Spurgeon wrote, “Did you notice, when we were reading this Psalm, that it is entitled, “A Song of Degrees for Solomon”? The title may be either, “for Solomon,” or, “by Solomon.” If it is by Solomon, I can only say that it is worthy to be placed side by side with the Book of Proverbs or Ecclesiastes. It is a Psalm which is very brief and which has the soul of wisdom in it. It is, in fact, a Solomonic Psalm—it is quite after his style of writing. The whole of it might be made into a Proverb and its separate sentences might be cut up into proverbial expressions.

1. PSALM 127 COMME
TARY
Written and edited by Glenn Pease
PREFACE
The object of this commentary is to bring together the comments of a number of
authors in one place to make the study of this Psalm easier for the Bible student.
Sometimes I do not have the author's name, and if it is known and told to me, I will
give credit where it is due. If there is any author who does not wish his wisdom to be
included in this study, I will remove it when that author expresses his wish to have it
removed. My e-mail is glenn_p86@yahoo.com
I
TRODUCTIO
1. Barnes in his commentary has what I consider to be the best introduction to this
Psalm. He wrote, “This psalm is entitled “A Song of Degrees for Solomon;” in the
margin, “Of Solomon.” In the Syriac Version the title is, “From the Psalms of the
Ascent; spoken by David concerning Solomon; it was spoken also of Haggai and
Zechariah, who urged the rebuilding of the Temple.” The meaning of the title may
be either “for Solomon,” or of Solomon; that is, it may have been either composed
by him, or with reference to him. Many have supposed that it was written by David
near the close of his life, and was designed to be a guide to Solomon, his successor, in
regard to the principles which should govern him in his reign. There is nothing,
however, in the title in the Hebrew which would indicate that it was composed by
David; and there is nothing in the psalm which would seem to be especially
appropriate to address to a young monarch just entering on his reign, unless it was
the mere filet of dependence on God. The allusion to children Psa_127:3-5, beautiful
and proper as it is, would seem to have no particular pertinence to an entrance on
the administration of a government, and would not be the topic which Would most
naturally be suggested in such circumstances. The probability, therefore, is, that the
psalm was composed by Solomon. On what occasion, however, it was written, it is
now impossible to determine. The sentiments and style are such as agree well with
the idea that Solomon was the author, and the whole psalm might have been
introduced into the Book of Proverbs without any manifest discrepancy with the
general character and style of that book. From the psalm itself it would seem that it
was composed mainly with reference to one who was entering on domestic life, and
that it was intended to set before such a one the views, which ought to guide him, or
the thoughts, which ought to occur to him.
othing could be more appropriate in
such circumstances than the sentiments of the psalm:
I. The entire dependence on God for success, Psa_127:1.
II. The vanity of all efforts - rising early, and sitting up late - without the divine

2. blessing, Psa_127:2.
III. The fact that children belong to God, and are to be regarded as his, Psa_127:3.
IV. The aid, which children might be expected to render to a father in supporting or
defending him, Psa_127:4.
V. The comfort which he might expect to derive from them, and the honor which,
being properly trained, they would reflect on him and on the family, Psa_127:5.
2. Spurgeon wrote, “Did you notice, when we were reading this Psalm, that it is
entitled, “A Song of Degrees for Solomon”? The title may be either, “for Solomon,”
or, “by Solomon.” If it is by Solomon, I can only say that it is worthy to be placed
side by side with the Book of Proverbs or Ecclesiastes. It is a Psalm which is very
brief and which has the soul of wisdom in it. It is, in fact, a Solomonic Psalm—it is
quite after his style of writing. The whole of it might be made into a Proverb and its
separate sentences might be cut up into proverbial expressions. It was inspired by
the Spirit of God and He may have used for the writing of it no less accomplished an
individual than King Solomon, whose wisdom was greater than that of the men of
his age. If it is a Psalm, “for Solomon”—which it strikes me it is, then it is none the
less admirable in our esteem, for, if Solomon needed to be taught it, certainly we do.
If, when David knew that Solomon was to build the house of the Lord, he thought it
necessary, before he began the Temple, to remind him that “unless the Lord builds
the house, they labor in vain who build it,” we may depend upon it that as we are
less wise than Solomon, we need to have just such a lesson taught us! Let us accept it
as from David and let each one of us hear the words of the dying king as he speaks
to us as well as to his son and successor.”
“It was meet that the builder of the holy house should be remembered by the
pilgrims to its sacred shrine. The title probably indicates that David wrote it for his
wise son, in whom he so greatly rejoiced, and whose name Jedidiah, or "beloved of
the Lord", is introduced into the second verse. The spirit of his name, "Solomon, or
peaceable", breathes through the whole of this most charming song. If Solomon
himself was the author, it comes fitly from him who reared the house of the Lord.
Observe how in each of these songs the heart is fixed upon Jehovah only. Read the
first verses of these Psalms, from Psalm 120 to the present song, and they run thus:
"I cried unto the Lord", "I will lift up mine eyes to the hills", "Let us go unto the
house of the Lord." "Unto thee will I lift up mine eyes", "If it had not been the
Lord", "They that trust in the Lord." "When the Lord turned again the captivity."
The Lord and the Lord alone is thus lauded at each step of these songs of the
ascents. O for a life whose every halting place shall suggest a new song unto the
Lord!”
3. Bruce K. Dahlberg in his study of this Psalm wrote, “Artur Weiser says in his
commentary on Psalm 127, Since the psalm is couched in general terms it is not
possible to assign it to any particular historical situation; it belongs to the timeless
world of the proverb. There is truth to what he says, but the logical outcome of
his words is that any interpretation of this psalm is permissible within reason. This
is the exact opposite of what this section seeks to do. It is correct to say that the

