#879 Building

Unless the Lord builds the house,

those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain.

2 It is in vain that you rise up early

and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

for he gives to his beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the children of one's youth.

5 Blessed is the man

who fills his quiver with them!

He shall not be put to shame

when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. Psalm 127 ESV

A song of Ascents of Solomon, unless the Lord builds.

- This is a family-psalm, as divers before were state-poems and church-poems. It is entitled (as we read it) "for Solomon,’’ dedicated to him by his father. He having a house to build, a city to keep, and seed to raise up to his father, David directs him to look up to God, and to depend upon his providence, without which all his wisdom, care, and industry, would not serve. Some take it to have been penned by Solomon himself, and it may as well be read, "a song of Solomon,’’ who wrote a great many; and they compare it with the Ecclesiastes, the scope of both being the same, to show the vanity of worldly care and how necessary it is that we keep in favour with God. On him we must depend, I. For wealth (v. 1, v. 2). II. For heirs to leave it to (v. 3-5). In singing this psalm we must have our eye up unto God for success in all our undertakings and a blessing upon all our comforts and enjoyments, because every creature is that to us which he makes it to be and no more.A song of degrees for Solomon. - Matthew Henry

Unless the Lord builds the house - If this is David talking to Solomon then it could be understood in view of the temple. David has laid out plans, gathered resources, but he was a man with bloody hands. Solomon is given the honor of building the temple, he has asked the Lord for wisdom, and he is a man of great intellect and vision, but whether from his father or in Ecclesiastical reminiscence, he is reminded of a Higher Authority. Now this would apply to kingdoms, the church, and home as well. 

Those who build it labor in vain - Solomon's temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, and though he was wise and industrious beyond his years, he tended toward a worldly wisdom often, and in denial of such foundational materials that God had instituted. We can make great towers, monuments to human achievement, like Babel or even the most beautiful cathedrals, even suggest it as unto the Lord, but if He is not in it, we labor in vain. There was a structure handed to Solomon from God, which was his intellect, the wisdom he asked for, but also the law unto kings.  

11 The word of the Lord came to Solomon: 12 “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father. 13 And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel.” 1 Kings 6: 11-13

4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:

5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.

6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:

7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:

8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and to this house?

9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the Lord their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshiped them, and served them: therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evil. 1 Kings 9: 4-9

Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stays awake in vain - Human effort can only achieve so much. A watchman can be killed by an enemy, or his report may come too late, depending on the catastrophe. Integrity is of the utmost, a watchman who can be bought off is of little value to the king who has entrusted him. If he decides that no one has ever attacked, the walls are strong, he may justify sleeping or drinking while on duty. God never sleeps and the righteous fear of Him makes the best watch upon the heart. David made both good and bad alliances, some would later help his son, Solomon, but Solomon would also take advantage of these and make unfair trades. David would have a first in command, Joab, who would not question a gross command from the king. While this may appeal to most of today's leaders, I would rather have a man tell me, "no, this is against God, and I will not do it." Solomon disobeyed the law unto kings, dealing in arms and horses with both Egypt and Assyria. He also became obsessed with women and materialism. 

Eating the bread of anxious toil - For the love of money, praise of men, and the comforts of this life, we lose the comfort of our needed rest. I have watched too many die while trying to hold onto the things of this life, terrified by what will happen to their stuff when they are gone. 

- Inordinate excessive care about the things of this world is a vain and fruitless thing. We weary ourselves for vanity if we have it, and often weary ourselves in vain for it, Matthew Henry

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord - These are ours to love and teach, to bring up in the ways of God. David passed on lessons both good and bad to his son. They say, "what you do in moderation your kids will do in excess." What about what you do in excess or that good that you fail to do all together? David had too many wives, Solomon far exceeded that, and it was taxing on his kingdom. 

The fruit of the womb a reward - We call them an inconvenience, an expense, and a bother, but God says, "a reward." If your heart is selfish then your eyes will be too, and I remember being a young dad, thinking, "if it wasn't for kids I could afford this pleasure, own that boat, quit this job," but I was forsaking a high calling, of father. They are God's gifts to us, to nurture and bring up for Him, life belongs to Him.

…19 And you set before them as a pleasing aroma the food I had given you—the fine flour, oil, and honey that I had fed you. That is what happened, declares the Lord GOD. 20 You even took the sons and daughters you bore to Me and sacrificed them as food to idols. Was your prostitution not enough? 21 You slaughtered My children and delivered them up through the fire to idols.… Ezekiel 16: 19-21

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior - If we shape them well, help them to make their way straight, they, by God's mercy, will hit the mark. The children of your youth are in old age the strength of your sunset. 

He shall not be put to shame - Children are a reflection of their parents, and even an enemy must recognize a well groomed child. Unruly, disrespectful children are a shame, and it is not always ungodly parents who bear these, but the godly parent remembers and takes head to bring them up in the way that they should go. It says, when they are old they will not depart from it. My mom taught us many good things that we happened to reject in later years, but I have come back to them, God hears the prayers of those fear and love Him. 

The essence of all of this is that apart from God we can do nothing. He is our life breath, Designer of all, builder and the One Who sustains all.

…3 but Esau I have hated, and I have made his mountains a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” 4 Though Edom may say, “We have been devastated, but we will rebuild the ruins,” this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Land of Wickedness, and a people toward whom the LORD is indignant forever. 5 You will see this with your own eyes, and you yourselves will say, ‘The LORD is great—even beyond the borders of Israel.’”… Malachi 1: 3-5