Click here to read PSALM 127 in poetic form.
Background
Psalm 127 is in the Deuteronomy Book of the Psalms (Psalms 107-150). These 44 Psalms, like the Book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament, show God’s Word as the source of salvation, deliverance, and healing. This would be fully carried out in the life of the coming Messiah, the living Word, Jesus Christ. Whereas Psalm 119 showed that God would raise the Messiah from the dead to eternal life, Psalm 127 is the eighth of 15 “songs of the degrees” (Psalms 120-134) regarding God keeping Hezekiah alive (see the notes on Psalm 120 for more details).
Psalm 127, written by Solomon, shows the Messiah trusting in the Lord, and not in man, to protect him from his enemies.
Structure
(Messiah’s trust in the Lord)
(Verse 1) Man’s worthless efforts without trusting the Lord (house, city gate)
(Verse 2) Man’s worthless efforts without trusting the Lord (not sleeping)
(Verse 3) God’s reward and heritage to those who trust Him (fruit of the womb)
(Verses 4,5) God’s protection against enemies to those who trust Him (arrows, city gate)
Key Scriptures
Verse 1—“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.” The watchman was a vital profession for securing the walled cities of Israel and Judah. God figuratively calls Ezekiel a watchman because of his spiritual responsibility to look out for God’s people.
This section of scripture explains the duties of the watchman. Ezekiel 33:2-7: Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
There were three watches: sunset to about 10 p.m.; 10 p.m. to about 2 a.m.; and 2 a.m. to dawn. Exodus 14:24: “And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians;” Judges 7:19: “So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands;” and Psalms 119:48: “Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.”
Verse 5— “Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.” Jesus Christ fulfilled God’s great desire to have children by accomplishing man’s redemption and making available sonship with the Father. Hebrews 2:10: “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain [chief leader, prince] of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”
FOR FURTHER STUDY
All 150 of The Psalms in Poetic Form are available from Amazon in a book, either Large Print or a smaller Bedside Reader. Also available for free with a Kindle Unlimited membership. Enjoy!
You can also hear the author read them aloud on YouTube.
The entire blog series is now available in the publication The Psalms: Background & Structure with Key Scriptures Explained.
