Psalms 127:2

Psalms 127:2 in other versions

• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.

Context of Psalms 127:2

1Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 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. 3Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

Psalms 127:2 word by word

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

• vainשָׁוְאshâv' shav · vanity: vainH7723
• for you to rise upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• earlyשָׁכַםshâkam · to riseH7925
• to sit upיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• lateאָחַר'âchar · to delayH309
• to eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• the breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• of sorrowsעֶ֫צֶב‛etseb · toilH6089
• so he givethנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• his belovedיָדִידyedîyd · belovedH3039
• sleepשֵׁנָהshênâh shênâ' · sleepH8142

Cross-references for Psalms 127:2

• Psalms 39:5Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
• Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
• Ecclesiastes 2:1I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
• Ecclesiastes 4:8There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
• Proverbs 31:15She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
• Genesis 3:17And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow 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 the Lord sustained me.
• Psalms 4:8I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
• Ecclesiastes 5:12The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
• Jeremiah 31:26Upon 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 the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
• Acts 12:5Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto 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