John Calvin Commentary Psalms 128:1

"Blessed is every one that feareth Jehovah, That walketh in his ways." — Psalms 128:1 (ASV)

Blessed is the man who feareth Jehovah. In the preceding Psalm it was stated that prosperity in all human affairs, and in the whole course of our life, is to be hoped for exclusively from the grace of God; and now the Prophet admonishes us that those who desire to be partakers of the blessing of God must with sincerity of heart devote themselves wholly to him, for he will never disappoint those who serve him.

The first verse contains a summary of the subject-matter of the Psalm; the remaining portion is added only by way of exposition. The maxim “that those are blessed who fear God, especially in the present life,” is so much at variance with the common opinion of men that very few will give it their assent.

Everywhere, many Epicureans are to be found fluttering about, similar to Dionysius, who, having once had a favorable wind upon the sea and a prosperous voyage after plundering a temple, boasted that the gods favored church robbers. Also, the weak are troubled and shaken by the prosperity of evil men, and they then faint under the load of their own miseries.

The despisers of God may not indeed enjoy prosperity, and the condition of good men may be tolerable, but still the greater part of men are blind in considering the providence of God, or seem not in any degree to perceive it. The adage, “That it is best not to be born at all, or to die as soon as possible,” has certainly long been received by the common consent of almost all men.

Finally, carnal reason judges either that all mankind without exception are miserable, or that fortune is more favorable to ungodly and wicked men than to the good. To the sentiment that those are blessed who fear the Lord, it has an entire aversion, as I have declared at length on Psalm 37.

It is then all the more requisite to dwell upon the consideration of this truth. Further, as this blessedness is not apparent to the eye, it is important, in order to apprehend it, first to attend to the definition which will be given of it presently, and secondly, to know that it depends chiefly upon the protection of God.

Although we collect together all the circumstances which seem to contribute to a happy life, surely nothing will be found more desirable than to be kept hidden under the guardianship of God. If this blessing is, in our estimation, to be preferred, as it deserves, to all other good things, whoever is persuaded that the care of God is exercised over the world and human affairs will at the same time unquestionably acknowledge that what is here laid down is the chief point of happiness.

But before I proceed further, it should be noted that in the second part of the verse a mark is with good reason added by which the servants of God are distinguished from those who despise him. We see how the most depraved, with no less pride than audacity and mockery, boast of fearing God.

The Prophet therefore requires the attestation of life concerning this, for these two things—the fear of God and the keeping of his law—are inseparable, and the root must necessarily produce its corresponding fruit. Further, we learn from this passage that our life does not receive divine approval unless it is framed according to the divine law. There is unquestionably no religion without the fear of God, and the Prophet represents our living according to the commandment and ordinance of God as proceeding from this fear.