1 A Canticle in steps: of Solomon. Unless the Lord has built the house, those who build it have labored in vain. Unless the Lord has guarded the city, he who guards it watches in vain. 2 It is in vain that you rise before daylight, that you rise up after you have sat down, you who chew the bread of sorrow. Whereas, to his beloved, he will give sleep. 3 Behold, the inheritance of the Lord is sons, the reward is the fruit of the womb. 4 Like arrows in the hand of the powerful, so are the sons of those who have been cast out. 5 Blessed is the man who has filled his desire from these things. He will not be confounded when he speaks to his enemies at the gate.
Psalms · Catholic Public Domain Version
Psalm 126 (127) Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · Psalm 127 · About the recordings
Notes on this text (4)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Psalms follow the Greek/Latin numbering, with the psalm titles counted as verse 1 (as in the Vulgate).
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
Cross references (5)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info. References use English (Hebrew-based) verse numbers; links open the passage in CPDV.
- 1 Proverbs 16:9; 1 Corinthians 3:7; Proverbs 21:30–31; 1 Corinthians 3:9–15; Psalm 33:16–18
- 2 Ecclesiastes 5:12; Psalm 4:8; Job 11:18; Psalm 3:5; Jeremiah 31:26
- 3 Psalm 128:3–4; Deuteronomy 28:4; 1 Samuel 1:27; Genesis 48:4; Genesis 33:5
- 4 Proverbs 17:6; Proverbs 31:28; Jeremiah 50:9; Psalm 120:4
- 5 Proverbs 27:11; Job 42:12–16; Job 5:4; Genesis 50:23
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations). Verse numbers below follow the Hebrew/English numbering: 127.
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
How man had come into captivity, let us ask the Apostle Paul....For he saith: "For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin." Behold whence we became captives; because we were sold under sin. Who sold us? We ourselves, who consented to the seducer. We could sell ourselves; we could not redeem ourselves.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
… ear of Thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house." For this house is built both by us through living well, and by God through helping us to live well; for "except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." And when the final dedication of this house shall take place, then what God here …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
"Except the Lord keep the city, he that keepeth it waketh but in vain." And what "city"?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
For "He that keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth;" and, "Except the Lord keep the city, they wake in vain who keep it." He then is our Keeper who is our Creator.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)