- Psalm 128 reflects the priority of Jewish culture on family and their understanding that the blessing of family is rooted in a holy reverence and obedience to Yahweh.
There’s a sense in the psalm that the size of your flock is indicative of the blessing Gos has poured out on your household.
It got me wondering what the modern day Godless equivalent of 128 might look like. It’s probably as simple as figuring where time and treasure are most heavily invested.
Yay for me and my sweet job
Things are sure looking up for me
Yay for my new car and my tops houseYay for my bank account, tidier by the hour
I’m styling it with all this stuffYay for me for plenty of reasons
More of the same, I say, much more
Dollar upon dollar, pay rise upon pay rise
performance upon performance, kudos upon kudos
and a good night’s sleep too. Gidiup!There’s no fingers pointed at cars, houses, bank accounts or stuff. In fact, for the psalmist, they don’t even rate a mention. And that’s pretty much the point.
In the measurement of the blessings that God has poured out on us, what’s our yardstick? What are our key perfomance indicators?
The psalmist has little doubt what the biggies are. Number One, fear of the Lord. Number Two, the provision of the Lord enabled by my labour. Number Three, the richness of my most intimate relationships. And all this ushers from God, from who all blessings flow rather than pursuits in themselves.
128 reflects an integrated life founded on submission and obedience to God.
Jesus, align our hearts with yours as we follow you. May our priorities be shaped by yours. And when we take our tangents and wander, by your grace, reform us again. Amen.
– Simon Elliott