Psalms 127 WBT
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 for Solomon. Except the LORD shall build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD shall keep the city, the watchman waketh in vain.
2[It is] vain for you to rise early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: [for] so he giveth his beloved sleep.
3Lo, children [are] a heritage of the LORD: [and] the fruit of the womb [is his] reward.
4As arrows [are] in the hand of a mighty man: so [are] children of the youth.
5Happy [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.
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