Psalm 127-129
Amplified Bible
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)
2
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.
3
Behold, children are a heritage and gift from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb a reward.(B)
4
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
5
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)
2
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.
3
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.
4
Behold, for so shall the man be blessed and divinely favored
Who fears the Lord [and worships Him with obedience].
5
May the Lord bless you from Zion [His holy mountain],
And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life;
6
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,
2
“Many times they have persecuted me from my youth,
Yet they have not prevailed against me.
3
“The [enemies, like] plowers plowed on my back;
They made their furrows [of suffering] long [in Israel].”
4
The Lord is righteous;
He has cut in two the [thick] cords of the wicked [which enslaved the people of Israel].
5
May all who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned backward [in defeat].
6
Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up,
7
With which the reaper does not fill his hand,
Nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
8
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
- Psalm 127:1 See Psalm 120 title note.
- Psalm 128:1 See Psalm 120 title note.
- Psalm 129:1 See Psalm 120 title note.
Psalm 127-129
New International Version
Psalm 127
A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
1 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.
2 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)
3 Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward(F) from him.
4 Like arrows(G) in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
5 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.
1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord,(K)
who walk in obedience to him.(L)
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;(M)
blessings and prosperity(N) will be yours.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine(O)
within your house;
your children(P) will be like olive shoots(Q)
around your table.
4 Yes, this will be the blessing(R)
for the man who fears the Lord.(S)
5 May the Lord bless you from Zion;(T)
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem(U)
all the days of your life.
6 May you live to see your children’s children—(V)
peace be on Israel.(W)
Psalm 129
A song of ascents.
1 “They have greatly oppressed(X) me from my youth,”(Y)
let Israel say;(Z)
2 “they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained the victory(AA) over me.
3 Plowmen have plowed my back
and made their furrows long.
4 But the Lord is righteous;(AB)
he has cut me free(AC) from the cords of the wicked.”(AD)
5 May all who hate Zion(AE)
be turned back in shame.(AF)
6 May they be like grass on the roof,(AG)
which withers(AH) before it can grow;
7 a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,(AI)
nor one who gathers fill his arms.
8 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
- Psalm 127:2 Or eat— / for while they sleep he provides for
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.