Instruction
Scripture: Psalm 128
Psalm 128 is one of the Songs of Ascents, psalms that were
sung as travelers traveled to Jerusalem for festivals like Passover. This psalm
describes the blessed life of one who fears the Lord. It touches on three areas
in which a person who fears the Lord is blessed: first – in their labor, second
– in their family, and third with prosperity – which also touches on family.
This psalm gives us a pattern of speaking blessings on ourselves and others,
and shows us some of the blessings God bestows upon His faithful.
Teaching
People will sometimes balk at the language of fearing the
Lord. Why would we fear the One who loves us so much? They will make excuses
for the strong language and try to soften the idea of fear by replacing it with
respect. We should not lose this strong language, though. Fearing the Lord is a
recognition of His holiness, power, majesty, glory, and might. It is a holy awe
that makes us aware of our weak nature before Him and causes us to appreciate
all the more that this fear-worthy God chooses to come to us in blessings, and
not with curses and condemnation.
We should also notice the emphasis that the psalm places on
work and family as blessings. Today’s society often looks at both of these more
like curses than benefits received from God’s hand. Yet in both of these things
we reflect the God who made us – a God who works to create, sustain, and
defend, and Who calls us His children and makes us His family.
Life
Do you feel blessed? Sometimes we do. Sometimes we don’t.
Feelings, however, can be deceitful. This psalm can be helpful to us to know we
are blessed. Has God given us work for our hands? (Or our minds, as is often
the case!) Do you see how God blesses you through that work with satisfaction,
wages, food, and other comforts? Not only that, but He even places you in
positions to bless others through your labors. It is often in our work and
families that we get to share the hope that we have in our God who blesses us –
even by giving His own Son to bear the curse our sin deserves!
Prayer
O Lord, blessed is everyone who fears You, who recognizes
Your glory, majesty, power and might, but also sees that You have chosen to act
toward us with love and compassion. You bless with work, family, prosperity,
and long life. You give our lives meaning.
Thank You for all Your blessings; especially for giving
Jesus to go up to Jerusalem and to die and rise so that we might prosper
spiritually through the new life He won for us. Thank You for giving us work
and family, earthly goods and the very lives we live.
Forgive us for the times that we don’t pay attention to You;
when we live as though this world was all there is and life is just a matter of
eking out our days. Forgive us for not recognizing just how blessed we are, and
for not seeing work and family as blessings from You.
Lord, we ask that You would increase our fear of You. Let
others come to fear You, too. Give us Your Spirit to lead us to believe Your
Word and to receive Your blessings with faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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