A song of ascents for Solomon
127:Title Ps 120. This psalm was either for or by Solomon the builder of the temple – the Hebrew can mean either.⚜
127
📚Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labour
in vain.
Unless the LORD guards
the city,
the watchman stays awake
in vain.
2 📚It is in vain for you
to rise up early,
to sit up late,
to eat the bread of sorrows;
for he gives his beloved
sleep 📖.
127:2 Here he condemns, not diligent work, but anxious care. We need not drive ourselves to exhaustion. God wants us to rest in Him, to trust Him in all our work, and to enjoy relaxing and refreshing sleep. See Matt 6:25-34; 11:28-30. He gives rest to those who have a relationship of trust and love with Him.⚜
127:1-2 These verses do not teach laziness, idleness, or carelessness. They teach the uselessness of human effort apart from God. Of course, we must work diligently and well (Prov 24:30-34; Eccl 9:10; 1 Cor 15:58). But we must recognize that it is God alone Who can prosper the work and make it truly fruitful. Though the ungodly may build huge mansions, great fortunes, and big families, it will all come to nothing, and is what Solomon called in another place “vanity of vanities” (Eccl 2:4-11).⚜
3 📚See, children are a
heritage from the LORD,
and the fruit
of the womb is his
reward.
4 📚Like arrows in the hand
of a mighty man,
so are the children
of one’s youth.
5 📚Happy is the man
who has his quiver full
of them.
They will not be ashamed,
but will speak with their
enemies in the gate.
127:3-5 In Old Testament days the individual Israelites inheritance in the land was very important to him – Num 26:53; Josh 11:23; Jud 2:6. If he had no children, at his death the inheritance would go into the hands of others (Num 27:8-11). Children were linked with the land and both were God’s gift and heritage. In that time and place a big family was a blessing. This is not necessarily true of every time and place (see 1 Cor 7:1, 7, 8, 32-34).⚜
127:4-5 Arrows speak of warfare and defense. Those who had children had help in the defense of their property and rights. In these New Testament times believers are (or should be) concerned, not with worldly inheritances and defense of property rights, but with their inheritance in heaven – Matt 6:19-20; Acts 20:32; Rom 8:17; Heb 11:39-40; 1 Pet 1:3-4.
Children are compared to arrows – but this means the finished product. At birth they are more like little twigs – Ps 128:3. Arrows are made – they do not grow by themselves. To be good arrows they must be smoothed and polished. They must be aimed and will go where they are pointed (compare Prov 22:6). Eventually they must be released – they are not effective in the quiver. Do we want our children to be arrows in the Lord’s hand to fight His spiritual battles?⚜