Psalm 128:1 - Blessed

We’ve had: “A Song” “of Degrees”

Today is Blessed

H835 - From H833; happiness; only in masculine plural construction as interjection, how happy!

·         H833 - A primitive root; to be straight (used in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy); figuratively to go forward, be honest, prosper.

Used 45 times in 42 verses, the first usage is:

Deu 33:29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Most of the usages translate the word happy, while primarily in the Psalms it’s translated as ‘blessed” – a few times happy, such as:

Psa 127:5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

First usage in Proverbs:

Pro 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

Pro 8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

In Isaiah:

Isa 56:1 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

Isa 56:2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

I couldn’t put verse 2 down because ‘blessed is the man that doeth this” – what is THIS?

How ‘blessed’ are you?  Not how ‘blessed’ do you feel, rather how blessed are we?  Are we ‘waiting’ at His doors?  Do we hungrily desire Him, His word, presence in our daily lives?  O’ Lord, quicken us, Your people to thirst and hunger after Thee.

Let us not be ‘quenched’ in the spirit, dulled in our senses by the onslaught of the worlds bells and whistles, trinkets and toys.  Let us yearn to be seeking You continually and proclaiming Your truth in all the ways we speak, act, and think.

Psalm 128:1 - of Degrees

The first segment of this study, Psalm 128:1 – "A Song..." can be viewed HERE.

Today’s study is “of degrees” – which is H4609:

Feminine of H4608; elevation, that is, the act (literally a journey to a higher place, figuratively a thought arising), or (concretely) the condition (literally a step or grade mark, figuratively a superiority of station); specifically a climactic progression (in certain Psalms).

·         H4608 - From H5927; an elevation, that is, (concretely) acclivity or platform; abstractly (the relation or state) a rise or (figuratively) priority.

o   H5927 - A primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or active (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literally and figuratively.

My first thought as I read through was how when we praise Him, we enter into His courts (arise).

H4609 is used 46 times in 39 verses, the first usage is:

Exo 20:26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

It’s used in 1 and 2 Kings as steps; stairs; degrees (twice in 2 Kings 20:9, 10); in 2 Kings 20:11 degrees and dial.  1 and 2 Chronicles uses both degree and steps.

Ezra 7:9 – to go up; Nehemiah – stairs; Psalms 120-134 as the intro.  Isaiah 38:8; Ezekiel 11:5; 40:6, 22, 26, 31, 34, 37, 49; 43:17 (steps) and the last usage:

Amo 9:6 It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name.

How often I fail to praise Him, to enter His courts with thanksgiving.  O Lord, I am unworthy to be called thine, yet thou in Thy perfect goodness, wisdom and knowledge has chosen me.  I who fail you continually, strengthen and stablish me Lord in Your way. Stir up the gift of Your eternal mercy and love within me, cause me to be renewed and filled with Your Spirit afresh.

Help me Lord to see this life and world through Your vision, to rekindle my first love for You.  The passion and desire to proclaim Your name to all.

Psalm 128

Our ladies study has started a new ‘book’ – we chose a chapter from Psalms, specifically one which we knew had been set to music (in hopes of helping with memorization).  Song of Psalms 128.

Psa 128:1  A Song of degrees. Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.

Psa 128:2  For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

Psa 128:3  Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

Psa 128:4  Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.

Psa 128:5  The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

Psa 128:6  Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.

We each take a turn leading out with a verse (we’re all accountable to study and share/exhort one another).  My study began with the first phrase:

A Song of degrees. What does that mean, how many times is it used.  Every Psalm?  Any other passages?

Used exclusively in Psalms, but only in Psalms 120-134.  What does each word mean?

A song – H7892 - The second form being feminine; from H7891; a song; abstractly singing.

·         H7891 - The second form being the original form, used in (1Sa_18:6); a primitive root (rather identical with H7788 through the idea of strolling minstrelsy); to sing.

H7892 – is used 90 times in 87 verses.  The first usage:

Genesis 31:27 - Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?

Moses ‘sang’ a song (Exodus 15:1) as did Israel (Numbers 21:17), Deuteronomy had 5 verses, using the word 6 times.  Judges, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, and Proverbs all had 1 usage.

Pro 25:20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

1 and 2 Chronicles each use it 7 times, as does Isaiah.  Amos has 4 usages, 3 for Nehemiah, while Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon and Ezekiel each have 2.

Last verse Amos 8:10:

And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.

And pray for me to continue my sharing with the next study on degrees.