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Prosperity Comes from the Lord.

A Song of [a]Ascents. Of Solomon.

127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman keeps awake in vain.(A)

It is vain for you to rise early,
To retire late,
To eat the bread of anxious labors—
For He gives [blessings] to His beloved even in his sleep.


Behold, children are a heritage and gift from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb a reward.(B)

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

How blessed [happy and fortunate] is the man whose quiver is filled with them;
They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies [in gatherings] at the [city] gate.

Blessedness of the Fear of the Lord.

A Song of [b]Ascents.

128 Blessed [happy and sheltered by God’s favor] is everyone who fears the Lord [and worships Him with obedience],
Who walks in His ways and lives according to His commandments.(C)

For you shall eat the fruit of [the labor of] your hands,
You will be happy and blessed and it will be well with you.

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
Within the innermost part of your house;
Your children will be like olive plants
Around your table.

Behold, for so shall the man be blessed and divinely favored
Who fears the Lord [and worships Him with obedience].


May the Lord bless you from Zion [His holy mountain],
And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life;

Indeed, may you see your [family perpetuated in your] children’s children.
Peace be upon Israel!

Prayer for the Overthrow of Zion’s Enemies.

A Song of [c]Ascents.

129 “Many times they have persecuted me (Israel) from my youth,”
Let Israel now say,

“Many times they have persecuted me from my youth,
Yet they have not prevailed against me.

“The [enemies, like] plowers plowed on my back;
They made their furrows [of suffering] long [in Israel].”

The Lord is righteous;
He has cut in two the [thick] cords of the wicked [which enslaved the people of Israel].


May all who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned backward [in defeat].

Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up,

With which the reaper does not fill his hand,
Nor the binder of sheaves his arms,

Nor do those who pass by say,
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 127:1 See Psalm 120 title note.
  2. Psalm 128:1 See Psalm 120 title note.
  3. Psalm 129:1 See Psalm 120 title note.

Psalm 127

A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

Unless the Lord builds(A) the house,
    the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches(B) over the city,
    the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early
    and stay up late,
toiling for food(C) to eat—
    for he grants sleep(D) to[a] those he loves.(E)

Children are a heritage from the Lord,
    offspring a reward(F) from him.
Like arrows(G) in the hands of a warrior
    are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
    whose quiver is full of them.(H)
They will not be put to shame
    when they contend with their opponents(I) in court.(J)

Psalm 128

A song of ascents.

Blessed are all who fear the Lord,(K)
    who walk in obedience to him.(L)
You will eat the fruit of your labor;(M)
    blessings and prosperity(N) will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine(O)
    within your house;
your children(P) will be like olive shoots(Q)
    around your table.
Yes, this will be the blessing(R)
    for the man who fears the Lord.(S)

May the Lord bless you from Zion;(T)
    may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem(U)
    all the days of your life.
May you live to see your children’s children—(V)
    peace be on Israel.(W)

Psalm 129

A song of ascents.

“They have greatly oppressed(X) me from my youth,”(Y)
    let Israel say;(Z)
“they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
    but they have not gained the victory(AA) over me.
Plowmen have plowed my back
    and made their furrows long.
But the Lord is righteous;(AB)
    he has cut me free(AC) from the cords of the wicked.”(AD)

May all who hate Zion(AE)
    be turned back in shame.(AF)
May they be like grass on the roof,(AG)
    which withers(AH) before it can grow;
a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,(AI)
    nor one who gathers fill his arms.
May those who pass by not say to them,
    “The blessing of the Lord be on you;
    we bless you(AJ) in the name of the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 127:2 Or eat— / for while they sleep he provides for