Psalm 127

Easy-to-Read Version

A song from Solomon for going up to the Temple.

127 If it is not the Lord who builds a house,
the builders are wasting their time.
If it is not the Lord who watches over the city,
the guards are wasting their time.

²It is a waste of time to get up early and stay up late,
trying to make a living.
The Lord provides for those he loves,
even while they are sleeping.

³Children are a gift^[a] from the Lord,
    a reward from a mother’s womb.
⁴A young man’s sons
    are like the arrows in a soldier’s hand.
⁵The man who fills his quiver with sons
    will be very blessed.
He will never be defeated
    when he opposes his enemy at the city gates.^[b]

Footnotes

Psalm 127:3 gift Literally, “inheritance.” This usually means the land God gave to each family in Israel.
Psalm 127:5 city gates This can refer to either a battle to protect the city or to a court case held in this public place.