Psalm 127 ends with the phrase “Blessed is the man who…” Psalm 128 expands the list to say “Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways.”  It goes on to say the main ways they will be blessed, which suit the context of the Israelites who would sing this song: a good farm, a good wife, and plenty of children.

Sorry if the title of this post is misleading – notice that the promise of blessing is only to those who fear the LORD. Other people might have a good job, a nice family and enjoy prosperity, but unless they fear the Lord, they are not covered in THIS blessing.

The blessed people fear the LORD, which is explained as “walking in His ways.”  This means an acknowledgment of God as the creator of the universe and everything in it, the one who has revealed himself in the Bible, the one true Sovereign who knows all the hairs of our heads, the one whose goodness, mercy, and justice are unsurpassed yet are in perfect balance.

Obedience to the greatest commandment – to love the LORD with all your heart and soul and mind and strength – shows a walking in His ways.  So those who ignore Him, those who don’t repent of their sinful ways, and those who don’t believe Jesus’ purpose are missing out on an even better blessing than farm, wife, and kids – the eternal life offered as a free gift to those who fear him and walk in his ways.