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, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. 3Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. 4Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of 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

• It is vainשָׁוְאshâv' shav · vanity: vainH7723
• for you to riseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• up earlyשָׁכַםshâkam · to riseH7925
• retireיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• lateאָחַר'âchar · to delayH309
• eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• the breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• painfulעֶ֫צֶב‛etseb · toilH6089
• For He givesנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• belovedיָדִידyedîyd · belovedH3039
• sleepשֵׁנָהshênâh shênâ' · sleepH8142

Cross-references for Psalms 127:2

• Psalms 39:5Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah.
• Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind.
• Ecclesiastes 2:1I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility.
• Ecclesiastes 4:8There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.
• Proverbs 31:15She rises also while it is still night And gives food to her household And portions to her maidens.
• Genesis 3:17Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life.
• Ecclesiastes 6:7All a man’s labor is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not satisfied.
• Psalms 3:5I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.
• Psalms 4:8In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.
• Ecclesiastes 5:12The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.
• Jeremiah 31:26At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me.
• Ezekiel 34:25“I will make a covenant of peace with them and eliminate harmful beasts from the land so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.
• Acts 12:5So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

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