Psalm 127

Psalm Category: Song of Ascents

Central Thought: God is the giver of every good and perfect gift

Keywords: house, city, children, labor, gift

Psalm 127 is the eighth in the 15 Songs of Ascents (120–134). The overall theme of the series is ascending into the temple in Jerusalem for the annual feasts (Exod. 23:14-17). Therefore, the Songs of Ascents are well suited for use as a call to worship as we enter, by the Spirit, into the very presence of God in heaven (Heb. 12:22-24).

Introduction

The title of Psalm 127 includes a reference to Solomon. This may imply that he is the author of the Psalm or that it is about him in some way. The theme of vanity calls to mind the book of Ecclesiastes, the building of the house suggests the building of the temple, the guarding of the city implies Jerusalem, and “His beloved” hints at Solomon’s special name (Jedidiah, 2 Sam. 12:25). All of this then leads us to Jesus as the Son of David who builds His Church, guards our cities from His throne at the right hand of God, and is, above all, beloved by the Father (Matt. 3:17; 17:5). Every good thing depends on the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Outline

The focus on vanity pulls verses 1 and 2 together. “Behold” at the beginning of verse 3 sets the latter verses apart. The messages of these two sections complement each other in this way: skill and diligence alone will not succeed (vv. 1-2) and everything depends on the blessing of God (vv. 3-5). This structure provides our outline.

Skill and Diligence Alone Will Not Succeed (vv. 1-2)

Because Psalm 127 is a wisdom psalm, it assumes hearers value and practice diligent labor. The point is that diligence will not succeed by itself but depends on God’s blessing. That is why Moses prayed for God’s blessing on his work (Ps. 90:17). When we do not achieve our goals, the temptation is to invest more (v. 2; early, late) and spend less (v. 2, exhaustion, austerity). But even these extremes do not secure or substitute for the blessing of God. In fact, God’s gift is sleep—rest instead of slavish labor—and the many benefits that are enjoyed while we sleep (v. 2). A farmer works hard to plant and water but the crop sprouts and grows while he is asleep (Mark 4:27). It is commonly understood that the mind organizes the day’s input into useable and accessible memory while the body sleeps. Too much work often manifests too little faith. We must not make the Lord look like a slave driver. Instead, we must labor diligently, trust God for success, and be content with His blessing.

Everything Depends on God (vv. 3-5)

German commentators are happy to note that this verse is a proverb among their people. It serves this purpose well because it is a self-evident but easily forgotten truth. “Behold” (v. 3) introduces this section as a climax to the psalm, expressing that children are the preeminent example of God’s blessing on man’s work. Children are described as an “inheritance” (v. 3, gift) which is something that is anticipated but is nevertheless freely given. This is paralleled in the second half of the verse with “reward” in the sense that God rewards His gifts, freely blessing His gift of marriage with the gift of children (v. 3; John 1:16). The practical blessing of having children early in life is highlighted (vv. 4-5) since these children will be mature and numerous enough to help you when your strength declines in older years. Even the Social Security system depends on the next generation. If there are few, weak children, elderly parents are left without help. It is worth noting that children born in later years are also a special joy (see Gen. 37:3; 44:20).

Lessons

Everything depends on God—in the church, in the state, and in the family. Therefore, work diligently, temperately, and prayerfully. Give thanks for God’s gifts, enjoy them in obedience, and be content. Be humble in success because it is God’s gift (1 Cor. 4:6-7), and be hopeful in faithful failure because success is God’s gift and may yet be enjoyed in answer to prayer and perseverance (Ps. 42:5,11). Be confident of God’s blessing on you even when you stop working for the day or the week. Going to sleep at night and resting on the Lord’s Day are professions of faith in God. Be confident of God’s blessing even in the sleep of death where Christ has many blessings for His people (Heb. 12:23). Work and rest in confident expectation of good things, because everything depends on God and He is good and faithful (Matt. 6:31-34).

Kit Swartz | Comments welcome at oswegorpc@hotmail.com. Audio files and pdf outlines are at reformedvoice.com.