Psalm 127 A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.
1 Unless Yahweh builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless Yahweh guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep. 3 Behold, sons are a heritage from Yahweh, and 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 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
“‘A Song of Ascents of Solomon.’ "whose name Jedidiah, or ‘beloved of the Lord,’ is introduced into the second verse.” (C. H. Spurgeon) "God told Nathan the prophet to give Solomon, David's second son by Bathsheba, this name soon after his birth (2 Samuel 12:24-25)." (Tyndale Bible Dictionary) He was allowed to build a house for Yahweh. “As the Lord gave a precious gift to his beloved, the first Adam, while he slept, by taking a rib from his side, and by building there from a woman, Eve, his bride, the Mother of all living; so, while Christ, the Second Adam, the true Jedidiah, the Well beloved Son of God, was sleeping in death on the cross, God formed…the spiritual Temple of His Church.” (Wordsworth) For He was raised on the third day- Christ the first fruits.
“‘Unless Yahweh builds the house— “Whether it be understood of a family, which is built up by an increase and multiplication of children; so Leah and Rachel built up the house of Israel, 4:11; this depends upon the providence of God; for, as it is after said, ‘children are an heritage of Yahweh’, Psalm 127:3. Or whether it be understood, figuratively and mystically, of the church God, the house of the living God; the house of Christ, a spiritual one.” (John Gill)— “‘they labor in vain who build it;’ (1a) the issue will fail. “Woe to the man that builds his house out of wood, hay and stubble, and leaves off the gold, silver and precious stones. He will have no rewards in heaven, although he himself shall be saved. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15, ‘Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.’” (Gary H. Everett)
“‘Unless Yahweh guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.’ (1b) “The house when built is one in the many that make the city. The owner’s troubles are not over when it is built, since it has to be watched.” (Expositor's Bible Commentary) The watchmen are the remnant of Israel and each has their watch appointed by the Lord. “Now in Israel, there are watchmen, some indeed that are blind and asleep, and so quite unfit for this office; but there are others who are awake and diligent, and watch in all things; and for the souls of men, and the good of the city, the church, to prevent heresies, errors, and immoralities; and yet all their watchfulness is in vain, unless the Lord keep it.” (John Gill) “Paul may plant, and Apollos water; nay, it was their indispensable duty so to do; but God alone gave the increase. (Marg. Ref. Note, 1 Corinthians 3:4-9.) The spiritual watchmen must be vigilant, and faithful in giving warning: yet, without the Lord bless their labours, their watching will be in vain. (Ezekiel 3:17-18— ‘Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me When I say to the wicked, `You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity...’ etc.).” (Thomas Scott)
“I should conceive the minds of the workmen at perfect peace, their conversation together much on the grand subject of the Temple, and its intention as referring to the glorious Messiah, its grand and glorious antitype. I should conceive their minds were wholly disencumbered from all carking cares.” (Samuel Eyles Pierce) Likewise, “Moses was faithful as a servant over all his house; and as long as the Lord was with that house it stood and prospered; but when he left it, the builders of it became foolish and their labour was lost. They sought to maintain the walls of Judaism, but sought in vain: they watched around every ceremony and tradition, but their care was idle. Of every church, and every system of religious thought, this is equally true.” (C. H. Spurgeon)
There are many men and women whose watching is in vain. “‘It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows;’ RV ‘bread of toil.’ It is vain to eke out the laborious day by early beginning and late ending. Long hours do not mean prosperous work… [I have discovered this by my experience. I am studying and working to show myself approved of God, worker who need not be ashamed.] But all is in vain without God’s blessing” (Expositor's Bible)— “’for so He gives His beloved sleep.’ (2) which is often put for death in Scriptures, “as though God Himself brought the sleep, and laid it on the eyes of the weary Christian warrior. And if God Himself have to do with the dissolution, can we not trust Him that He will loosen gently the silver cord, and use all kindness and tenderness in ‘taking down the earthly house of this tabernacle’? I know not more comforting words than those of our text, whether for the being uttered in the sickroom of the righteous, or breathed over their graves.” (Henry Melvill) “The pilgrims look forward to the rest which follows exile, in the city of God; and recognise that this also in all its details, will result from His power and working.” (G. Campbell Morgan) “Early rising, eating one's breakfast by candlelight, and prolonged vigils, the scholar's ‘midnight oil,’ are a delusion and a snare. Work while it is day. When the night comes, rest.” (Charles F. Deems)
“‘Behold, sons are a heritage from Yahweh.’ To procreate spiritual children is everyone's divine calling. “What a blessed meeting will that be in glory, when such shall surround the throne! The Lord Jesus is introduced by the Prophet, as presenting His seed, His people, which the Father hath given to Him, in that day, saying, ‘Behold I, and the children whom the Lord hath given me.’ And the apostle quotes it by way of confirmation in allusion to Christ: Isaiah 8:18, compared with Hebrews 2:13. And may we not say of under pastors in Christ's household, who labour in the word and doctrine; how truly blessed to see the fruit of those labours, at that day, in precious souls, won by the Word, under the Spirit's quickening and regenerating power, to Jesus! It will be a blessed surprise to many a faithful servant of Jesus at that day to behold such! And parents also! no doubt many among them will find cause to bless the Lord, and not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.” (Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary)— “and the fruit of the womb is a reward.’ He that formed the first man from the clay, must form each embryo in the womb; and when they are given, from Him it comes that these children are our blessings and reward; the most pious parent sees a corrupted offspring, till God, by his grace, converts them, and makes them doubly our comfort and joy.” (Thomas Coke) None is lost.
“Souls in the Kingdom of God, or children of God, are God's reward to a praying church. Rebirth of souls into God's Kingdom is likened to a woman who travails and gives birth to a child... Much praying in the spirit and intercession must be made to God for the powers of darkness broken. Galatians 4:19, ‘My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,’ etc.” (Gary H. Everett ) “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. This “contemplates the highest symbol of full security, influence, and power, in the figurative language of the Old Testament, which St. Augustine refers to ‘spiritual children, shot forth like arrows into all the world.’” (Alfred Edersheim) “‘Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed [to speak the Word of God in the church], but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.’ All earthly comforts are uncertain, but the Lord will assuredly comfort and bless those who serve Him; and those who seek the conversion of sinners, will find that their spiritual children are their joy and crown in the day of Jesus Christ.” (Matthew Henry)