3. timeless factor of the proverb speaks to all ages, but all ages do not interpret the
proverb. This chapter seeks to elucidate the meaning of this psalm. By assigning the
psalm to Solomon, historical direction is given to the exegetical process. Solomon
does speak in general terms, but these terms find meaning in history and culture. It
should be remembered that wisdom seeks to deal with life. The activities of one life
may be similar to another because of the nature of the activity.”
4. Matt Slick, “One of the most important features of this Psalm is that it addresses
three of the most important of human concerns: accomplishment, security, and
family. This Psalm forces you to examine these areas and recognize the One who is
in control of all three. In addition, this Psalm speaks of your need for utter reliance
and trust in God. And in that, you must remain humble.”
1. Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
1. What makes this Psalm unique is that it is the only one in this series of 15 songs of
degrees that is attributed to Solomon. He was the number one builder in the history
of Israel, and so he knows what he is talking about. Without the Lord’s blessings on
him he could never have accomplished what he did, for he built up an amazing
nation with enormous wealth, and impressive buildings. Solomon is admitting here
that he did not accomplish all he did because of his own ability. He admits that the
Lord’s blessing was the key to it all, and his reign of peace was also due to God’s
providence and not his own skill in diplomacy. He did have such skills, and he was a
wise man, but he knows it is all vanity without the providence and blessing of God.
This great and might man is being truly humble before his Lord, and had he
continued with this spirit all his life he would have been nearly flawless as a man of
God. Most men with his accomplishments would have been overly proud and been
big braggers on all they had done in life. Solomon here gives God the credit. He is
not saying God will build for you, but with you. You do your best, but invite God to
partner with you, and he will do his part to make the project a success. Without
God you can’t do it, but without you God will not do it. It is a partnership of God
and man that works in building a house.
1B. Spurgeon was strong on making it clear that man must work hard to expect
God to be his partner. He wrote, “We are not allowed to be idle, to sit still and do
nothing because we say that we are trusting in Providence. One of the things which
Christianity cannot bear is laziness! The Apostle Paul, writing to the Thessalonians,

4. was inspired to pass a very sharp sentence upon them—“This we commanded you,
that if any would not work, neither should he eat”—a sentence which would
exterminate a great number of persons who at the present time seem to flourish! If
in business I am not diligent, I cannot expect to prosper. If I wish to be a man of
learning, I cannot get it simply by praying for it—I must study, even to the
weariness of the flesh. If a man is sick, he may trust in God as much as he wills—
that should be his first thing—but let him also use such remedies as God has given if
he can discover them, or learn of them from others. My grandfather said to me,
many years ago, concerning the preparation of a sermon, and I have always
remembered his words, “I study my sermon as much as if the work of preaching
depended entirely upon myself. And I go into the pulpit relying upon the Spirit of
God, knowing that it does not depend upon myself, but upon Him.”
2. Calvin made a good point when he wrote, “By the word house he means not only
a building of wood or stone, but he comprehends the whole domestic order and
government of a family, even as a little after by the word city he denotes not only the
buildings or enclosure of the walls, but also the general state of the whole
commonwealth. There is likewise a synecdoche in the words builder and keeper; for
he intends to say in general that whatever labor, foresight, and skill men may
employ in maintaining a family, or in preserving a city, will be to no purpose unless
God grant from heaven a prosperous issue to the whole.” Calvin has broadened the
application of these words to cover all building that we do, and this covers home,
business, government, and church. All of life’s building projects need God’s input,
or the end result will not have eternal value.
3. What strikes me as an interesting commentary on life in the Reformation period
five hundred years ago is what Calvin goes on to write-“Farther, we may gather
from this doctrine, that it is not wonderful to find in the present day the state of the
world so troubled and confused as it actually is -- justice put to flight in cities, the
husband and the wife mutually accusing each other, fathers and mothers
complaining of their children -- in short, all bewailing their own condition. For how
few are to be found who, in their vocation, turn to God, and who, being rather
inflated with arrogance, do not wickedly exalt themselves? God then justly renders
this sad reward to ungrateful men when he is defrauded of his honor. But were all
men humbly to submit themselves to the providence of God, there is no doubt that
this blessing which Solomon here commends would shed its luster on all parts of our
life, both public and private.” Daily life of people and the nation has not changed a
lot, if at all, in the past half a millennium. People are much the same, and they
continue to build whatever they build in pride, believing they do not need God
4. The whole known world was behind the building of the Tower of Babel, but it
became a total fiasco and ended as one of the great unfinished projects of history,
and all because men chose to do it all without God’s partnership. On the other hand,
the house of Israel was built up by ordinary people who had little chance of
becoming famous for anything. Abraham and Sarah could not even have a child,
but God became their partner, and the hopeless situation went on to produce a

