to build (literally and figuratively) · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
house
בַ֗יִתVa.yit
H1004
a house (in the greatest variation of applications · noun, common masculine singular absolute
labour
עָמְל֣וּ'a.me.Lu
H5998
to toil · verb, qal perfect, 3rd person common plural
vain
שָׁ֤וְאshav'
H7723
evil (as destructive) · noun, common masculine singular absolute
build
בוֹנָ֣יוvo.Nav
H1129
to build (literally and figuratively) · verb, qal active participle, masculine plural construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
LORD
יְהוָ֥הYah.weh
H3068
Jehovah · proper noun, a title
keep
יִשְׁמָרyish.mor-
H8104
properly · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
city
עִ֝֗יר'Ir
H5892
a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the wi… · noun, common feminine singular absolute
watchman
שׁוֹמֵֽרsho.Mer
H8104
properly · verb, qal active participle, masculine singular absolute
waketh
שָׁקַ֬דsha.Kad
H8245
to be alert · verb, qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular
vain
שָׁ֤וְאshav'
H7723
evil (as destructive) · noun, common masculine singular absolute
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Proverbs 21:30-31 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.
1 Corinthians 3:9-15 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
Psalms 33:16-18 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
Psalms 121:3-5 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Psalms 124:1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;
1 Chronicles 28:10 Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Psalms 127:1–end
We are here taught to have a continual regard to the divine Providence in all the concerns of this life. Solomon was cried up for a wise man, and would be apt to lean to his own understanding and forecast, and therefore his father teaches him to look higher, and to take God along with him in his undertakings. He was to be a man of business, and therefore David instructed him how to manage his business under the direction of his religion. Parents, in teaching their children, should suit their exhortations to their condition and occasions. We must have an eye to God,
I. In all the affairs and business of the family, even of the royal family, for kings' houses are no longer safe than while God…
Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it,.... Whether it be understood literally of an artificial house, as Solomon's own house; or the house of the Lord, or any other: let a man be ever so bent upon building one, or have ever so much skill in drawing the plan of it, or be ever so well provided to go through the expense of it, or have ever so many hands employed in it, yet, if the Lord does not give success, it will all be in vain; the building will fall down, or be consumed by fire before it is finished; or by one providence or another he will be obliged to desist from it, as in the case of the builders of the tower and city of Babel. Or whether it be understood of…
Psalm 127:1-2
1.[[97] Except Jehovah build the house, those who build it labor in vain except Jehovah keep the city the watchman watcheth in vain. 2. It is in vain for you in hastening to rise early, to go late to rest, to eat the bread of sorrows: for [98] thus will he give sleep to his beloved.
1. Except Jehovah build the house. There is no reason why the Jews should deny that this Psalm was composed by Solomon. They think that the letter l, lamed, which we translate of, is equivalent to, in behalf of Solomon; which is at variance with common usage, for such a title in all cases designates the author. Accordingly, they absurdly devise a new sense, for which there is no necessity, it bein…
The Church Fathers
Atticus: Therefore, they are wrong in their thinking who rule out the help of God in every single action that we perform and who seek to twist the true meaning to other meanings by putting forth interpretations that are perverted, nay more, worthy of ridicule, on the following passage: "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. Except the Lord keep the city, he watches in vain who keeps it."
The cowl is a symbol of the charity of God our Savior. It protects the most important part of the body and keeps us, who are children in Christ, warm. Thus it can be said to afford protection against those who attempt to strike and wound us. Consequently, all who wear this cowl on their heads sing these words aloud: "If the Lord does not build the house and keep the city, in vain does the builder labor and the watchman stand his guard." Such words as these instill humility and root out that long-standing evil, which is pride and which caused Lucifer, who rose like the day star in the morning, to be cast down to the earth.
But someone, perhaps, will say, "I did indeed receive faith, but it is I who have guarded and kept it." You perhaps say this, whoever you are, listening to all this and having no sense: "I received faith, but it is I who have guarded and kept it." It is not what our Paul says, "It is I who have guarded and kept it." He had his eyes, you see, on [the words] "unless the Lord keeps watch over the city, he labors in vain who guards it." Labor, by all means, guard it; but it is good for you that you are being guarded. Because you are not up to guarding yourself. If you are left to yourself, you will doze off and fall asleep. "He," though, "does not doze nor sleep, the one who guards Israel."
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Cities · Protected at night by watchmen — Protected at night by watchmen
Prosperity · From God — From God
Protection · Of God is: Indispensable — Of God is: Indispensable
Providence Of God, The · Man’s efforts are vain without — Man’s efforts are vain without
Watchmen · Were stationed: In the streets of cities — Were stationed: In the streets of cities
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
The poet proves that everything depends upon the blessing of God from examples taken from the God-ordained life of the family and of the state. The rearing of the house which affords us protection, and the stability of the city in which we securely and peaceably dwell, the acquisition of possessions that maintain and adorn life, the begetting and rearing of sons that may contribute substantial support to the father as he grows old - all these are things which depend upon the blessing of God without natural preliminary conditions being able to guarantee them, well-devised arrangements to ensure them, unwearied labours to obtain them by force, or impatient care and murmuring to get them by def…
Ps 127 Blessing and protection come from God. Without his presence, there is no success (127:1-2). This is particularly true for children, who are God’s gift (127:3-5).
127:1-2 Unless: These conditional sentences emphasize the positive idea that the Lord will protect the city (cp. 124:1-2). • Human effort is futile unless the Lord blesses it (see 44:3). • from early morning until late at night: This depicts an aggressive and competitive lifestyle. • God’s loved ones enjoy a quiet night’s sleep (3:5; 4:8).
Spurgeon's Treasury of David on Psalms 127:1
Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. The word vain is the keynote here, and we hear it ring out clearly three times. Men desiring to build know that they must labour, and accordingly they put forth all their skill and strength; but let them remember that if Jehovah is not with them their designs will prove failures. So was it with the Babel builders; they said, "Go to, let us build us a city and a tower"; and the Lord returned their words into their own bosoms, saying, "Go to, let us go down and there confound their language." In…
