Psalm 127: Unless the Lord Builds the House

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Psalm 127 Unless the Lord builds the house
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Psalm 127

• Wisdom Psalm
• A Song of Ascents
• Psalms120-134 are the Songs of Ascents
• Also Pilgrim Songs, Songs of Degrees or Gradual
  Psalms
• So named because the pilgrim Israelites sang them
  as they traveled from their homes all over the
  land and ascended Mt. Zion/Jerusalem (2600) for
  the annual feasts (Lev. 23)

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Psalm 127

• A Song of Ascents found in all 15
• Expresses the confidence hope of worshippers
• Meant to provide travel inspiration
• David wrote at least 4 (122, 124, 131, 133)
• 10 are anonymous
• Solomon wrote Psalm 127

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The Songs of Ascents

• Jerusalem (Zion)
• Our feet are standing in your gates, O
  Jerusalem(1222)
• Peace (shalom)
• Peace be upon Israel (1255 1286)
• Gods protection
• Unless the Lord watches over the city, the
  watchmen stand guard in vain(1271)
• The blessing of children
• Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within
  your house your sons will be like olive shoots
  around your table
• (1283)

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The Festivals in Zion

• The Hebrew Calendar (Leviticus 23)
• 1 Passover (Spring)
• Feast of Unleavened Bread Firstfruits
• 2 Feast of Weeks (Early Summer)
• Pentecost Shabouth
• 3 Feast of Trumpets (Fall)
• Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
• Feast of Tabernacles/Booths

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The Songs of Ascents I was glad when they said
to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD. Our
feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Psalm 1221-2
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Psalm 127

• Solomon as songwriter
• He wrote 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs
• He wrote Psalms 72 127
• He wrote Song of Songs/Song of Solomon
• Solomon terms in Psalm 127 include
• Building the house (temple)
• Beloved (his other name Jedediah)
• Vain (Ecclesiastes)

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Psalm 127

• A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.
• 1 Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor
  in vain who build it Unless the LORD guards the
  city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.
• 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire
  late, to eat the bread of painful labors For He
  gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
• 3 Behold, children are a gift of the LORD The
  fruit of the womb is a reward.
• 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are
  the children of one's youth.
• 5 How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of
  them They shall not be ashamed, when they speak
  with their enemies in the gate.

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Psalm 127 Outline

• Building a family is meaningless without the
  divine intervention of the Lord (1-2).
• The Lords provision of children ensures happy
  security of the family (3-5).

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Psalm 127

• Building a family is meaningless without the
  divine intervention of the Lord (1-2).
• 1 Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor
  in vain who build it Unless the LORD guards the
  city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.
• Key phrase Unless the Lord
• We participate but God causes results
• Vain empty, futile pointless false purpose
• Parallel terms build/labor guards/keeps awake

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Psalm 127

• Building a family is meaningless without the
  divine intervention of the Lord (1-2).
• 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire
  late, to eat the bread of painful labors For He
  gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
• Vain governs the 3 infinitive clauses (to
  ____)
• Early/Late imagery to try to make the day
  longer

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Psalm 127

• Building a family is meaningless without the
  divine intervention of the Lord (1-2).
• 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire
  late, to eat the bread of painful labors For He
  gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
• Eat the bread of painful sorrows sorrowful
  anxiety stress produced the bread
• Point A long, industrious day is not wrong. But
  if done through anxiety and stress, in a life of
  fear and worry without the Lord, then it is
  futile and dishonors the Lord.

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Psalm 127

• Building a family is meaningless without the
  divine intervention of the Lord (1-2).
• 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire
  late, to eat the bread of painful labors For He
  gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
• For He gives serves as a contrast to the other
  way of life just describedthe vain life.
• What does He give? (2 views)
• A) Provision (while sleeping)
• B) Sleep itself (and our rest in His provision)

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Psalm 127 Outline

• Building a family is meaningless without the
  divine intervention of the Lord (1-2).
• The Lords provision of children ensures happy
  security of the family (3-5).

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Psalm 127

• The Lords provision of children ensures happy
  security of the family (3-5).
• 3 Behold, children are a gift of the LORD The
  fruit of the womb is a reward.
• Gift inheritance (portion, possession,
  heritage)
• Blessing trust extended to the heir (parents)
• Reward common OT term for wage pay
• POINT The Hebrews saw children as the greatest
  blessing and enrichment God could give to their
  lives.

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Psalm 127

• The Lords provision of children ensures happy
  security of the family (3-5).
• 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are
  the children of one's youth.
• 5 How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of
  them They shall not be ashamed, when they speak
  with their enemies in the gate.
• Arrows weapons words
• Defend and care for the familys well-being
• Blessed asher (the enjoyment of righteousness)

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