1 A song of degrees, or Psalme of Salomon. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vaine that build it: except the Lord keepe the citie, the keeper watcheth in vaine. 2 It is in vaine for you to rise earely, and to lie downe late, and eate the bread of sorow: but he wil surely giue rest to his beloued. 3 Beholde, children are the inheritance of the Lord, and the fruite of the wombe his rewarde. 4 As are the arrowes in the hand of ye strong man: so are the children of youth. 5 Blessed is the man, that hath his quiuer full of them: for they shall not be ashamed, when they speake with their enemies in the gate.
Psalm 127 Geneva Bible (1599)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Original 16th-century spelling.
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)