What Does Psalm 128:4 Mean in the King James?
Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Hebrew word for “blessed” shares its consonants with “knee,” so blessing here carries the image of a life bent in awe before the LORD.
THE MEANING
The verse speaks to you now: blessing is bound to awe of the LORD, not just a label attached to your life. “Behold, for thus” marks this reverence as the way blessing takes shape.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse unsettles the belief that fearing the LORD means living in panic: here that fear stands beside the language of blessing, with the root carrying the shade of awe.
THE ROOT
יְבֹרַךְ
yevorakh
GROWS FROM
ברך
To bless, with a Hebrew word-family echo of bending at the knee.
English makes “blessed” sound like a status. The Hebrew consonants also form the word for “knee,” giving blessing a bodily resonance that fits the verse’s picture of awe before the LORD.
ALSO GROWS
berekh: knee
בֶּרֶךְ
The shared consonants let blessing carry the image of a bent knee, echoing the reverence named in this verse.
berakhah: blessing
בְּרָכָה
This noun shares the same root; in Genesis 12:2, the blessing received also becomes a blessing that reaches others.
יָרֵא
yare
GROWS FROM
ירא
To fear or stand in awe.
“feareth” in this verse is yare. English “fear” can suggest panic, but this word also carries awe and reverence. With the LORD as its object, the verse presents that awe as part of a blessed life.
ALSO GROWS
yirah: fear, awe, reverence
יִרְאָה
This noun names the reverent stance expressed by yare when directed toward the LORD.
mora: fear, dread
מוֹרָא
This branch shows the word-family’s range; the verse’s setting gives its fear the shade of awe.
THE PATTERN
Across Scripture, blessing takes shape where life is turned toward the LORD in awe, hearing, or trust.
Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.THE THREAD
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:The same barak root appears in “bless” and “blessing.” It opens Psalm 128:4 toward overflow: blessing can name a life that receives and becomes blessing for others.
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