5. child, and then he had a child, and that child had a lot of children, and step by step
God and ordinary men build the house of Israel, and it has lasted for all these many
centuries because it was a partnership of God and man. Even this house collapsed,
however, when the Jewish leaders rejected the Chief Cornerstone. By rejecting
Jesus Christ as their Messiah, the cut God out of their partnership, and revealed
that even God’s own people cannot build anything permanent without submission to
the Lordship of God. This applies to the church as well, for when the church fails to
be submissive to its Lord, it also collapses, and history is full of examples of
churches becoming like those of Revelation chapters two and three, where they are
warned of judgment and of having their lamp stand removed. They were leaving
their first love, and that means pushing the Lordship of Jesus out of their lives, and
when he is on the outside and not a vital inside partner, the church is in danger of
collapse, and all its activity is vain, and without lasting value.
4B. Barry R. Leventhal, Ph.D. wrote, “He knew what we need to constantly bear in
mind: We are totally dependent on God to build our marriages and families.
Without such a total reliance upon Him, all of our marriage seminars, biblical
principles, and church activities are doomed to failure.” “Most of us think that if we
can just go to more marriage seminars or learn more biblical principles, our
marriages and families will thrive. But although these kinds of things are necessary,
without a conscious dependence on the Lord of heaven and earth, all of our good
efforts will be futile and our homes will ultimately collapse into ruins, as many
current Christian marriages are now experiencing.” “It is so easy to get caught up
in the worldly rat race to keep getting more and more stuff: working 12-hour plus
days or husbands and wives both dashing off to jobs that will keep them in a
lifestyle that matches the neighbors or that will get them more things to keep the
happy veneer intact. But the awful reality is that none of these workaholic pursuits
will ever give us the sustaining joy and fulfillment that God desires to freely give us.
ot only does He provide for proper seasons of rest, He also provides for us while
we are resting — gifts like physical and emotional recovery; spiritual renewal and
vision; new and wonderful surprises for the dawning day. Is it any wonder that so
many Christians are collapsing under the weight of such an enslaving lifestyle? If we
are going to rein in spiritual warfare in our marriages, for the glory of God, then we
are going to have to put the brakes on our rat race lifestyle and trust God to provide
all that we will ever need.”
5. In the light of the pilgrims marching back from Babylon to rebuild the city and
the temple, this is a good reminder to them that it is going to demand a great
reliance upon the Lord to pull this project off. They were not strong, and they had
enemies that were going to do all they could to stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem. As
they sang this song they would be challenged by it to be submissive to the Lord, and
cry out continually to him to be with them, and partner with them in getting this
great work of rebuilding the city and temple accomplished, and to his glory. I like
the way Jamison in his commentary sums it all up with these words: “The theme of
this Psalm, that human enterprises only succeed by the divine blessing, was
probably associated with the building of the temple by Solomon, its author.” And

6. Spurgeon says, “It is THE BUILDER'S PSALM. "Every house is built by some
man, but he that built all things is God", and unto God be praise.” “God is to be
acknowledged in all our works. By seeking his direction before them. By depending
upon his help in them. By giving him the glory of them.” Paul wrote in
1 Corinthians 15:58, "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."
6. Bob Deffinbaugh wrote, “When is house-building vain?” House building is vain
when we engage in it without God. And when does God not build our house with us?
When we have the wrong priorities, the wrong motives, or the wrong methods. God
cares about what we do, why we do it, and how we do it. God is concerned about the
building of houses because so many of us are preoccupied with just such efforts. It
may destroy us as a family; it may keep us from fellow shipping with God and our
fellow-saints, and it may divert our energies from seeking His kingdom to building
one of our own. Such misdirected or wrongly motivated effort is futile, for it seeks to
trade off the eternal in preference for what is temporal. It is vain because our hearts
are wrong before God. It is worthless because we are serving the wrong master.”
7. One of the greatest applications of this truth in the history of the United States is
the speech of Benjamin Franklin at the time of forming the Constitution of our
nation. He said on that occasion: “In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when
we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for the Divine
protection. Our prayers, sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of
us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a
superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind Providence we owe this happy
opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national
felicity. And have we now forgotten this powerful Friend? or do we imagine we no
longer need his assistance? I have lived for a long time 81 years; and the longer I
live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of
man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable
that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred
writings, that "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." I
firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall
proceed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel: we shall be
divided by our little, partial, local interests; our prospects will be confounded; and
we ourselves shall become a reproach and a byword down to future ages. And what
is worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance, despair of
establishing government by human wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, or
conquest. I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers, imploring the
assistance of Heaven and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this assembly
every morning before we proceed to business; and that one or more of the clergy of
this city be requested to officiate in that service.” --Benjamin Franklin: Speech in
Convention for forming a Constitution for the United States, 1787.
8. John Piper gives us his testimony on how this can apply to all of us in any task we
seek to accomplish. He wrote, “How does it, then, help us overcome anxiety? It

7. worked like this for me. As I walked out of my office on the way to class, I reasoned
that if my highest efforts are only in vain without God's special help, then the
success or failure of this class lies ultimately on him, not me. And with that a weight
was lifted off my back that I was never created to carry, namely, the final
responsibility for the success or failure of any venture. Sometimes the truth of that
would well up in me so much I felt as light as a butterfly. I can't carry the weight of
whether this class likes me today, Lord. I can't carry the weight of whether they
may ask me questions beyond my ability, Lord. I can't carry the weight of opening
their hearts to believe the doctrine of your sovereignty, Lord. These weights are too
heavy! They are yours! And I have found that God is not only willing but eager to
take the burden of final responsibility for whether the house gets built and the city is
saved. And for me that is a great reason not to be anxious in my labor.” In a
nutshell, he is saying, “Let go and let God.” Do your best and let God do the rest.
9. Rev. Cynthia O’Brien wrote, “How can you apply this scripture to your life?
Here’s one idea. If you haven’t done so in a while, sit down and write down what’s
most important to you for your life and your future. Make a simple list: Things that
are most important in my life and for my future. Then check it against real life.
Look at your typical weekly schedule of activities. Where are you putting your time?
Look at your checkbook and your credit card statement. Where is your money
going? If a person you respect were to evaluate your life based on what you spend
your money on, what would they say?”
10. Wayne Shih wrote, “Solomon, who wrote this psalm, also wrote the book of
Ecclesiastes. In that book he shared his discovery that many of our pursuits turn out
to be meaningless. “I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted
vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I
made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female
slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds
and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for
myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers,
and a harem as well - the delights of the heart of man. I became greater by far than
anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. I denied
myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took
delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I
surveyed all that my hands had done and what I gad toiled to achieve, everything
was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun (Eccl.
2:4-11). That is an honest look at life. Psalm 127 teaches a similar lesson. It shows us
the futility of life without God. When we really grasp that truth, it redirects our
hearts to rely on God.”
11. Bruce K. Dahlberg wrote, “It is not hard to see Solomon as the author of this
psalm. For he was the master builder and military genius. The use of "house" and
"city" bring into view stone houses cramped inside a walled existence. One of
Solomon's goals was to build up the defense of the land. Even though the situation
was peaceful, the threat of war still existed. Where the house provided shelter it was

