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Unless Yahweh Builds the House

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

127 Unless Yahweh (A)builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless Yahweh (B)watches the city,
The watchman keeps awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early,
That you sit out late,
O you who (C)eat the bread of [a]painful labors;
For in this manner, He gives (D)sleep to His (E)beloved.

Behold, (F)children are [b]an inheritance of Yahweh,
The (G)fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a (H)warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
How (I)blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them;
(J)They will not be ashamed
When they (K)speak with enemies (L)in the gate.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 127:2 Lit toils
  2. Psalm 127:3 Or a heritage

Psalm 127

A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

Unless the Lord builds(A) the house,
    the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches(B) over the city,
    the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early
    and stay up late,
toiling for food(C) to eat—
    for he grants sleep(D) to[a] those he loves.(E)

Children are a heritage from the Lord,
    offspring a reward(F) from him.
Like arrows(G) in the hands of a warrior
    are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
    whose quiver is full of them.(H)
They will not be put to shame
    when they contend with their opponents(I) in court.(J)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 127:2 Or eat— / for while they sleep he provides for