Psalms 127

A psalm on building, resting, and raising children under God.

Psalms 127 - Except the Lord Build the House

Psalm 127 opens with the well-known warning that builders and watchmen labor "in vain" without the LORD's blessing, a truth captured directly in Psalms 127:1. It follows the joyful harvest imagery of Psalms 126 with a matching lesson about dependence on God for daily provision.


A Song of Ascents; of Solomon. Except HaShem build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except HaShem keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

It is vain for you that ye rise early, and sit up late, ye that eat the bread of toil; so He giveth unto His beloved in sleep.

Lo, children are a heritage of HaShem; the fruit of the womb is a reward.

As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of one's youth.

Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be put to shame, when they speak with their enemies in the gate.

The second half turns to family, calling children "an heritage of the LORD" and comparing them to arrows filling a warrior's quiver, echoing the trust in God's plans found in <a href="/bible/jps/proverbs/chapter-16/9">Proverbs 16:9</a>. Continue this domestic theme in <a href="/bible/jps/psalms/chapter-128">Psalms 128</a>, which blesses the household of the one who fears the Lord.