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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.(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

A Prayer for Protection and Prosperity

A song of ascents. Of Solomon.[a]

127 Unless Yahweh builds a house,
its builders labor at it in vain.
Unless Yahweh guards a city,
a guard watches in vain.
It is in vain for you who rise early and sit late,
eating the bread of anxious toil,
when thus he[b] provides[c] for his beloved in his sleep.[d]
Look, children[e] are the heritage[f] of Yahweh;
the fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
so are the children[g] of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them.[h]
They shall not be put to shame
when they speak with enemies at the gate.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 127:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm
  2. Psalm 127:2 That is, Yahweh
  3. Psalm 127:2 Hebrew “gives”
  4. Psalm 127:2 Or “so he gives sleep to his beloved”
  5. Psalm 127:3 Hebrew “sons”
  6. Psalm 127:3 That is, gift
  7. Psalm 127:4 Hebrew “sons”
  8. Psalm 127:5 Or “whose quiver he Yahweh fills with them”