Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 128:2

"For thou shalt eat the labor of thy hands: Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee." — Psalms 128:2 (ASV)

For you shall eat the labor of your hands—You shall enjoy the fruits of your labor; you shall be secure in your rights. See the notes at Isaiah 3:10.

This is a general promise concerning the prosperity that religion provides.

If all people were truly religious, this would be universal, as far as humanity is concerned. Property would be secure; and, except to the extent that abundant harvests might be prevented by the direct providence of God—by blight, and mildew, and storms, and drought—all people would enjoy undisturbed the fruits of their labor.

Slavery, by which one person is compelled to labor for another, would come to an end; everyone who is now a slave would “eat the labor of his own hands”; and property would no longer be swept away by war, or become the prey of robbers and plunderers.

Religion, if it prevailed universally, would produce universal security in our rights.

Happy shall you be, and it shall be well with you—literally, “Happy you, and well with you.” That is, happiness and security would be the consequence of true religion.