Laboring and Prospering in the LORD

Psalms 127:1-5 

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one's youth.

5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

This song was sung while ascending Mount Zion to the temple for worship of the one true God, and Solomon the son of the man after God’s own heart composed it for all God’s people, including us.  He acknowledged that the LORD must do the work, whether of physical buildings or of the temples of our own bodies, for it to be meaningful and lasting.  We can work in our own God-given abilities, yet still fail to rely on His working in us (Philippians 2:13, 1 Thessalonians 2:13) and neglect to give Him the credit.  This credit is to God’s honor, praise, and glory; we dare not claim it as our own (1 Timothy 1:17, Jude 1:25, Colossians 1:29).  Not only does the construction of our lives as temples need to be confessed as by His power and working, but also the guarding of these things.  God looks over us as a Shepherd leads and protects the sheep of His pasture, a wonderful truth to give us comfort and hope in troubled times.  We can watch and pray as we are called to do of necessity, but unless we rely on the overseer of our souls, it is a vain endeavor.  Walking by faith is reliance on His grace and goodness in our lives (Romans 8:28).  Therefore, if we let worry try to add to our stature instead of relying on God as we live in trusting obedience, we miss the mark and only lose sleep needlessly (Matthew 6:25, 33).  He wants us to rest in Christ and His work on our behalf (John 6:29, Hebrews 4:9-10).  The psalmist then goes on to point out the importance of a spiritual legacy through children, which is a parallel to making disciples as well.  The reward of making such heirs to eternity cannot be overlooked as a reward for faithfulness to the word of God, which culminates in the gospel.  These progenies are as arrows shot into the world to find their marks and make more disciples as heirs of glory.  Joy and great happiness are found in this work, and we will not be ashamed (2 Timothy 1:8, 2:15) in His work.  We are then also to speak with our enemies in the gates where people once gathered at the city’s entrance, but now is at our places of work and in the places we live.  This is the way we make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20) as we go through life, laboring and prospering in the LORD.  Amen!