Word of Salvation – June 2026
BLESS THIS HOUSE
Sermon by Rev John Haverland
Text: Psalm 128
Reading: Deuteronomy 28:1-14
Theme: God’s blessing is given to believers, to the godly family, and to the church.
Purpose: To point out how God blesses us as individuals, families, and the church, and to encourage a response of thanks and obedience.
Before reading Psalm 128:
Psalms 120 to 135 are known as the Psalms of Ascent, which is a collection of 15 psalms.
To ascend, children, means to go up, to climb higher. These psalms were probably grouped together and given this title because the people of Israel sang these when they went up to the Temple at Jerusalem for the three main Jewish festivals. The people of God would travel from all over Israel, and even from other countries, and to up to the temple to worship God.
Psalm 126 describes the joy of the people of Israel when they were allowed to go back home to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon – they were going home and they were “filled with joy”! That Psalm closes with a prayer for God’s blessing; “Restore our fortunes O Lord.”
Psalm 127 recognises that all the blessings we enjoy come from the Lord – food, sleep, and children.
Psalm 128 recognises that God has blessed his people in many ways and requests further blessings on the church.
So these three psalms are connected, they follow on from each other.
Read Psalm 128….
This sermon is titled, “Bless this house”.
These are opening words of a prayer that is printed and hangs on the walls of some Christian homes.
Maybe some of you have this hanging in your home….
Bless this house, O Lord, we pray,
Make it safe by night and day.
Bless these walls so firm and stout,
Keeping want and trouble out.
Bless the roof and chimney tall;
Let thy peace lie overall.
Bless this door that it may prove
Ever open to joy and love.
This prayer expresses the thoughts and theme of this psalm, which are summed up in verse 1; “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways.”
The blessed person is a happy person; but it is a deep, solid, lasting happiness and joy!
We will consider the blessing God gives to believers, to the family, and to the church.
- God’s blessing to BELIEVERS, v 1-2
The word blessed or blessing is one we use a lot but is hard to translate. It could be translated as “happy” but it means more than happiness. It is a word that takes in all of God’s mercy and goodness and love, all his kindness and favour, and all the benefits he gives to us as his people.
The psalmist applied this broadly to all God’s people: “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord.”
Many of us here have had our trials and difficulties – and some of you are going through trouble even now – but if you love the Lord you are blessed.
We’ll notice these blessings as we go through this psalm.
This blessing comes to everyone who “fears” the Lord.
This does not mean that we are afraid of him, although people who refuse to believe in God ought to be afraid of him.
To fear God children is to respect him, to look up to him; it is to hold him in high regard because he is so great,
it is to reverence him because he is almighty, and to stand in awe of him because he is powerful and holy.
But this great respect is combined with love – we love this God because he has loved us. We see his love most clearly in God sending his Son Jesus to die for our sins.
If you fear the Lord you will obey him.
Psalm 1 puts this negatively; “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked“.
Psalm 128 puts this positively – those who fear God will “walk in his ways”.
This is a consistent theme in the Bible – Jesus said, “If you love me you will keep my commandments”.
James wrote, If you say you have faith then you will show it in your works.
Walking in God’s ways means keeping his commands and obeying his laws, and doing this gladly and eagerly! Psalm 119:32 says, “I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.”
Do you fear God? Do you hold him in high regard?
Do love him?
Are you walking in his ways, obeying his laws?
If you do then you will be blessed in your work (v 2);
“You shall eat the fruit of the labour of your hands.”
This was written in an agricultural setting where most people grew their own grain and vegetables and raised sheep and goats.
Sometimes all that could be destroyed by drought, or eaten by locusts, or stolen by invaders; that would, at times, be the result of God’s curse on the sin of Israel. But this psalm describes his blessing on their labour.
Most of us are not working directly in agriculture but we are serving God in the particular callings he has given us – as a mother or father, a church member, a student, an engineer, a teacher, a businessman.
Eating the fruit of your labour implies you are labouring, you are working and are productive.
Sadly, in our society, many do not have work. Sometimes that’s because they are idle or lazy.
Or it may be that they have lost their jobs because of economic recession.
When you are busy in your calling you will usually enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done and the benefits of that.
Solomon expressed that well in Ecclesiastes;
“That everyone may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his toil – this is the gift of God.” (3:13)
May you enjoy this satisfaction and this gracious gift from God.
The parallel line in verse 2 reads, “you shall be blessed, and shall be well with you.”
Some false teachers and preachers in the wider church today promise that if you love God then you will be prosperous, healthy and wealthy! This is known as the prosperity gospel, or the health/wealth gospel.
The Bible does not teach this, nor does this verse.
Jesus was poor and had nowhere to lay his head.
The apostle Paul was often living hand to mouth.
