Psalms 127:1

Psalms 127:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.

Context of Psalms 127:1

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. 2In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves. 3Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.

Psalms 127:1 word by word

אִם־יְהוָ֤ה׀ לֹא־יִבְנֶ֬ה בַ֗יִת שָׁ֤וְא׀ עָמְל֣וּ בוֹנָ֣יו בּ֑וֹ אִם־יְהוָ֥ה לֹֽא־יִשְׁמָר־עִ֝֗יר שָׁ֤וְא׀ שָׁקַ֬ד שׁוֹמֵֽר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Except the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• they labourעָמַל‛âmal · to toilH5998
• in vainשָׁוְאshâv' shav · vanity: vainH7723
• keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• wakethשָׁקַדshâqad · to watchH8245

Cross-references for Psalms 127:1

• Psalms 120:1I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me.
• Psalms 121:1I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
• Psalms 122:1I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
• Psalms 123:1I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven.
• Psalms 124:1If the Lord had not been on our side— let Israel say—
• Psalms 125:1Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
• Psalms 126:1When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.
• Psalms 72:1Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.
• Psalms 33:16No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.
• Proverbs 16:9In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
• Proverbs 21:30There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.
• Ecclesiastes 9:11I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.
• 1 Corinthians 3:7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
• 1 Chronicles 22:10He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’
• 1 Chronicles 28:10Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.”
• 1 Chronicles 29:19And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”

Commentaries on Psalms 127:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Except the Lord build the house - To build a house is taken in three different senses in the sacred writings. To build the temple of the Lord, which was called הבית habbeith, the house, by way of eminence. To build any ordinary house, or place of dwelling. To have a numerous offspring. In this sense it is supposed to be spoken concerning the Egyptian midwives; that because they feared the Lord, therefore he built them houses. See the note on Exodus 1:21…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Except the Lord build the house - Or rather, “a house.” The word “house” may refer either to an ordinary dwelling; to the temple, as a place of worship; or to a family, with reference to its success and prosperity, as the word house is often used now. The statement is universal, and is designed to indicate a universal dependence on God in human undertakings, though it is not improbable that there may have been an allusion, when the psalm was composed, to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The value of the Divine blessing. --Let us always look to God's providence. In all the affairs and business of a family we must depend upon his blessing. 1. For raising a family. If God be not acknowledged, we have no reason to expect his blessing; and the best-laid plans fail, unless he crowns them with success. 2. For the safety of a family or a city. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchmen, though they neither slumber nor sleep, wake but in vain…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 127:1

• Blessing
• Prosperity
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Degrees, Song of
• Hallel
• Psalms
• Wake
• Crime; Crimes
• Degree
• Degrees, Songs of
• Dial of Ahaz
• Hallelujah
• Hezekiah (2)

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