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Psalms 127
Attributed to Solomon, this short psalm punctures the illusion of self-made effort. Build a house or guard a city without the LORD and the builders and the watchman labor "in vain" — even rising early and staying up late over the bread of toil is pointless, since he gives sleep to those he loves.
- 1
Unless the LORD builds the house, they who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.
- 2
It is vain for you to rise up early, to stay up late, eating the bread of toil, for he gives sleep to his loved ones.
- 3
Behold, children are a heritage of the LORD. The fruit of the womb is his reward.
- 4
As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.
- 5
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. They won’t be disappointed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
House, city — then children
The second half reframes the same point through family. Children are called a "heritage" and reward from the LORD, then likened to arrows in a warrior's hand; the man with a full quiver won't be put to shame when he confronts opponents "in the gate," the place where civic disputes were settled. Gift, not grind, is what stocks a future.
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