8. the city that provided security with its watchman stationed throughout, making his
rounds through the night.”
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
1. This second part of the verse is saying that all the protection you plan for will not
spare you a tragic defeat if the Lord does not watch over you. Many a city has had
plenty of watchmen on the walls, and the enemy get in anyway, and they go down in
flames. There are all kinds of factors that can lead the best guarded city, or any
other thing or value, to be overcome. Sometimes the enemy comes up with a
superior weapon. Sometimes they are able to bribe a gatekeeper to betray their own
city for a price. Sometimes the enemy finds a new way into the city by way of
underground tunnels. Clever men can find ways to get what they want, and this was
the case with most all of the great conquers of ancient times. Everything people did
to protect themselves did not work, for these mighty warriors found a way to
overcome all the guards and render them vain and worthless. If God is not on your
side, and giving you his protection, all human efforts are vain.
1B. Adrian Dieleman wrote, “In ancient China, the people desired security from the
barbaric hordes to the north; so they built the great Chinese wall. It was so high
they knew no one could climb over it and so thick that nothing could break it down.
They settled back to enjoy their security. During the first hundred years of the
wall's existence, China was invaded three times.
ot once did the barbaric hordes
break down the wall or climb over the top. Each time they bribed a gatekeeper and
then marched right through the gates.”
2. Jerusalem is a good example of what Solomon is saying. He made the city one of
the most awesome in the ancient world. It was beautiful and glorious to the eyes,
and it was well protected, but as the people continued to slip away from the
Lordship of Jehovah the judgment of God came down upon this glorious city, and it
was swept away by pagan invaders. It was built up again, and even the temple was
restored, and you would think that God would protect his city and his temple, but
because they forsook his Lordship he withdrew his protection and the Romans came
and demolished it again, and to the point of fulfilling the prophecy of Jesus that not
one stone would be left upon another in the temple. Even God’s own people cannot
protect anything in their own power. If God is told by actions that he is not needed,
he will stop watching out for his own temple and his own people, and they will end
up having restored it all for nothing. All is done in vain without the Lordship of the
living God. When God withdrew his hand of protection over Israel, the pagan
warriors came and demolished their land and carried them away captive. They had
to learn the hard way that God is Lord of all, or he is not Lord at all.

9. 3. We need to apply this to building up our family. We can teach our children not to
lie and cheat, and be good people in all moral ways. We can give them the teaching
they need to live the good life, and be respectable members of society, but if they are
not established in Christ it can all go down the tube, and these righteously raised
children can go off to college and be turned against all they were taught and become
committed to the ways of the world. All your labor becomes worthless, unless these
kids come to make a deep commitment to their Lord. It is not enough just to go to
Sunday School, and church events, and become a social Christian. They need to
become true disciples of Jesus, for if he is not their Lord, they will soon be following
another lord, and they will be serving the god of this world. The point of both
things that Solomon is saying here is that the Lordship of God the Father, and of
Jesus the Son, are absolutely essential for ultimate success in any kind of building,
and it any efforts to preserve what has been built. What good is it to build a city, or
a government, or a family, if you cannot protect it and guard it from collapse?
Lordship of God in our lives is our only hope for ultimate success in all that we do.
There are no ends to the ways this truth can be applied in our lives. This is why we
need to include God in all that we do by constant prayer without ceasing, for if he is
not our senior partner we are going out of business one way or the other, for
nothing can work forever without his input.
4. The famous author Madam Guyon gave this testimony about this verse: "I
became", she says, "deeply assured of what the prophet hath said, "Except the
Loud keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." When I looked to thee, O my
Lord? thou wast my faithful keeper; thou didst continually defend my heart against
all kinds of enemies. But, alas! when left to myself, I was all weakness. How easily
did my enemies prevail over me! Let others ascribe their victories to their own
fidelity: as for myself, I shall never attribute them to anything else than thy paternal
care. I have too often experienced, to my cost, what I should be without thee, to
presume in the least on any wisdom or efforts of my own. It is to thee, O God, my
Deliverer, that I owe everything! And it is a source of infinite satisfaction, that I am
thus indebted to thee." --From the Life of Jeanne Bouvier de la Mothe Guyon, 1648-
1717.
2. In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
1. Sleep is one of the blessings of God, and it is a blessing that is most often lost by

