Psalms Reading – 4.30.2022
Psalm 127
A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
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.
2 In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
3 Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.
Psalm 128
A song of ascents.
1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
4 Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord.
5 May the Lord bless you from Zion;
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
6 May you live to see your children’s children—peace be on Israel.
Psalm 127 speaks of the mysterious interaction between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. It focuses on the home and the city as an example. Obviously, there is an important part that we play in building a house, guarding a city, and having children, but the emphasis here lies with the Lord’s role in all three. Pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem were going in the right direction for blessing to be pronounced upon their family life.
The psalm instructs us to recognize that in all of our work we should consider and ask for the Lord’s help. Plus, we should understand that children, as challenging as they might be, are a blessing!
Psalm 127 and Psalm 128 both speak of the ways the Lord blesses and that such blessing is found in Zion, where God is worshiped. As mentioned several times before, blessing from God originates when we have a holy reverence for God and walk in obedience to His instructions. This is the foundation from which all blessing flows from God.
The specific blessings mentioned include the ability to eat what you have produced and your family who sits with you at the table. The psalmist reiterates his point that those who fear the Lord receive the blessings of God. Again, this blessing comes from Zion, encouraging the pilgrims to finish their journey in wholehearted worship of the Lord. A final prayer of blessing is for the worshipers to experience the shalom of Jerusalem and to live long enough to enjoy their grandchildren.
Having a healthy fear, a holy reverence for the Lord opens the way for God’s blessings to come to us.
Memory Verse: Psalm 121:1-2, I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Question(s) to Consider: Are you receptive to God’s blessing by having a holy reverence for the Lord? Does such a healthy fear motivate you to be obedient to the Lord and His word?