1 A song for pilgrims going up to Jerusalem. A psalm of Solomon. If the Lord doesn't build the house, the work of the builders is futile. If the Lord doesn't guard the city, the work of the guards is pointless. 2 It's useless to get up early in the morning and go to work, and stay late into the evening, worrying about earning enough to eat, when the Lord gives rest to those he loves. 3 Children certainly are a gift from the Lord, for a family is a blessing. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of a young man. 5 Happy is the father who fills his quiver with them! Such fathers will not be embarrassed when they confront their enemies at the city gate.
Psalm 127 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
Cross references (5)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 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).
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)