10. the workaholics who spend too much time working to have time for adequate sleep.
This is a very difficult verse to understand, for it is a virtue to be a hard worker, and
yet it can be a vice to work too hard and long. It is a blessing to get a good nights
sleep, and yet there are vast numbers of God’s people who struggle to get such a
night. A verse like this can cause a lot of anxiety, which is a cause of sleeplessness.
Many seek good sleep by praying to God to grant it, and then have terrible nights of
tossing and turning and not being able to sleep. If God grants sleep to those he loves,
why does he not love me?, is a natural question of many believers.
1B. Mrs. Browning wrote,
Of all the thoughts of God that are
Borne inward unto souls afar,
Along the Psalmist's music deep,
ow tell me if that any is,
For gifts or grace, surpassing this-
'He giveth His beloved, sleep'?
2. Calvin struggles with understanding this verse, and he comes up with an
interpretation that has some value, but is far from satisfactory. He wrote, “That
God gives food to his people without any great care on their part -- which seems
incredible, and a fiction, Solomon points to the thing as it were with the finger. He
indeed speaks as if God nourished the slothfulness of his servants by his gentle
treatment; but as we know that men are created with the design of their being
occupied, and as in the subsequent Psalm we shall find that the servants of God are
accounted happy when they eat the labor of their hands, it is certain that the word
sleep is not to be understood as implying slothfulness, but a placid labor, to which
true believers subject themselves by the obedience of faith. Whence proceeds this so
great ardor in the unbelieving, that they move not a finger without a tumult or
bustle, in other words, without tormenting themselves with superfluous cares, but
because they attribute nothing to the providence of God! The faithful, on the other
hand, although they lead a laborious life, yet follow their vocations with composed
and tranquil minds. Thus their hands are not idle, but their minds repose in the
stillness of faith, as if they were asleep. If it is again objected, that God's people are
often agitated with distressing cares, and that, oppressed with pinching poverty, and
destitute of all resources, they are anxiously concerned about the morrow, I answer,
that if faith and love to God were perfect in his servants, his blessing, of which the
Prophet makes mention, would be manifest. Whenever they are tormented above
measure, this happens through their own default, in not resting entirely upon the
providence of God. I farther add, that God punishes them more severely than
unbelievers, because it is profitable for them to be agitated by disquietude for a
season, that at length they may attain to this peaceful sleep. In the meantime,
however, God's grace prevails, and always shines forth in the midst of darkness, in
respect of his cherishing his children as it were by sleep.
3. I think Barnes has best captured the meaning, but even so, it is not a satisfactory

11. interpretation due to the fact that it does not actually happen to masses of God’s
children as they continue to struggle with the sleep issue. It is an ideal that does not
become real for a great many. Barnes wrote, “Some have supposed it to mean that
God gives his people rest without toil, or that, while others labor, his “beloved” - his
friends - sleep; but this interpretation is not necessarily demanded by the Hebrew,
and is inconsistent with the general doctrine of the Bible. Others have supposed the
idea to be, that God gives his beloved rest after labor; but though this is true, it is
not true of them especially or exclusively. Some suppose, with as little probability,
that the meaning is, that what others hope (but hope in vain) to get by labor, the
Lord bestows upon his people in sleep, they know not how.
The meaning evidently is, that God bestows “sleep” upon his people in some sense in
which it is not bestowed on others, or that there is, in regard to their case, something
in which they differ from those who are so anxious and troubled - who rise so early
for the sake of gain - who toil so late - who eat the bread of care. The idea seems to
be that there would be calmness, repose, freedom from anxiety or solicitude. God
makes the mind of his people - his beloved - calm and tranquil, while the world
around is filled with anxiety and restlessness - busy, bustling, worried. As a
consequence of this calmness of mind, and of their confidence in him, they enjoy
undisturbed repose at night. They are not kept wakeful and anxious about their
worldly affairs as other men are, for they leave all with God, and thus he “giveth his
beloved sleep.”
4. Clarke has the best resolution of the problem by removing it from a general
promise, and making it a specific reference to an historical situation. Clarke wrote,
“It is vain for you to rise up early - There seems to be here an allusion to the daily
and nightly watches which
ehemiah instituted. The people are worn out with
constant labor and watching; he therefore divided them in such a manner, that they
who had worked in the day should rest by night, and that they who worked by night
should rest in the day; and thus his beloved, a title of the Jews, the beloved of God,
got sleep, due refreshment, and rest. As for
ehemiah and his servants, they never
put off their clothes day or night but for washing.” If Clarke is right he has resolved
the problem, but there is no evidence that the text refers to that situation.
5. Gill finds even more historical applications. He wrote, “…such who are partakers
of his grace, that fear and love him; to them, thus diligent and industrious, he gives
not only bread to eat, but sleep, which to a laboring man is sweet; and having food
and raiment, he gives them contentment, quietness, and satisfaction of mind, which
is the greatest blessing of all. Sleep, even bodily sleep, was reckoned with the very
Heathens a divine gift (x). Some think respect is had to, Solomon, whose name was
Jedidiah, and signifies the beloved of the Lord, 2Sa_12:24; to whom God gave
peace, rest, and safety all around; or, as others, the kingdom without labor, when
Absalom and Adonijah toiled for it: Christ, who is the Beloved of the Lord, the Son
of his love, his well beloved Son, may be thought of, whose rest is glorious; his sleep
in the grave, where his flesh rested from his labors and sufferings, in hope of the
resurrection of it: and it may be applied to all the Lord's beloved ones; to whom he

