Psalms 128:3
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Your wife will be like a fruitful vine flourishing within your house, your sons like olive shoots sitting around your table.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
This, as the former, is a psalm for families. In that we were taught that the prosperity of our families depends upon the blessing of God; in this we are taught that the only way to obtain that blessing which will make our families comfortable is to live in the fear of God and in obedience to him. Those that do so, in general, shall be blessed (Psa 128:1, Psa 128:2, Psa 128:4), In particular, I. They shall be prosperous and successful in their employments (Psa 128:2). II. Their relations shall be agreeable (Psa 128:3). III. They shall live to see their families brought up (Psa 128:6). IV. They shall have the satisfaction of seeing the church of God in a flourishing condition (Psa 128:5, Psa 128:6). We must sing this psalm in the firm belief of this truth, That religion and piety are the best friends to outward prosperity, giving God the praise that it is so and that we have found it so, and encouraging ourselves and others with it. A song of degrees.
Open source ↗128:3 Like vigorous young olive trees, children are saplings filled with potential. Olive oil symbolizes God’s blessing (104:15; Num 18:12; Jer 31:12; Hag 2:19).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of the abundant waters.
But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in the loving devotion of God forever and ever.
Joseph is a fruitful vine— a fruitful vine by a spring, whose branches scale the wall.
For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
The LORD once called you a flourishing olive tree, beautiful with well-formed fruit. But with a mighty roar He will set it on fire, and its branches will be consumed.
Then our sons will be like plants nurtured in their youth, our daughters like corner pillars carved to adorn a palace.
Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. He will not be put to shame when he confronts the enemies at the gate.