Psalm 127
New Living Translation
Psalm 127
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of Solomon.
1 Unless the Lord builds a house,
the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the Lord protects a city,
guarding it with sentries will do no good.
2 It is useless for you to work so hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
for God gives rest to his loved ones.
3 Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.
4 Children born to a young man
are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.
5 How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!
He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.
Psalm 127
International Standard Version
A Solomonic Song of Ascents
God’s Blessing in the Family
127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
its builders labor uselessly.
Unless the Lord guards the city,
its security forces keep watch uselessly.
2 It is useless to get up early
and to stay up late,[a]
eating the food of exhausting labor—
truly he gives sleep to those he loves.
3 Children[b] are a gift[c] from the Lord;
a productive womb, the Lord’s[d] reward.
4 As arrows in the hand of a warrior,
so also are children[e] born during one’s[f] youth.
5 How blessed[g] is the man whose quiver is full of them!
He[h] will not be ashamed
as they confront their enemies at the city gate.
Footnotes
- Psalm 127:2 Lit. delay sitting
- Psalm 127:3 Lit. Sons
- Psalm 127:3 Lit. heritage
- Psalm 127:3 The Heb. lacks Lord’s
- Psalm 127:4 Lit. sons
- Psalm 127:4 The Heb. lacks born during one’s
- Psalm 127:5 Or happy
- Psalm 127:5 Lit. They
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