Psalms 128:2 - Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Bible Comments

For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands - Thou shalt enjoy the avails of thy labor; thou shalt be secure in thy rights. See the notes at Isaiah 3:10. This is a general promise respecting the prosperity which religion affords. If all people were truly religious, this would be universal, so far as man is concerned. Property would be secure; and, except so far as abundant harvests might be prevented by the direct providence of God - by blight, and mildew, and storms, and drought - all people would enjoy undisturbed the avails of their labor. Slavery, whereby one man is compelled to labor for another, would come to an end; every one who is now a slave would “eat the labor of his own hands;” and property would no more be swept away by war, or become the prey of robbers and freebooters. Religion, if it prevailed universally, would produce universal security in our rights.

Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee - literally, “Happy thou, and well with thee.” That is, happiness and security would be the consequence of true religion.

Psalms 128:2

2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.