Bible Commentaries

Psalms 127:1-3. 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.

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. Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

The psalmist had been speaking about house-building, and there is the building up of the house in the sense of a family being built up by children. Some people think children an encumbrance, but they are “a heritage of the Lord,” and they are to be looked upon with gladness. One said, “I have twelve sons,” and his friend answered, “That is exactly Jacob’s number.” “Yes,” said the first speaker, “and I have Jacob’s God to enable me to sustain them.” There is a comfort in that thought; may God grant that none may be troubled by those whom God sends to us for a heritage!

Psalms 127:4. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

In the case of an arrow, you know it all depends which way you shoot it. Mind, therefore, that you direct your children aright; give them a good start, a true aim from the very first, God helping you, and then they shall fly from you like the arrows of a mighty archer.

Psalms 127:5. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them:

That is, when they are like arrows; — not when they are gnarled and knotty, like crooked sticks. When they are unwilling to be tutored and trained, then they become a trial and a trouble; but happy is the man who has a quiver full of arrows; the more the merrier of such children as the psalmist here speaks of.

Psalms 127:5. They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

When there was any suit at law, these sons of his would be there to plead for him; if there was any fighting to be done, they also would be to the front. It was a dangerous thing to attack a man who had a house full of strong, loyal, loving sons. They would be his defense, they would speak, and speak with very considerable emphasis, too, with his enemies in the gate.

This exposition consisted of readings from PSALMS 126. and 127.