Psalm 127-128

New Catholic Bible

Footnotes

1. Psalm 127:1 Without God, human undertakings are doomed to fail. It is God who is responsible for all of life’s blessings (see Deut 28:1-14). There is no need for us to become overly anxious. His providence takes care of us (see Mt 6:25-34; Jn 15:5). This is the constant teaching of the Old and New Testament. Nowadays, we know that natural laws follow a determined course that can be put to use in invention, technology, and the human sciences. But what do we expect to achieve? And if our endless affairs take away from us our time and taste for true joys, e.g., that of breaking bread together and of the fraternal home—what then?
   We can and should recite this beautiful psalm in its original sense to praise the Lord who fills us with earthly goods and gifts. We can also transpose it to the spiritual plane to express our radical impotence in this sphere and to proclaim that all success and supernatural fecundity suppose the concurrence of Christ Jesus, acting in the name of the Father, in the Holy Spirit (see Jn 15:4f).
2. Psalm 127:1 The psalmist wishes to have the people become more God-centered in their everyday lives, for it is the Lord who provides shelter, security, and food.
3. Psalm 127:1 The building of a house may refer to the construction of a house within the protective walls of the city or to the raising of a “family,” for in the Old Testament it is usual to speak of a family as a house in much the same way as we speak of a prominent family as a dynasty (see Gen 16:2; 30:3; Ex 1:21; Ru 4:11; 1 Sam 2:35; 2 Sam 7:27). Even the best watchmen (see 2 Sam 13:34; 18:24-27; Song 3:3; 5:7) are not enough to protect the city against attack unless the Lord is guarding it (see Pss 121:4; 132).
4. Psalm 127:2 The higher way of life is to trust the Lord in one’s work. A good harvest results from God’s blessing, not endless toil (see Prov 10:22; Mt 6:25-34; 1 Pet 5:7).
5. Psalm 127:3 It is the Lord, too, who as a sign of his favor gives sons who ensure the perpetuity of the family that is faithful to him and provide protection for the family members.
6. Psalm 127:4 Children, especially sons, also provide a sense of security and protection for the family—especially if they are born early in the parents’ life (see Prov 17:6; Lam 3:13). As the arrows protect the warrior, so do sons guard the godly man.
7. Psalm 127:5 A house full of children is a protection against loneliness and abandonment in society. They will speak on behalf of their aging parents, especially at the city gate, where court was held (see Ps 69:13; Deut 17:5; 21:19; 22:15, 24; Prov 31:23; Am 5:12).
8. Psalm 128:1 A prosperous home, such is the happiness reserved by God for the righteous—so thought the sages of Israel (see Prov 3:33). Although the people soon realized that God’s reward is more mysterious, the joy and intimacy of the hearth, delicately invoked in this psalm, and the gathering of all in a Jerusalem radiant with peace remain the most suggestive images of the happiness that God will bestow on the righteous. The psalmist is encouraging the individual to contribute to the building up of the kingdom of God by living a godly life. Through him, his family will be built up, and God’s blessing will be extended to all the People of God.
   In praying this psalm, we can apply it above all to the spiritual goods that God reserves for Christian families. However, we know that the heavenly Father does not fail to add to his supernatural benefits such natural ones as the blessings and happiness promised by the psalmist: prosperity, professional success, fecundity, longevity, and peace.
9. Psalm 128:1 The psalmist delineates the blessings of a God-fearing family: the right relationship with God, obedience to his words, fruitful labor, compatible loving parents, godly children, and domestic harmony.
10. Psalm 128:1 The wise man was especially concerned with walking in the ways of the Lord (see Pss 1:1; 25:9f; Prov 14:2), ways of love, fidelity, and uprightness. Blessed: see note on Ps 1:1. Fear the Lord: see note on Ps 15:2-5. His ways: i.e., his commandments (see Pss 27:11; 86:11; 143:8).
11. Psalm 128:2 In godly living, the judgment of God on humans (see Gen 3:17-19) is alleviated, for labor is truly blessed by God.
12. Psalm 128:3 The imagery of vine and olive shoots recalls the times of David and Solomon (see 1 Ki 4:25) and the blessing associated with the Messianic Age (see Mic 4:4; Zec 3:10). To sit under one’s vine and fig tree symbolized tranquillity, peace, and prosperity. The metaphor of the vine indicates that the wife will be not only fruitful but also everything that a wife should be for the good of the family (see Prov 31:10-31). The children (shoots of an olive tree) will be strong and later on continue the father’s work (see Ps 52:10; Jer 11:16; Hos 14:6).
13. Psalm 128:5 The psalmist further summarizes the blessedness of the righteous—unbroken prosperity, true relationship with God, secure national defense, and long life. In doing so, he implicitly calls upon and encourages each one of the faithful to contribute to the building up of the kingdom of God by leading an upright life in the presence of God.
14. Psalm 128:5 The presence of God extends to his faithful servant wherever he may live. For the new People of God, it signifies the blessing of God on all who have the Spirit dwelling in them. From Zion: see Pss 9:11; 20:3; 135:21.
15. Psalm 128:6 Live to see your children’s children: this prayer for the righteous corresponds to the phrase found in verse 5: “all the days of your life.” It calls down upon them God’s blessing of longevity, which was one of the greatest favors to be sought in a time when an idea of the afterlife had not yet been fully attained. Peace be upon Israel: see note on Ps 125:5. By these words, the psalmist applies God’s blessing on the individual to the whole People of God, requesting well-being and prosperity for all. Paul may be echoing this phrase in Gal 6:16: “May peace and mercy be given to all who follow this rule, and to the Israel of God.” It sums up Paul’s concern that God’s people should show themselves true citizens of “the Jerusalem that is above” (Gal 4:26).