12. gives spiritual rest in this world, sleep in the arms of Jesus at death, and an
everlasting rest in the world to come; all which depends not on their endeavors, but
on his grace and goodness.”
6. “The design is, to draw men away from excessive labors and anxious cares; and to
excite godliness and faith in Jehovah. To this the Psalm manifestly tends: for since
men, desirous of the happiness and stability of their houses, are unable to secure this
by their own endeavors, but need the blessing of God, who gives prosperity with
even lighter labors to those that fear him; it is their duty to put a limit to their
labors and cares, and to seek the favor of God, by conforming their life and conduct
to his will, and confiding in him. --Hermalt Venema, 1697-1787.
6B. Believers are often too busy to be the loving parents they ought to be. Part of
trusting in God’s providence is to let go of the drive that keeps you so busy that you
do not spend the proper time with the precious children that God has given you.
The great pioneer missionary, David Livingstone, wrote to a friend, “I hope you are
playing with your children .... In looking back ... I have one regret, and that is that I
did not feel it my duty to play with my children as much as to teach the [natives]. I
worked very hard at that, and was tired out at night.
ow I have none to play with.
So, my good friend, play while you may. They will soon be no longer bairns”
(George Seaver, David Livingstone). What is the point to fret and sweat when all
you get is wet, and then regret that you missed the best of what God had for you?
7. Commentators struggle to avoid saying it is fruitless to rise early, and to stay up
late as literal wisdom, and at the same time make it clear that doing so is of no value
without God’s input. They don’t want the Bible to be saying it is okay to be lazy and
indifferent to the amount of work you do, but they also want it to be saying that
zealous human effort alone will not lead to ultimate success. The struggle for
balance is what is sought in interpreting this verse. Barnes, for example, wrote,
“The psalmist does not here say that it is improper to rise early; or that there could
be no advantage in it; or that people would be more likely to be successful in their
undertakings if they did not rise early; but that, although this was done, they would
be still altogether dependent on God. Mere early rising, without his blessing, would
not secure what they hoped to accomplish, for everything is still in the hand of God.
Health, strength, clearness of mind, and success, are all under his control; and
though early rising may tend to produce all these - as it does in fact - yet still people
are not the less dependent on God for success.”
8. Spurgeon makes these comments: “Some deny themselves needful rest; the
morning sees them rise before they are rested, the evening sees them toiling long
after the curfew has tolled the knell of parting day. They threaten to bring
themselves into the sleep of death by neglect of the sleep which refreshes life.
or is
their sleeplessness the only index of their daily fret; they stint themselves in their
meals, they eat the commonest food, and the smallest possible quantity of it, and
what they do swallow is washed down with the salt tears of grief, for they fear that
daily bread will fail them. Hard earned is their food, scantily rationed, and scarcely

13. ever sweetened, but perpetually smeared with sorrow; and all because they have no
faith in God, and find no joy except in hoarding up the gold which is their only
trust.
ot thus, not thus, would the Lord have his children live. He would have
them, as princes of the blood, lead a happy and restful life. Let them take a fair
measure of rest and a due portion of food, for it is for their health. Of course the
true believer will never be lazy or extravagant; if he should be he will have to suffer
for it; but he will not think it needful or right to be worried and miserly. Faith
brings calm with it, and banishes the disturbers who both by day and by night
murder peace.
"For so he giveth his beloved sleep." Through faith the Lord makes his chosen ones
to rest in him in happy freedom from care. The text may mean that God gives
blessings to his beloved in sleep, even as he gave Solomon the desire of his heart
while he slept. The meaning is much the same: those whom the Lord loves are
delivered from the fret and fume of life, and take a sweet repose upon the bosom of
their Lord. He rests them; blesses them while resting; blesses them more in resting
than others in their moiling and toiling. God is sure to give the best thing to his
beloved, and we here see that he gives them sleep -- that is a laying aside of care, a
forgetfulness of need, a quiet leaving of matters with God: this kind of sleep is better
than riches and honor.
ote how Jesus slept amid the hurly burly of a storm at sea.
He knew that he was in his Father's hands, and therefore he was so quiet in spirit
that the billows rocked him to sleep: it would be much oftener the same with us if we
were more like HIM.”
8B. An unknown author gives another example: “God gives quiet sleep as a token of
his love; yea, in the times of their greatest peril. Thus Peter in prison when he was
bound with chains, beset with soldiers, and to die the next day, yet see how fast he
was found asleep (Ac 12:6-7): "The same night Peter was sleeping, and behold the
angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison", yet Peter slept
till the angel smote him on the side and raised him up: so God "gives his beloved
sleep", and let his beloved give him the honor; and the rather because herein God
answers our prayer, herein God fulfils his promise.” “Is it not our prayer that God
would prevent fear, and afford refreshing sleep? and is it not God's answer when in
sleep he doth sustain us? "I cried (says David) unto the Lord with my voice, and he
heard me out of his holy hill. I laid me down and slept, for the Lord sustained me":
Psalms 3:4-3. Philip Goodwin adds this text, “Is it not God's promise to vouchsafe
sleep free from frights? "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou
shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet": Proverbs 3:24. Henry Milvill adds this
interpretation: "Surely he giveth his beloved sleep", may be taken as parallel to
what is promised in Isaiah -- "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is
stayed on thee." Whatever you can understand by the "peace" in the one case, you
may also understand by the "sleep" in the other.”
9. Spurgeon quotes another who says, “The bread of sorrows means the bread of
toil, of wearisome effort. Do what you ought to do, and the Lord will take care of
that which you cannot do. Compare Proverbs 10:22: "The blessing of the Lord, it
maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it", which means, "The blessing of
Jehovah maketh rich, and toil can add nothing thereto." Compare also Matthew

