Blessings of Following God

(Theme: Selections from Psalms—Faith Set to Music)

“Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours” –Psalm 128:1-2 (NIV. Read Psalm 128).

This wisdom psalm, Pilgrim psalm or psalm of ascent is a companion psalm to all the ones designated as “A Psalm of Ascent.” (These are 120-134. Yesterday’s devotional explained how they were used much as we today sing or read “calls to worship” in our churches.) In addition, it is another of the wisdom psalms, probing the mysteries of life and pointing out ways God deals practically with mankind.

Television preaching has brought us the era of “prosperity gospel.” Many proclaimers make wealth and plenty seem easy and readily available. This is not always literally the case. Note what precedes prosperity: labor, hard work.

And even then, sometimes, economic stability does not ensue. Not every couple has the children promised in Psalm 128:3-4. Barren couples who would make excellent, loving parents do not always have children born to them. Is that because they do not fear the Lord and this blessing is withheld? Not necessarily. We cannot always understand the ways of the Lord, “for His ways are higher than our ways” (Isaiah 55:9). As Paul wrote concerning the Christian sojourn on earth: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” As the old gospel hymn declares, “We’ll understand it better by and by.”

A formal prayer is given in verses 5 and 6 of this Pilgrim Psalm. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray and what we call the Lord’s Prayer resulted (see Matthew 6:9-13). The prayer found in Psalm 128:5-6 is an example of how the Israelites at the temple should pray, asking for blessings upon the nation and upon individual worshipers. Note its beauty and simplicity, its sincerity and inclusiveness: “May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem, and may you live to see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel.” We can sincerely pray this prayer today. As we often hear, “And all the people said ‘Amen’.”

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Friday, May 28, 2010