acts 1:12; Romans 11:17,24; James 3:12; Revelation 11:4).

Verse 6—“Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.” Hezekiah did see his grandchildren and enjoyed a time of peace.

FOR FURTHER STUDY

All 150 of The Psalms in Poetic Form are available from Amazon in a book, either Large Print or a smaller Bedside Reader. Also available for free with a Kindle Unlimited membership. Enjoy!

You can also hear the author read them aloud on YouTube.

The entire blog series is now available in the publication The Psalms: Background & Structure with Key Scriptures Explained.