14. 6:25: "Take no thought be not anxious for your life", etc.
10. John Piper has some good comments on the two possible translations of this
verse. He wrote, “Some translations say, "He gives his beloved sleep." Either is a
possible translation from the Hebrew. One implies that God helps a person rest at
night, the other implies that while a person is resting God is busily at work in the
world to bless him. Which fits the context better? The first half of verse 2 says that it
is vain to rise early and go late to rest, but how would the simple statement that God
gives sleep discourage a person from rising early and going to bed late? He is not
interested in his sleep; he's worried and wants to be about his work. But if Solomon
meant, as I think he did, "God gives to his beloved in his sleep," then there is a
tremendously strong incentive to stop being anxious and cutting our sleep short. The
incentive is this: God can perform more good for those who trust him while they
sleep than they can perform with anxious labor for themselves while awake. Can
you think of a better reason not to rise early and go late to rest, eating the bread of
anxious toil?
Have you ever wondered why God made us in such a way that we have to sleep
away a third of our lives? God could have designed a human being that was always
fresh and rested and needed no sleep. Why did he decree that sleep be part of
human experience? I'll give you my opinion. He wanted to give a universal reminder
to the human race that we are but children and ought to own up to it. We are so
frail that we have to become helpless and unconscious and blind and weak every day
in order to live at all. Sleep is a terribly humbling experience. We are never more
weak, never more childlike than when we sleep in faith. And has not God said, "My
power is made perfect in weakness"! And, "Unless you turn and become like little
children, you will not enter the kingdom of God." If God's power is made perfect in
our weakness, then surely we may believe this psalm that when we hand over our
anxieties to God and lay our heads down in peace, God works with all his might
through the night on our behalf.”
11. The bottom line for me is that this is like one of Solomon’s proverbs, and it
means that wisdom invites God into daily life so that all of life is not devoted to
getting ahead with unceasing labor and anxiety. The believer trusts God to provide,
and prays accordingly, “Give us this day our daily bread.” They do not lose sleep
worrying about where there next meal is coming from, or because they are not
content with their resources, and so labor beyond measure to store up more than is
needed. It simply means that life is so much easier if we relax and trust in God, and
this less anxious life style will almost always produce a life with more contented
sleep. It is confirming the sayings, “Let go and let God.”; and “Slow down and smell
the roses.”
12. Spurgeon wrote on the universal gift of sleep, and of what a great blessing it is.
He wrote, “O my friends, how thankful should we be for sleep. Sleep is the best
physician that I know of. Sleep hath healed more pains of wearied bones than the
most eminent physicians upon earth. It is the best medicine; the choicest thing of all
the names which are written in all the lists of pharmacy. There is nothing like to
sleep! What a mercy it is that it belongs alike to all! God does not make sleep the

15. boon of the rich man, he does not give it merely to the noble, or the rich, so that they
can keep it as a peculiar luxury for themselves; but he bestows it upon all. Yea, if
there be a difference, the sleep of the labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or
much. He who toils, sleeps all the sounder for his toil. While luxurious effeminacy
cannot rest, tossing itself from side to side upon a bed of eider down, the hard-working
labourer, with his strong and powerful limbs, worn out and tired, throws
himself upon his hard couch and sleeps: and waking, thanks God that he has been
refreshed. Ye know not, my friends, how much ye owe to God, that he gives you rest
at night. If ye had sleepless nights, ye would then value the blessing. If for weeks ye
lay tossing on your weary bed, ye then would thank God for this favour. But as it is
the gift of God, it is a gift most precious, one that cannot be valued until it is taken
away; yea, even then we cannot appreciate it as we ought.”
13. Then Spurgeon wrote of the specific sleep he gave to his servants. “First, there is
a miraculous sleep which God has sometimes given to his beloved―which he does
not now vouchsafe. Into that kind of miraculous sleep, or rather trance, fell Adam,
when he slept sorrowfully and alone; but when he awoke he was no more so, for
God had given him that best gift which he had then bestowed on man. The same
sleep Abram had, when it is said that a deep sleep came on him, and he laid him
down, and saw a smoking furnace and a burning lamp, while a voice said to him,
"Fear not, Abram; I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." Such a
hallowed sleep also was that of Jacob, when, with a stone for his pillow, the hedges
for his curtains, he laid him down and slumbered. Dreaming, he saw a ladder set
upon the earth, the top of which reached to heaven, the angels of God ascending and
descending upon it. Such a sleep had Joseph, when he dreamed that the other
sheaves made obeisance to his sheaf, and that the sun, moon, and seven stars were
subject unto him. So ofttimes did David rest, when his sleep was sweet unto him, as
we have just read. And such a sleep was that of Daniel, when he said, "I was asleep
upon my face, and behold the Lord said unto me, Arise, and stand upon thy feet."
And such, moreover, was the sleep of the reputed father of our blessed Lord, when
in a vision of the night, an angel said to him, "Arise, Joseph, and take the young
child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, for Herod will seek the young child to
destroy him." These are miraculous slumbers. God's angel hath touched his
servants with the magic wand of sleep, and they have slept, not simply as we do, but
slept a wondrous sleep; they have dived into the tenfold depths of slumber; they
have plunged into a sea of sleep, where they have seen the invisible, talked with the
unknown, and heard mystic and wondrous sounds: and when they awoke, they have
said, "What a sleep! Surely, my sleep was sweet unto me." "So he giveth his beloved
sleep."
13 B. Spurgeon goes on, “Then look at Peter. Did you ever notice that remarkable
passage, where it is said that Herod intended to bring out Peter on the morrow; but,
behold, as Peter was sleeping between two guards, the angel smote him? Sleeping
between two guards, when on the morrow he was to be crucified or slain! He cared
not, for his heart was clear; he had committed no ill. He could say, "If it be right to
serve God or man, judge ye;" and, therefore, he laid him down and slept. O sirs! do
ye know what the sleep of a quiet conscience is? Have you ever stood out and been

