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.

Behold, (F)children are a heritage from the Lord,
    (G)the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of (H)a warrior
    are the children[a] of one's youth.
Blessed 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

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

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.(A)
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)

Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.(C)
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the sons of one’s youth.
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

  1. 127.2 Or for he provides for his beloved during sleep