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 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

1Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. 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. 3Behold, children are a heritage from 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• 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 39:5Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah
• Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 2:1I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity.
• Ecclesiastes 4:8There is one alone, without companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, Nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, “For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity and a grave misfortune.
• Proverbs 31:15She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants.
• Genesis 3:17Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life.
• Ecclesiastes 6:7All the labor of man is for his mouth, And yet the soul is not satisfied.
• Psalms 3:5I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
• Psalms 4:8I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
• Ecclesiastes 5:12The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats little or much; But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.
• Jeremiah 31:26After this I awoke and looked around, and my sleep was sweet to me.
• Ezekiel 34:25“I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.
• Acts 12:5Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

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