If you fear God and walk in His ways, you are blessed regardless of your circumstances.
True blessedness
Blessedness is a natural attribute of humanity created in the image of God. It is God’s nature to bless His creation so that it may fulfil the purpose for which He brought it into being. However, the fall of humanity disrupted the flow of blessings and brought about curses. But thanks be to God for sending His Son, Jesus Christ, who absorbed the curses on our behalf so that we may have access to our blessings. Psalm 128 provides insight into how humanity can access God’s blessings and the results of such an outpouring of blessing.
The Psalmist identifies two attributes of blessed people. First, blessed people fear the LORD. This text does not suggest that blessed people dread or are afraid of God. It does not refer to fear associated with punishment, suppression, persecution, or slavery. Rather, the fear of God that leads to blessedness refers to the awe, reverence, and honour a follower of Christ accords to God in recognition of who He is, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe and everything in it. The very fact that our existence and every provision for life and godliness originate from and depend on Him should lead us to deep reverence. It is an indescribable appreciation of the Lord, His incomprehensible nature, and His gracious provisions. The fear of the LORD places Him in His rightful position to fully express His nature and carry out His purposes as the Creator and Sustainer of all creation.
Second, blessed people walk in God’s ways. Recognition of God’s nature and providence, together with full acceptance of Him as the origin and sustainer of our lives, results in walking in His ways. The Lord, as the author and finisher of our lives, has designed us to exist and function in a way that most effectively expresses our true identity according to His will and purpose. When we align our lives with the Creator’s design and expectations, harmony is established between God and us. Such alignment releases God’s blessings toward us.
Anyone who fears God and walks in His ways is blessed. The Psalmist also outlines the results of such blessedness. Blessedness leads not only to productivity but also to the ability to enjoy the fruit of one’s labour. As Ecclesiastes reminds us, “A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too is from the hand of God” (Eccl. 2:24–25). Likewise, when we meditate on and obey the law of the Lord, whatever we do prospers (Joshua 1:8).
Blessedness is also associated with prosperity. In this context, prosperity does not simply mean the accumulation of wealth, though material provision may be part of it. Rather, it refers to the alignment of human life with God’s will and purpose, allowing God to express His presence and work in a person’s life both now and for eternity. A person suffering from a terminal illness may still be blessed, because while they experience pain in the present, they may be eternally rich in God’s purpose and promise. Human perceptions and measurements of prosperity are often flawed.
The Psalmist therefore prompts us to ask two important questions: Do you fear God? Do you walk in His ways? If the answer to both is yes, then you are blessed—regardless of what the world may say.
A blessed child of God also experiences fulfilment in family life. The wife is described as a fruitful vine, expressing her spiritual, emotional, and physical fruitfulness in supporting the family. She is a productive and faithful helpmate. The children are likened to olive shoots—healthy, vibrant, and capable of bearing abundant fruit. For this reason, every child of God should strive to fear the Lord and walk in His ways.
