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American Standard Version

Psalm 127

1 Except Jehovah build the house, They labor in vain that build it: Except Jehovah keep the city, The watchman waketh but in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To take rest late, To eat the bread of toil; For so he giveth unto his beloved sleep.
3 Lo, children are a heritage of Jehovah; And the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be put to shame, When they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Chapter Summary

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; children are a heritage and reward from Him.

Book Summary

Psalms is the Bible's songbook: one hundred fifty prayers and hymns of praise, lament, thanksgiving, and trust, many attributed to David. From the depths of despair to the heights of worship, it has voiced the prayers of God's people for millennia.