Darby Bible
Psalms 127:2
2It is vain for you to rise up early, to lie down late, to eat the bread of sorrows: so to his beloved one he giveth sleep.
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 Jehovah build the house, in vain do its builders labour in it; unless Jehovah keep the city, the keeper watcheth in vain: It is vain for you to rise up early, to lie down late, to eat the bread of sorrows: so to his beloved one he giveth sleep. 3Lo, children are an inheritance from Jehovah, [and] the fruit of the womb a reward. 4As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.
Read all of Psalms 127Psalms 127:2 word by word
שָׁ֤וְא לָכֶ֨ם׀ מַשְׁכִּ֪ימֵי ק֡וּם מְאַֽחֲרֵי־שֶׁ֗בֶת אֹ֭כְלֵי לֶ֣חֶם הָעֲצָבִ֑ים כֵּ֤ן יִתֵּ֖ן לִֽידִיד֣וֹ שֵׁנָֽא׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Psalms 127:2
- Psalms 39:5Behold, thou hast made my days [as] hand-breadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before thee; verily, every man, [even] the high placed, is altogether vanity. Selah.
- Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
- Ecclesiastes 2:1I said in my heart, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. But behold, this also is vanity.
- Ecclesiastes 4:8There is one [alone] and without a second; also he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], For whom then am I labouring, and depriving my soul of good? This also is vanity and a grievous occupation.
- Proverbs 31:15And she riseth while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and the day's work to her maidens.
- Genesis 3:17And to Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed be the ground on thy account; with toil shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of thy life;
- Ecclesiastes 6:7All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
- Psalms 3:5I laid me down and slept; I awaked, for Jehovah sustaineth me.
- Psalms 4:8In peace will I both lay me down and sleep; for thou, Jehovah, alone makest me to dwell in safety.
- Ecclesiastes 5:12The sleep of the labourer is sweet, whether he have eaten little or much; but the fulness of the rich doth not suffer him to sleep.
- Jeremiah 31:26— Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.
- Ezekiel 34:25And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell in safety in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
- Acts 12:5Peter therefore was kept in the prison; but unceasing prayer was made by the assembly to God concerning 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
In the dictionaries
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
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