| Psalm 128 | |
|---|---|
| "Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD" | |
| Song of Ascents | |
 Miniature illustrating Psalm 128, Blessing on the Faithful, inThe Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry | |
| Other name |
|
| Language | Hebrew (original) |
| Psalm 128 | |
|---|---|
| Book | Book of Psalms |
| Hebrew Bible part | Ketuvim |
| Order in the Hebrew part | 1 |
| Category | Sifrei Emet |
| Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 19 |
Psalm 128 is the 128th psalm of theBook of Psalms, beginning in English in theKing James Version: "Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways". In the slightly different numbering system used in the GreekSeptuagint and theLatin Vulgate, this psalm isPsalm 127. InLatin, it is known as "Beati omnes qui timent Dominum".[1]
The psalm forms a regular part ofJewish,Catholic,Lutheran,Anglican and other Protestant liturgies.
Written anonymously, Psalm 128 likely dates to the post-exilic period (that is, after about 539 BCE).[2]
TheJamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary describesZechariah 8:1–8 as a "virtual commentary on this psalm".[3]
This psalm is recited in some communities followingMincha betweenSukkot andShabbat Hagadol.[4] It is also recited in many communities prior toAleinu duringMotzei ShabbatMaariv (in other communities following havdalah, seeVeyiten Lecha),[5] and among the prayers of theBedtime Shema.[6] Its second verse is found inPirkei Avot Chapter 4, no. 1.[7] and Chapter 6, no. 4.[8]
Traditionally, since the Middle Ages, this psalm has been recited within the Office ofnone from Tuesday until Saturday, according to theRule of St. Benedict (530).[9]
In the liturgy of the current Roman RiteMass, Psalm 128 is used on thefeast of the Holy Family, the 33rd Sunday inOrdinary Time of the year A and the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time of the year B. It is also the traditional psalm fornuptial masses (missa pro votiva sponso and sponsa).
In theSarum Use, the psalm was also sung by the priest afterPsalm 121 at thechurching of women.[10]
In theAgpeya, theCoptic Church'sbook of hours, this psalm is prayed in the office ofVespers[11] and the second watch of theMidnight office.[12]
Heinrich Schütz composed a metred paraphrase of Psalm 128 in German, "Ich heb mein Augen auf zu dir",SWV 233, for theBecker Psalter, published first in 1628.
This psalm was used byMichel-Richard Delalande in 1698 to compose agrand motet (S51) which was played in the royal chapel ofVersailles to celebrate the offices.Henry Desmarest composed a grand motet "Beati omnes" (unknown date).Marc-Antoine Charpentier composed in 1680/1681 one "Beati omnes qui timent Dominum" H.178, for 3 voices, 2 treble instruments and continuo.
Salamone Rossi, the 17th-century Jewish-Italian composer who was the first known composer to write choral music for the Jewish liturgy, published three settings of the psalm (for 3, 5, and 6 voices) in his collection Shir Ha'shirim Lishlomo, published in 1622.
The following table shows the Hebrew text[13][14] of the Psalm with vowels, alongside theKoine Greek text in theSeptuagint[15] and the English translation from theKing James Version. Note that the meaning can slightly differ between these versions, as the Septuagint and theMasoretic Text come from different textual traditions.[note 1] In the Septuagint, this psalm is numbered Psalm 127.
| # | Hebrew | English | Greek |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אַ֭שְׁרֵי כׇּל־יְרֵ֣א יְהֹוָ֑ה הַ֝הֹלֵ֗ךְ בִּדְרָכָֽיו׃ | (ASong of degrees.) Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. | ᾿ῼδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν. - ΜΑΚΑΡΙΟΙ πάντες οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν Κύριον, οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ. |
| 2 | יְגִ֣יעַ כַּ֭פֶּיךָ כִּ֣י תֹאכֵ֑ל אַ֝שְׁרֶ֗יךָ וְט֣וֹב לָֽךְ׃ | For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. | τοὺς πόνους τῶν καρπῶν σου φάγεσαι· μακάριος εἶ, καὶ καλῶς σοι ἔσται. |
| 3 | אֶשְׁתְּךָ֤ ׀ כְּגֶ֥פֶן פֹּרִיָּה֮ בְּיַרְכְּתֵ֢י בֵ֫יתֶ֥ךָ בָּ֭נֶיךָ כִּשְׁתִלֵ֣י זֵיתִ֑ים סָ֝בִ֗יב לְשֻׁלְחָנֶֽךָ׃ | Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. | ἡ γυνή σου ὡς ἄμπελος εὐθηνοῦσα ἐν τοῖς κλίτεσι τῆς οἰκίας σου· οἱ υἱοί σου ὡς νεόφυτα ἐλαιῶν κύκλῳ τῆς τραπέζης σου. |
| 4 | הִנֵּ֣ה כִי־כֵ֭ן יְבֹ֥רַךְ גָּ֗בֶר יְרֵ֣א יְהֹוָֽה׃ | Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. | ἰδοὺ οὕτως εὐλογηθήσεται ἄνθρωπος ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν Κύριον. |
| 5 | יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֗ה מִצִּ֫יּ֥וֹן וּ֭רְאֵה בְּט֣וּב יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם כֹּ֝֗ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּֽיךָ׃ | The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. | εὐλογήσαι σε Κύριος ἐκ Σιών, καὶ ἴδοις τὰ ἀγαθὰ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου· |
| 6 | וּרְאֵֽה־בָנִ֥ים לְבָנֶ֑יךָ שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel. | καὶ ἴδοις υἱοὺς τῶν υἱῶν σου. εἰρήνη ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Ισραήλ. |
This verse recallsJacob's reunion with his sonJoseph inGenesis 48:11:And Israel [Jacob] said to Joseph, "I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!" and is reflected inJob's restoration:After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations.[17][18]Proverbs 17:6 celebrates the same idea:Children’s children are the crown of old men.[19]
The concluding prayer for peace uponIsrael, which also appears inPsalm 125, is best taken as a "detached clause", according to thePulpit Commentary.[18]
