Psalm 127:1

Psalm 127:1

A Song about life at home

This short Psalm is attributed to Solomon, he was renowned for his wisdom, a man endued with a lot of common sense. As we shall see, the Psalm is down to earth, it talks about families and homelife and children and yet it is still called “A song of ascents.” Presumably it kept people grounded, it was wonderful to savour the Temple atmosphere and to ascend the hill of the Lord, but life at home with the kids was also a wonderful thing, the Lord God is with us and part of our lives wherever we are.

 

V1        The word for house here refers to a domestic building, not the grandeur and unique nature of the Temple. The author uses the word “builders” too which is a Hebrew pun on the word for children, so it’s not just the physical dwelling that is in view but also the building of a family. In other words, the Lord should be part of our home life in every aspect, be it the physical dwelling or the construction of our descendants and our household. Unless the Lord is with us in all of this, our efforts are wasted, there is no future or purpose in it all. 

The analogy of a city is used here, a city may have its guards, its law enforcement, its rules and its defences, but if the Lord is not watching over that city there is every reason to be worried! Have we invited the Lord God to watch over our households and our family? Do we daily ask that He guard our wives or husbands, our children, our parents and anyone else who lives in close proximity to us? Do we pray for our children’s education and the teachers and others who have a daily influence over them? Do we guard them against the lies and deceptions of the world that could so easily lead them astray?  Unless the Lord is in these things, all our efforts are in vain! 

 

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