Psalm 128:2 kjv
For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
Psalm 128:2 nkjv
When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
Psalm 128:2 niv
You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Psalm 128:2 esv
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
Psalm 128:2 nlt
You will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
How joyful and prosperous you will be!
Psalm 128 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 28:8 | The LORD will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. | God's blessing on labor and possessions. |
| Deut 28:12 | The LORD will open for you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain...to bless all the work of your hands. | Divine provision enabling successful labor. |
| Deut 30:9 | The LORD your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand... | Promises prosperity for obedience. |
| Gen 3:17-19 | By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread...thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you. | Original curse of burdensome toil, contrasted with Ps 128:2. |
| Prov 10:4 | A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. | Emphasizes diligence leading to reward. |
| Prov 12:11 | Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread. | Directly connects diligent work with sustenance. |
| Prov 13:4 | The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. | The diligent are provided for. |
| Prov 14:23 | In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty. | Affirms benefit derived from work. |
| Prov 21:5 | The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance. | Diligence yields prosperity. |
| Eccles 2:24 | There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. | Joy in labor is a gift from God. |
| Eccles 3:13 | Also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. | God-given satisfaction from work. |
| Isa 3:10 | Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds. | Direct parallel, well-being for righteous efforts. |
| Isa 65:21-23 | They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit...they shall not labor in vain. | Prophetic promise of secure enjoyment of labor. |
| 2 Thess 3:10 | If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. | New Testament principle affirming responsibility to work. |
| Eph 4:28 | Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share. | Labor leads to self-sufficiency and ability to give. |
| Col 3:23-24 | Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance. | Motivation for diligent work unto the Lord. |
| Phil 4:19 | My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. | God's comprehensive provision. |
| Psa 1:3 | He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. | Spiritual fruitfulness linked to sustained prosperity. |
| Psa 127:2 | It is in vain that you rise up early...eating the bread of anxious toil, for he gives to his beloved sleep. | Contrast: Labor is futile without divine blessing. |
| 1 Tim 5:8 | But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith. | Responsibility to provide through work's fruit. |
| Matt 6:33 | But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. | Divine provision follows prioritizing God. |
Psalm 128 verses
Psalm 128 2 Meaning
Psalm 128:2 reveals a profound promise of God's blessing upon the diligent and God-fearing. It states that one will personally "eat the labor of their hands," signifying the security and enjoyment of the fruit of one's honest work, rather than having it taken away or laboring in vain. This promise extends beyond mere material gain, assuring a state of "blessedness" (happiness, prosperity) and overall "well-being," encompassing not just physical provision but also peace, contentment, and safety derived from a life lived in fear of the Lord.
Psalm 128 2 Context
Psalm 128 is one of the "Songs of Ascents" (Psalms 120-134), sung by pilgrims on their way up to Jerusalem for festivals. It is a wisdom psalm, articulating the blessings that accompany "fearing the Lord." This particular psalm, often paired with Psalm 127, emphasizes the importance of God's blessing over mere human effort. While Psalm 127 speaks to the futility of labor without God (building, watching, raising children), Psalm 128 then illustrates the tangible blessings that come from God upon a household where His fear dwells. Verse 2 specifically outlines the immediate, personal benefit derived from the righteous individual's labor, setting the stage for the family blessings described in subsequent verses.
Psalm 128 2 Word analysis
- "For you shall eat": tōḵēḷ (תֹאכֵל). From the verb 'ākal, "to eat." This is a strong promise, signifying secure and enjoyable consumption. It implies that the produce will not be snatched away by enemies, famine, or misfortune, but rather, the worker will personally benefit from their effort. This stands in contrast to the curses in Deut 28 where enemies consume the produce.
- "the labor": yegīa‘ (יְגִיעַ). This Hebrew term refers to the result or fruit of one's toil, exertion, or hard work. It's not just the act of working, but the tangible outcome. This links back to the concept of labor introduced in Gen 3, where toil became part of the human condition, but here it is seen as something blessed and enjoyable, not merely a burden.
- "of your hands": yāḏayk (יָדֶיךָ). "Hands" symbolizes one's personal effort, skill, and diligent work. It implies a direct, active participation in producing what one consumes, promoting honest work over illicit gains or passive dependency. It highlights the dignity and self-sufficiency derived from one's own efforts.
- "you shall be blessed": ʾašreykā (אַשְׁרֶיךָ). Derived from ʾašrê, often translated "blessed" or "happy." This is not just a material blessing but denotes a state of profound well-being, good fortune, and contentment that stems from divine favor. It’s the same term used in Psalm 128:1 ("Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord").
- "and it shall be well with you": ṭôḇ lāḵ (טוֹב לָךְ). "Good for you" or "it will be good for you." This phrase encompasses holistic well-being—safety, prosperity, peace, and general welfare. It implies that the life lived by the God-fearing person is ultimately successful and leads to deep satisfaction, both materially and existentially.
Words-Group analysis
- "For you shall eat the labor of your hands": This phrase paints a picture of direct, secure, and satisfying reward for one's own honest work. It reassures that effort, when coupled with a fear of the Lord, will yield tangible and personally consumable results. This contrasts with a life where toil is futile or its fruit is taken away by others.
- "you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you": These two closely linked promises confirm a comprehensive divine favor. "Blessed" indicates an inner state of happiness and external favor from God, while "well with you" signifies the manifest, lived experience of that blessing, covering all aspects of life—physical, emotional, relational, and material. This confirms not just prosperity but deep peace and security.
Psalm 128 2 Bonus section
This verse subtly reclaims and transforms the curse of labor from Genesis 3. While work became toilsome, Psalm 128:2 shows how, for the righteous, this toil can be redeemed by God's blessing to yield secure enjoyment and well-being, turning a burden into a source of happiness. It affirms the dignity of human labor as an instrument through which God's provisions and blessings flow. Furthermore, it implies a stable social order and justice where individuals are able to benefit directly from their honest efforts, without fear of exploitation or loss, fostering both individual contentment and community stability under divine governance. The psalm also positions the individual's household as a primary beneficiary of God's blessings that flow from national faithfulness and pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Psalm 128 2 Commentary
Psalm 128:2 distills a fundamental principle of biblical wisdom: genuine prosperity and well-being are consequences of fearing the Lord. It isn't a mere promise of wealth for hard work alone, but a divinely guaranteed return on diligent effort made within the covenant of God's blessing. The "eating" of labor’s fruit speaks to personal enjoyment and security, dispelling anxieties about futile effort or losing one's produce. The twin assurance of being "blessed" and having things "well with you" extends beyond material prosperity to a state of comprehensive holistic good, encompassing peace, safety, and contentment in all aspects of life. This verse serves as a powerful antidote to a world that often measures success purely by accumulation or frantic anxiety. Instead, it posits that when one's life is anchored in reverence for God, diligent effort is transformed from a curse into a conduit of blessing and deep, enduring satisfaction. This applies practically to individuals who are diligent in their callings, seeking to honor God in their work, knowing that He oversees the ultimate outcomes for their good and His glory.