1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
1 [[A Song H7892 of degrees H4609 for Solomon.]] H8010 Except the LORD H3068 build H1129 the house, H1004 they labour H5998 in vain H7723 that build H1129 it: except the LORD H3068 keep H8104 the city, H5892 the watchman H8104 waketh H8245 but in vain. H7723
2 It is vain H7723 for you to rise up H6965 early, H7925 to sit up H3427 late, H309 to eat H398 the bread H3899 of sorrows: H6089 for so he giveth H5414 his beloved H3039 sleep. H8142
3 Lo, children H1121 are an heritage H5159 of the LORD: H3068 and the fruit H6529 of the womb H990 is his reward. H7939
4 As arrows H2671 are in the hand H3027 of a mighty man; H1368 so are children H1121 of the youth. H5271
5 Happy H835 is the man H1397 that hath his quiver H827 full H4390 of them: they shall not be ashamed, H954 but they shall speak H1696 with the enemies H341 in the gate. H8179
1 Except Jehovah build the house, They labor in vain that build it: Except Jehovah keep the city, The watchman waketh but in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To take rest late, To eat the bread of toil; `For' so he giveth unto his beloved sleep.
3 Lo, children are a heritage of Jehovah; `And' the fruit of the womb is `his' reward.
4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be put to shame, When they speak with their enemies in the gate. Psalm 128 A Song of Ascents.
1 A Song of the Ascents, by Solomon. If Jehovah doth not build the house, In vain have its builders laboured at it, If Jehovah doth not watch a city, In vain hath a watchman waked.
2 Vain for you who are rising early, Who delay sitting, eating the bread of griefs, So He giveth to His beloved one sleep.
3 Lo, an inheritance of Jehovah `are' sons, A reward `is' the fruit of the womb.
4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty one, So `are' the sons of the young men.
5 O the happiness of the man Who hath filled his quiver with them, They are not ashamed, For they speak with enemies in the gate!
1 {A Song of degrees. Of Solomon.} Unless Jehovah build the house, in vain do its builders labour in it; unless Jehovah keep the city, the keeper watcheth in vain:
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to lie down late, to eat the bread of sorrows: so to his beloved one he giveth sleep.
3 Lo, children are an inheritance from Jehovah, [and] the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath filled his quiver with them. They shall not be ashamed when they speak with enemies in the gate.
1 > Unless Yahweh builds the house, They labor in vain who build it. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, The watchman guards it in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To stay up late, Eating the bread of toil; For he gives sleep to his loved ones.
3 Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth.
5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. They won't be disappointed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
1 <A Song of the going up. Of Solomon.> If the Lord is not helping the builders, then the building of a house is to no purpose: if the Lord does not keep the town, the watchman keeps his watch for nothing.
2 It is of no use for you to get up early, and to go late to your rest, with the bread of sorrow for your food; for the Lord gives to his loved ones in sleep.
3 See, sons are a heritage from the Lord; the fruit of the body is his reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a man of war, are the children of the young.
5 Happy is the man who has a good store of them; he will not be put to shame, but his cause will be supported by them against his haters.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 127
Commentary on Psalms 127 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 127
Ps 127:1-5. The theme of this Psalm, that human enterprises only succeed by the divine blessing, was probably associated with the building of the temple by Solomon, its author. It may have been adopted in this view, as suited to this series especially, as appropriately expressing the sentiments of God's worshippers in relation to the erection of the second temple.
1, 2. suggest the view of the theme given.
2. so he giveth his beloved sleep—that is, His providential care gives sleep which no efforts of ours can otherwise procure, and this is a reason for trust as to other things (compare Mt 6:26-32).
3-5. Posterity is often represented as a blessing from God (Ge 30:2, 18; 1Sa 1:19, 20). Children are represented as the defenders (arrows) of their parents in war, and in litigation.
5. adversaries in the gate—or place of public business (compare Job 5:4; Ps 69:12).