The apostle John was exiled to the island of Patmos. None of these men were prosperous and wealthy
But this psalm assures us;
“You shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.”
This is God’s blessing to believers.
- GOD’S BLESSING ON THE FAMILY, v 3-4
a) This psalm is written from the point of view of the godly man, the believing husband and father; v 4:
“Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.”
Those of you who are husbands and fathers must take the lead in your marriage and in your home, in your teaching and example.
The Lord will bless such servant leadership.
b) He will bless your wife.
It is a blessing to be married.
God said about Adam that it was not good for the man to be alone, so he created a helper suitable for him.
Many of us have been given a suitable helper, a friend and companion in marriage.
There is the danger that you might take your wife for granted; rather you must appreciate her, love her, value her, and tell her so!
Your wife is described as “a fruitful vine”, which was an Old Testament picture of productivity and blessing.
It is a blessing to be married, and an additional blessing to have children.
As we know, some men and women do not marry,
and some married couples cannot have children.
This psalm is describing the general situation, not every situation.
If you are not married, or are married and do not have children, you must be patient, and accept God’s providence in your life, and trust in him.
We could also look at the vine as being a picture of the fruit of Christian character, the fruit of the Spirit.
Godly wives bear the fruit of love, gentleness, kindness and goodness. Even if you cannot bear children you can bear the fruit of the Spirit and of good works.
Your wife is described as being “within your house”.
The Hebrew word for “within” is a strong one and means “the insides of your house” or “the heart of your house” (NEB).
This does not mean you are confined to your house or that you can’t go out to study or to work.
Rather it reminds you that you are blessed and calls you to be a blessing “within your house” to your husband and to your children and grandchildren.
Wives, is this your desire and your goal? Are you striving to be such a blessing to your husband and children?
c) God will also bless your children, who are described as “olive shoots around your table”.
Vines and olive trees were often linked together in the Old Testament as signs of God’s blessing, health and productivity (Ex 23:11).
An olive tree will drop seeds around it, so young trees will grow up around the parent tree.
When the old tree dies then the younger ones are left standing and will continue to bear fruit.
This is a picture of the believing family.
Our parents raise us, and they die, and we continue the work of the Lord Jesus and his kingdom.
“Your sons will be like olive shoots around your table”. Your children are pictured as gathered “around your table”.
Sharing a meal around the table is one of the best times for family conversation and fellowship. Turn off the TV, and put your phones on silent while you have dinner!
We have been considering the gifts God gives to Christian families: to enjoy the fruit of your labour, to share the companionship of marriage, to have your children around you.
So verse 4 reads:”Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.”
Literally it reads; “See”, or “Take note of this!” The psalmist is enthusiastic, excited and thankful to God!
A Sunday School song from many years ago, went; “Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”
These are the wonderful blessings of God on believers and their families.
- GOD’S BLESSING ON THE CHURCH, v 5-6
The closing verses of this psalm set these blessings in the wider context of the people of Israel.
Remember that the people of Israel sang these psalms as they went up to the temple of God in Jerusalem to worship him.
These closing words may have been spoken by the priest at the end of the festival as a blessing on the families as they prepared to go home.
a) The blessing is given in the wider context of the people of God:
“The Lord bless you from Zion. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.” (v 5a)
Zion was a picture of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem represented the people of God, Israel, the Old Testament church.
In the New Testament we are the new Israel made up of Jews and Gentiles. The New Tetament church is made up of all who believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
God uses the church to strengthen and bless the Christian family.
All of you have a part to play in the lives of the children and young people of this church.
You can be a great blessing to them, a means and instrument of God’s favour on them.
You can bless them by turning up to worship regularly, morning and afternoon, as a powerful example to them. You can bless them by taking an interest in them and talking to them after church.
You can bless them by being willing to teach Sunday School or catechism, or be a cadet or Gems counsellor. You can bless them by being willing to serve in the church in whatever way you can with the gifts the Holy Spirit has given you.
If each one of you uses your gifts and serves actively in the church then you will “see the prosperity of Jerusalem”, and see the church prosper and grow.
God blesses Christian families through the church. A strong church will produce strong families, and strong families will produce a strong church.
b) The psalm concludes with the continuity of blessing on the godly family (v 6);
“Indeed, may you see your children’s children.”
Some of us are in this position; we have grandchildren; some of you great grandchildren.
Some of you don’t have physical children or grandchildren in the church, but you should see the following generations as your spiritual children and grandchildren.
Both the church and the family are important; we should not emphasise one to the neglect of the other.
We need strong families, and we need the worship and fellowship of the people of God in the church.
God has blessed our lives as believers,
he has blessed our marriages and our families,
and he has blessed us as a church.
As you continue to fear the Lord and walk in his ways,
“May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem,
and may you live to see your children’s children.”
Amen