Psalm for Sunday, December 27, 2015

Reflections

Psalm 128:  1-2, 3, 4-5  (Read)

“Blessed are those who fear
the Lord and walk in His ways.”

Our psalmist tells us that a man who
has a right relationship with the Lord
will also obtain a right relationship 
with his wife and his family.  If we have 
a right relationship with the Lord, we will 
know how to treat our wives and our 
children, and in turn, we will discover 
how blessed we are in our home and 
by the presence of our family.  “Just 
so will the man be blessed who fears 
the Lord.”

And if a man walks with the Lord, this 
will be reflected in the way he loves his 
wife.  Because if a man cherishes his 
wife, as ‘flesh of his flesh’ and ‘bone of 
his bones,’ he nourishes his relationship 
with her, as Christ nourishes the Church.  
And the man’s reward is that his wife will 
be like a ‘fruitful vine’ within his house.  
This is how a man is blessed who fears 
the Lord.

Having been so favored by God,  we understand
why, 'A man shall leave his father and mother and 
cleave to his wife.'   God made them one flesh, and, 
'What God has joined, no human being may separate.'

If we fear the Lord and walk in His ways, we will receive
the blessings of our labor, prosper in a material way, and 
grow old gracefully in the company of our family.

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm tells us how to gain God's favor so that our family life 
will be blessed.  What does it mean to you to fear the Lord and walk 
in His ways?

2.  We learn from our psalmist how to behave toward our wife and our 
children.  A right relationship with our family is obtained by having a right 
relationship with our Lord.  Explain how you are putting this teaching 
into practice.