Psalms
Chapter 127

1

¹ A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD build the house, they labor in vain who build. Unless the LORD guard the city, in vain does the guard keep watch.

2

It is vain for you to rise early and put off your rest at night, To eat bread earned by hard toil-- all this God gives to his beloved in sleep.

3

Children too are a gift from the LORD, the fruit of the womb, a reward.

4

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children born in one's youth.

5

² Blessed are they whose quivers are full. They will never be shamed contending with foes at the gate.

Table of Contents Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Footnotes

¹ [Psalm 127] The psalm puts together two proverbs (Psalm 127:1-2, 3-5) on God establishing "houses" or families. The prosperity of human groups is not the work of humans but the gift of God.

² [5] At the gate: the reference is not to enemies besieging the walls of a city but to adversaries in litigation. Lawcourts functioned in the open area near the main city gate. The more adult sons a man had, the more forceful he would appear in disputes. Cf Proverb 31:23.

New American Bible Copyright © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

---

USCCB Home Page New American Bible Home Page




__________________________________

New American Bible
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3000