Psalms
Chapter 127
1
Unless the Lord Builds the House
Unless the Lord builds the house, in vain, do its builders labor. Unless the Lord guards the city, in vain does the guard stay awake.
2
It is in vain that you rise early and stay up late, putting off your rest, toiling for your hard-earned bread; God gives it to his loved ones, and they sleep.
3
Sons are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward.
4
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are the sons of one’s youth.
5
Blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with arrows of this kind, their foes will not silence them when they contend in court.
Commentaries
127
Human anxiety is an insult to God—and it is pointless. House, food, and family all come from God. Without Him, one is homeless, starving, and empty. ‘Be not anxious; your Father knows you need all these things’ (Mt 6:25ff). These early gifts, which are implicit parts of the psalmist’s prayer, represent the boundary of his ambition. This Old Testament expression of trust will always remain valuable, but the New Testament’s ambition is broader and higher. John 15:5 says, ‘Without me, you can do nothing.’ Christians must work to build the earthly city without excluding God from it.