Psalms 128:1–2
Blessed is the one who eats the work of their own hands
Study it word by word1A song of the ascents. Happy is everyone who fears YHWH, who walks in his ways.
2The labor of your hands, when you eat it, happy are you, and it will be good for you.
In its context
…
3Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the inner parts of your house; your children like shoots of olive trees around your table.
4Look, thus will be blessed the man who fears YHWH.
Its words in the original
- שִׁירshir· song
Song, singing.
- מַּעֲלוֹתmaalot· step; ascent
Step, stair; going up.
- אַשְׁרֵיashre· happy, blessed
Happy, blessed: an exclamation for the good that someone has.
- יְרֵאyere· fearing, God-fearing
Fearing; above all, one who reveres God and therefore obeys him.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- הֹלֵךְholech· go, walk
Go, walk, come. Figuratively, the way one lives ("walk with God").
- דְרָכָיderachay· way
Way, road, journey. Figuratively, the way one lives or acts.
- יְגִיעַyegia· toil, its fruit
Wearying labor and what it earns.
- כַּפֶּיkape· palm, sole
The palm of the hand or the sole of the foot; also a pan or small bowl.
- תֹאכֵלtochel· eat
Eat; also consume, devour (said of fire or the sword).
- טוֹבtov· good
Good in the widest sense: pleasant, beautiful, useful, right, of good quality. As a noun, "good", "good things", "well-being".