Psalm 127

Psalm 127 is the eighth of the fifteen Songs of Ascents collected in Psalms 120–134 of the Book of Psalms. These songs are traditionally said to have been sung by pilgrims going up to Jerusalem, and Psalm 127 is the only one among them whose superscription reads "of Solomon." Following Psalm 126, which celebrates the restoration of Zion, it declares that everyday labor and the household alike depend on the LORD.

Structure

• Verses 1–2 Unless the LORD builds the house, the labor of those who build it is in vain. Unless the LORD keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is likewise vain to rise early and go to bed late, toiling anxiously for one's bread, for the LORD gives sleep to those he loves.
• Verses 3–5 Children are a heritage (an inherited portion) from the LORD and a reward. The children of one's youth are like arrows in the hand of a mighty man. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of such arrows; he will not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Key Verses

• Psalm 127:1 "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it" — a representative verse teaching that human plans and efforts depend on God.
• Psalm 127:2 "for so he giveth his beloved sleep" — speaks of the rest that comes from trusting God instead of yielding to anxiety and overwork.
• Psalm 127:3 "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD" — regards children not as human possessions but as gifts from God.

People and Places

• Solomon — named in the superscription. Interpreters differ on whether "of Solomon" identifies the author or indicates a song dedicated to Solomon.
• The LORD — portrayed as the one who builds the house, keeps the city, and gives children.
• The city gate — the place in the towns of ancient Israel where public business such as legal judgments and negotiations was conducted.

Interpretive Notes

• The first half deals with labor and the second with children, so the two parts can appear unrelated. However, many interpreters hold that the Hebrew word for "house" (bayit), which can mean both a building and a family line, binds the two parts together. The similarity in sound between "build" (banah) and "son" (ben) is also cited as a link between the halves.
• Some interpreters suggest that "beloved" (yedid) in verse 2 recalls Jedidiah, another name for Solomon (2 Samuel 12). Others read "house" as the temple Solomon built. Neither reading, however, is stated directly in the text.
• The end of verse 2 can be rendered either "he gives sleep" or "he gives even while they sleep," so translations differ in wording.
• Some preachers read verses 3–5 as grounds for encouraging childbearing. Others hold that the passage should be read as a confession of trust that everything, children included, is a gift.
• In connection with the New Testament, the psalm is read alongside 1 Corinthians 3:6–7, which teaches that God alone gives the increase, and Matthew 6:24–34, which warns against anxiety over food and clothing. The immediately following Psalm 128, which celebrates the blessings on the household of one who fears the LORD, forms a pair with this psalm.

In Korean Churches

Verse 1 is frequently read at groundbreaking services for church buildings, at church dedication services, and at services held when moving into a new home. Verses 3–5 are often used as sermon texts at wedding services and during May, which Korean churches observe as Family Month.