Psalms 127:2

Psalms 127:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
• New International Version (NIV)In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Psalms 127:2

1Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the LORD protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for bread to eat— for He gives sleep to His beloved. 3Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward. 4Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are children born in one’s youth.

Psalms 127:2 word by word

שָׁ֤וְא לָכֶ֨ם׀ מַשְׁכִּ֪ימֵי ק֡וּם מְאַֽחֲרֵי־שֶׁ֗בֶת אֹ֭כְלֵי לֶ֣חֶם הָעֲצָבִ֑ים כֵּ֤ן יִתֵּ֖ן לִֽידִיד֣וֹ שֵׁנָֽא׃Read the interlinear

• In vainשָׁוְאshâv' shav · vanity: vainH7723
• riseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• earlyשָׁכַםshâkam · to riseH7925
• and stay upיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• lateאָחַר'âchar · to delayH309
• toilingעֶ֫צֶב‛etseb · toilH6089
• for breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• to eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• forכֵּןkên · soH3651
• He givesנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• sleepשֵׁנָהshênâh shênâ' · sleepH8142
• to His belovedיָדִידyedîyd · belovedH3039

Cross-references for Psalms 127:2

• Psalms 39:5You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah
• Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 2:1I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.
• Ecclesiastes 4:8There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.
• Proverbs 31:15She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants.
• Genesis 3:17And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
• Ecclesiastes 6:7All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.
• Psalms 3:5I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.
• Psalms 4:8I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
• Ecclesiastes 5:12The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.
• Jeremiah 31:26At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been most pleasant to me.
• Ezekiel 34:25I will make with them a covenant of peace and rid the land of wild animals, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest.
• Acts 12:5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.

Commentaries on Psalms 127:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2It is vain for you to rise up early - There seems to be here an allusion to the daily and nightly watches which Nehemiah instituted. The people are worn out with constant labor and watching; he therefore divided them in such a manner, that they who had worked in the day should rest by night, and that they who worked by night should rest in the day; and thus his beloved, a title of the Jews, the beloved of God, got sleep, due refreshment, and rest. As for…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2It is vain for you to rise up early - The psalmist does not here say that it is improper to rise early; or that there could be no advantage in it; or that people would be more likely to be successful in their undertakings if they did not rise early; but that, although this was done, they would be still altogether dependent on God. Mere early rising, without his blessing, would not secure what they hoped to accomplish, for everything is still in the hand…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2Unless: These conditional statements emphasize that the Lord is the one who protects the city (compare Psalm 124:1–2). Human effort achieves nothing unless the Lord blesses it (see Psalm 44:3). you rise early and stay up late: This phrase describes people who work constantly and live with pressure and competition. Those whom God loves can rest and sleep in peace (Psalm 3:5; 4:8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-51-2. suggest the view of the theme given.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 127:2

• Blessing
• Bread
• Care
• Sleep
• Vanity
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Bread
• Degrees, Song of
• Hallel
• Psalms
• Wake
• Crime; Crimes
• Daniel, Book of
• Degree
• Degrees, Songs of
• Dial of Ahaz

Commentaries on Psalms 127

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings