Beati omnes. The fear of God is the way to happiness. A gradual canticle.
Happines both of this life and of the next, is obtayned by fearing, and sincerely seruing God.
1Blessed are all they that fear the Lord: that walk in his ways.Cantico de' gradi. Beati tutti coloro, che temono il Signore, che camminano nelle sue vie.A gradual Canticle. BLESSED are al that feare our Lord, that walke in his wayes.Canticum graduum. Beati omnes qui timent Dominum, / qui ambulant in viis ejus. 2For thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands: blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee.Perché tu mangerai le fatiche delle tue mani, tu se' beato, e sarai felice.Because thou shalt eate the labours of thy handes blessed art thou, and it shal be wel with thee.Labores manuum tuarum quia manducabis: / beatus es, et bene tibi erit. 3Thy wife as a fruitful vine, on the sides of thy house. Thy children as olive plants, round about thy table.La tua consorte come vite feconda: nell'interior di tua casa. I tuoi figliuoli, come novelle piante d'ulivi intorno alla tua mensa.Thy wife as a fruitful vine, in the sides of thy house. Thy children as young plantes of oliuetrees, round about thy table.Uxor tua sicut vitis abundans / in lateribus domus tuæ; / filii tui sicut novellæ olivarum / in circuitu mensæ tuæ. 4Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.Ecco come sarà benedetto l'uomo, che teme il Signore.Behold so shal the man be blessed, that feareth our Lord.Ecce sic benedicetur homo / qui timet Dominum. 5May the Lord bless thee out of Sion: and mayst thou see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.Ti benedica da Sionne il Signore, e vegga tu i beni di Gerusalemme per tutti i giorni della tua vita.Our Lord out of Sion blesse thee: and that thou mayst see the good thinges of Ierusalem al the dayes of thy life.Benedicat tibi Dominus ex Sion, / et videas bona Jerusalem omnibus diebus vitæ tuæ. 6And mayst thou see thy children’s children, peace upon Israel.E vegga tu i figliuoli de' tuoi figliuoli: e la pace in Israele.And that thou mayst see thy childrens children, peace vpon Israel.Et videas filios filiorum tuorum: / pacem super Israël.
127:1
Ferrand
Canticle. Being a sequel to the former [psalm], (Calmet) and similar to the 111th, as both promise felicity to the captives at their return, if they prove faithful, 2 Esdras 9:38. (Ferrand.)
Moller
It is a sort of epithalamium. (Moller.)
Berthier
Both temporal and spiritual blessings are set before us. (Berthier)
Calmet
Ways. Many saints have not received temporal rewards; and this confirms our faith that there is a world to come. (Calmet)
Berthier
In effect, no temporal advantages are here specified, as they are below. (Berthier)
127:2
Hands. The idle are not entitled to blessings, which God will bestow on the industrious who fear him, preserving them from evils, Leviticus 26:16., and Deuteronomy 28:30. (Calmet) (2 Corinthians 3:10.)
Berthier
Some have explained karpon, "fruits:" though it here means hands. (Berthier)
127:3
Calmet
Sides. Against which vines were planted. (Calmet)
Worthington
The married people who fear God, shall commonly have a numerous posterity; or their souls shall produce many good works in the Church, which springs from our Saviour's side. Children denote such good works. (Worthington)
Homer
Plants. Psalm 143:12. (Homer, Odyssey 6:163.)
127:5
Calmet
Sion. Where he displayed his bounty. (Calmet)
Berthier
Jerusalem. In heaven, 1 Corinthians 15:19. (Berthier)
Calmet
Mayst thou live happily in the holy city, after thy long captivity. (Calmet)
127:6
Berthier
Israel. This is best secured by a well-regulated and numerous people. (Berthier)
Worthington
The good works, performed on earth, will be rewarded in heaven. (Worthington)
Menochius
We shall rejoice in the spiritual children, whom we shall have begotten. (Menochius)
127:3
If such seruants of God be maried, they shal ordinarily haue issue, and succession in their fa〈…〉 but especially the soules of such shal bring forth manie meritorious vvorkes,
in the b••ome of the Catholique Church vvhich vvas founded in Christs side.
Children also signifie good workes.
127:6
Revvard in heauen for good vvorkes in earth.
127:1
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 128.2
2. “Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, and walk in His ways” (
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 11.12
… “For there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for star differeth from star in glory, so also is the resurrection of the dead.” While therefore in accordance with this rule holy Scripture praises those who fear God, and says “Blessed are all they that fear the Lord,”
127:2
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 34
… “children of youth.” He points out that the LXX. (by whom the Latin translators had been misled) fall into the same mistake at Neh. iv. 16 . Finally he corrects a slip of Hilary as to
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 128.3
3. “Thou shalt eat the labours of thy fruits” (
127:3
St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 110
… and sitting each under his vine, i.e., each man possessing his own married wife. For you are aware that the prophetic word says, ‘And his wife shall be like a fruitful vine.’
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 3.17
… When about to consummate the work of the flesh which He had taken, having now seen perfection in His disciples, whom He had established upon the root of His words, He enters a garden, that He might plant the young olive-trees
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.21
21. The old law had a different ideal of blessedness, for therein it is said: “Blessed is he who hath seed in Zion and a family in Jerusalem:” and “Cursed is the barren who beareth not:” and “Thy children shall be like olive-plants round about thy table.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 123.13
… In Babylon Ezekiel says: “my wife is dead and my mouth is opened.” Neither he who wished to marry nor he who had married could in wedlock prophesy freely. In days gone by men rejoiced to hear it said of them: “thy children shall be like olive plants round about thy table,” and “thou shalt see thy children’s children.”
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Jovinianus 1.22
… And in the simple expressions of the sacred Scriptures there is always a more subtle meaning. The Jews gloried in children and child-bearing; and the barren woman, who had not offspring in Israel, was accursed; but blessed was he whose seed was in Sion, and his family in Jerusalem; and part of the highest blessing was,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 128.4
4. Let us now come to the words, “Thy wife” (
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 2.10
… But, while a fitting time for the correction of subordinates is being sought, the patience of the prelate is exercised under the very weight of their offences. Whence it is well said by the Psalmist, Sinners have built upon my back (
127:4
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 128.6
… who would now refuse to be there? When thou seest any blasphemer have a wife, children, grandchildren, and thyself perchance without them, envy them not; discern that the promise hath been fulfilled in thee also, but spiritually. If therefore we have, why have we? Because we fear the Lord. “Lo, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord” (
127:5
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 128.7
7. “The Lord from out of Sion bless thee: and mayest thou see thee good things that are of Jerusalem” (
127:6
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 128.8
… Thy works which thou here dost. Who are thy children’s children? The fruits of thy works. Thou givest alms: these are thy children: for the sake of thine alms thou receivest everlasting life, these are thy children’s children. “Mayest thou see thy children’s children;” and there shall be “peace upon Israel” (
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.