Psalms 127 WEB
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.
1Unless Yahweh builds the house, they who build it labor in vain. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.
2It 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.
3Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward.
4As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.
5Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. They won’t be disappointed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
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