Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 127 (MT) / Psalm 126 (LXX) is the eighth Song of Ascents — attributed to Solomon (one of only two Solomonic psalms, with Ps 72). The psalm's opening axiom — 'unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain' (v. 1) — supplied the Latin motto Nisi Dominus (central medieval-monastic motto and composition-title by Vivaldi, Monteverdi, Handel). The psalm also establishes the 'children as a heritage from the LORD' theology (v. 3).
Notable Variants
127:1 'unless the LORD builds the house / Nisi Dominus' as divine-necessity axiom; 127:2 'he gives to his beloved sleep' as rest-theology; 127:3 'children are a heritage from the LORD' family-theology; Solomonic attribution.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 127 = LXX Ps 126. 5 verses. Eighth Song of Ascents. Solomonic-attributed.
A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor over it in vain. Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
'Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain' tracks MT. 'NISI DOMINUS.' Latin Vulgate: 'Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum, in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam.' The medieval-monastic motto for divine-dependence — central to Ora et Labora ('pray and work') theology. Vivaldi's Nisi Dominus (RV 608) for solo-alto and Monteverdi's Nisi Dominus settings make this the most-set Psalter verse in Western art-music.
It is useless for you to rise early, to stay up late, to eat the bread of anxious toil — for he gives to his beloved in sleep.
'It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep' tracks MT. 'HE GIVES TO HIS BELOVED SLEEP' (yitten li-ydido sheyna / dōsei tois agapētois autou hypnon). Brahms' Nänie and Handel's Nisi Dominus anthem include this verse. The anti-workaholic theology: anxious-toil is vanity; divinely-given rest is grace.
Look — children are an inheritance from the LORD; the fruit of the womb is a reward.
'Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward' tracks MT. CHILDREN-AS-HERITAGE foundational family-theology. Genesis 33:5 ('the children God has graciously given your servant') parallels.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior — so are the children of one's youth.
'Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth' tracks MT. CHILDREN-AS-ARROWS — trained-and-launched imagery.
Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them. They will not be put to shame when they confront their enemies at the gate.
'Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate' tracks MT. QUIVER-FULL BEATITUDE. The gate-speaking context — legal-disputes at the city-gate — suggests children-as-legal-allies.