Psalm 127

New International Reader's Version

A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. A psalm of Solomon.

127 If the Lord doesn’t build a house,
    the work of the builders is useless.
If the Lord doesn’t watch over a city,
    it’s useless for those on guard duty to stand watch over it.
²It’s useless for you to work from early morning
    until late at night
just to get food to eat.
    God provides for those he loves even while they sleep.

³Children are a gift from the Lord.
    They are a reward from him.
⁴Children who are born to people when they are young
    are like arrows in the hands of a soldier.
⁵Blessed are those
    who have many children.
They won’t be put to shame
    when they go up against their enemies in court.

Psalm 127

King James Version

127 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.

²It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

³Lo, children are an 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.

Psalm 127

English Standard Version

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.
²It 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.

³Behold, ^(F)children are a heritage from the Lord,
    ^(G)the fruit of the womb a reward.
⁴Like arrows in the hand of ^(H)a warrior
    are the children^[a] of one's youth.
⁵Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies ^(I)in the gate.^[b]

Footnotes

Psalm 127:4 Or sons
Psalm 127:5 Or They shall not be put to shame when they speak with their enemies in the gate

Psalm 127

New International Version

Psalm 127

A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

¹Unless 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.
²In 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)

³Children are a heritage from the Lord,
    offspring a reward^(F) from him.
⁴Like arrows^(G) in the hands of a warrior
    are children born in one’s youth.
⁵Blessed is the man
    whose quiver is full of them.^(H)
They will not be put to shame
    when they contend with their opponents^(I) in court.^(J)

Footnotes

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

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

English Standard Version (ESV)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 127

New International Reader's Version

A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. A psalm of Solomon.

Psalm 127

King James Version