Psalms 127 DBY
Summary: A Song of Ascents attributed to Solomon, opening with a proverb-like reflection on human effort's dependence on God: "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" (v. 1), extending this to anxious labor generally, since God "giveth his beloved sleep" (v. 2). It shifts to praise children as a divine gift and defense: "children are an heritage of the LORD... as arrows are in the hand of a mighty man" (v. 3-4), closing that the man with a full quiver of them "shall not be ashamed" when facing adversaries in the gate.
1A 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:
2It 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.
3Lo, children are an inheritance from Jehovah, [and] the fruit of the womb a reward.
4As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.
5Happy is the man that hath filled his quiver with them. They shall not be ashamed when they speak with enemies in the gate.
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