Psalm 127
New American Standard Bible
Prosperity Comes from the Lord.
A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.
127 Unless the Lord (A)builds a house,
They who build it labor in vain;
Unless the Lord (B)guards a city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is futile for you to rise up early,
To [a]stay up late,
To (C)eat the bread of painful labor;
This is how He gives to His (D)beloved (E)sleep.
3 Behold, (F)children are a [b]gift of the Lord,
The (G)fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a (H)warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
5 (I)Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;
(J)They will not be ashamed
When they (K)speak with their enemies (L)in the gate.
Footnotes
- Psalm 127:2 Lit sit late
- Psalm 127:3 Or heritage
Psalm 127
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 127
God’s Blessings in the Home
A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.
1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord guards the city,
the guard keeps watch in vain.(A)
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil,
for he gives sleep to his beloved.[a](B)
3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.(C)
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the sons of one’s youth.
5 Happy is the man who has
his quiver full of them.
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.(D)
Footnotes
- 127.2 Or for he provides for his beloved during sleep
Psalm 127
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
127 Blessed are all they that fear the Lord: that walk in his ways.
2 For thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands: blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee.
3 Thy wife as a fruitful vine, on the sides of thy house.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.
5 May the Lord bless thee out of Sion: and mayest thou see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.
6 And mayest thou see thy children's children, peace upon Israel.
Psalm 127
The Message
127 1-2 If God doesn’t build the house,
the builders only build shacks.
If God doesn’t guard the city,
the night watchman might as well nap.
It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late,
and work your worried fingers to the bone.
Don’t you know he enjoys
giving rest to those he loves?
3-5 Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift?
the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?
Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows
are the children of a vigorous youth.
Oh, how blessed are you parents,
with your quivers full of children!
Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you;
you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.
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