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Psalm 127[a]

The Need of God’s Blessing

A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

I

Unless the Lord build the house,
    they labor in vain who build.
Unless the Lord guard the city,
    in vain does the guard keep watch.
It is vain for you to rise early
    and put off your rest at night,
To eat bread earned by hard toil—
    all this God gives to his beloved in sleep.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 127 The Psalm puts together two proverbs (Ps 127:1–2, 3–5) on God establishing “houses” or families. The prosperity of human groups is not the work of human beings but the gift of God.

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.
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.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 127:2 Lit sit late

Unless the Lord Builds the House

A Song of (A)Ascents. Of Solomon.

127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord (B)watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious (C)toil;
    for he gives to his (D)beloved (E)sleep.

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Psalm 127

God’s Blessings in the Home

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

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.
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]

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 127:2 Or for he provides for his beloved during sleep

Psalm 127

A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

Unless the Lord builds(A) the house,
    the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches(B) over the city,
    the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early
    and stay up late,
toiling for food(C) to eat—
    for he grants sleep(D) to[a] those he loves.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 127:2 Or eat— / for while they sleep he provides for