16. the butt of calumny—pelted by all men; the object of scorn—the laugh, the song of
drunkards? And have ye known what it is, after all, to sleep, as if you cared for
nothing, because your heart was pure? Ah! ye who are in debt—ah! ye who are
dishonest—ah! ye who love not God, and love not Christ—I wonder ye can sleep, for
sin doth put pricking thorns in the pillow. Sin puts a dagger in a man's bed, so that
whichever way he turns it pricks him. But a quiet conscience is the sweetest music
that can lull the soul to sleep.” “It is a blessed thing to be able to say with Madame
Guyon—
To me 'tis equal, whether love ordained,
My life or death, appoint me pain or ease;
My soul perceives no real ill in pain,
In ease or health, no real good she sees.
One good she covets, and that good alone,
To choose thy will, from selfish bias free,
And to prefer a cottage to a throne,
And grief to comfort, if it pleases thee.
That we should bear the cross is thy command—
Die to the world, and live to sin no more;
Suffer unmoved beneath the rudest hand,
As pleased when shipwrecked, as when safe on shore.
14. Sleep is a large subject in the Bible, and Ken Gehrels has compiled these
examples: Sleep - a topic mentioned surprisingly often in the Bible.
Sometimes in a bad way:
- there is the sleep of sloth; like those chastised in Proverbs for snoozing away
harvest time.
-there is the sleep of indifference; like godless people against whom the Bible says,
"Let us not sleep... but let us who are of the day be sober."
- there is the sleep of false security; like King Saul who falls asleep, and his general,
Abner, falls asleep beside him. David, whom - they’ve been stalking, sneaks in and
could easily have killed him.
- there is the sleep of lust; think of Samson at Delilah’s house.
- there is the sleep of sorrow; think of the disciples in Gethsemane.
Sleep.
Ah, but then there is good sleep. The sleep that God grants. Holy sleep:

17. - the sleep of someone who is receiving a vision; like Abraham or Peter, and in that
vision sees God’s care and direction for their lives.
- the sleep of a quiet conscience; Peter, between two guards and in jail for his faith,
asleep even while in chains. His heart is right with the Lord and this man is
confident of eternal security. So he sleeps.
A quiet conscience. Where can we truly find that, but at the foot of the cross? Ah,
yes – sleep, good sleep...... a gift from God.
- And the sleep of contentment; the person satisfied with her lot in life, finding
comfort that she belongs body and soul, in life and in death, to her faithful Saviour
Jesus Christ.... who will work all things together for her salvation.... who provides
for all that she needs in far greater measure than he does for the lily.
There’s an old poem that says:
Mortals cease from toil and sorrow
For God provideth for the morrow.
3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.
1. Right away we have a problem of interpretation again, for if we take this literally,
then parents who have only daughters are not in on God’s heritage, and those
Christian couples who cannot have children receive no reward, for it is limited to
those who have children. Texts like this can be a downer for those to whom they do
not apply literally. We need to take Solomon’s writing as general wisdom, and that
which applies in normal circumstances to the majority of people, and not take it as
the only truth, or only perspective on a subject. To apply this to families who live in
poverty, and who have no funds to prevent pregnancy, and who, therefore, have
child after child with no hope of survival or successful lives, is folly. This is a picture
of the ideal, and not a stamp of approval on every child that is brought into the
world. Many a child is the wages of sin, and immoral behavior contrary to the will
of God, but for the righteous couple seeking a growing family, this is a fact of life
that brings great rejoicing.
2. Calvin seems to think that this is saying that all children are the result of God’s
determination. He wrote, “The meaning then is, that, children are not the fruit of
chance, but that God, as it seems good to him, distributes to every man his share of
them. Moreover, as the Prophet repeats the same thing twice, heritage and reward
are to be understood as equivalent; for both these terms are set in opposition to
fortune, or the strength of men. The stronger a man is he seems so much the better
fitted for procreation. Solomon declares on the contrary, that those become fathers
to whom God vouchsafes that honor.” The problem with this is that it does not fit

18. the child of David born from his adultery with Bathsheba. God took the child in
judgment for his sin, even though he pleaded desperately for the child. God did not
approve of the affair, nor of the fruit of the affair, and we can assume that it is the
case also with the millions of other children born as a result of disobedience to this
revealed will. God cannot be on both sides of the issue. He cannot be ordaining the
conception and birth of children due to sin, and at the same time condemning it as
out of his will. It is wrong and sinful to have children out of his will by sinful
behavior, and so it cannot also be his will that such children we the result of his will.
It is inconsistent with God’s Word to call all children a reward from Him. God did
reward David with other children with Bathsheba when they were married, and
Solomon himself is the great example, but the child born out of wedlock was not
God’s reward.
3. Barnes wrote, “Of course, this is not universally true, but the promise is a general
one, in accordance with the usual promises in the Bible in regard to the result of
piety.” Thomas Goodwin sees this with a very specific application. He wrote, “The
Psalmist speaks of what children are unto godly and holy parents, for unto such
only is any blessing given by God as a reward, and the Psalmist expressly speaks of
blessings which God gives his beloved ones, and this blessing of children he makes to
be the last and greatest. It is also as certain that he speaks of children as supposed to
be holy and godly; for otherwise they are not a reward, but a curse, and a sorrow to
him that begat them. The Psalm was made, as appears by the title of it, "of or for
Solomon", and therefore, as it is more than probable, was penned, as that other
Psalm, the 72nd, which bears the same title, by David the father, of and for Solomon
his son, who was, for his father's sake, "the beloved of God." (2 Samuel 12:24-25 ),
and upon whom the sure covenant and mercies of David were entailed, together
with his kingdom. And what is said in this Psalm, in the verses before, fitly agrees to
him, for he it was who was to build God's house, to keep and preserve Jerusalem the
city, and the kingdom in peace, and to have rest, or as the Psalmist calls it (Psalms
127:3), quiet sleep given him by God from all his enemies round about him. And for
this, compare the prophecy of him ( 1 Chronicles 22:9-10 ) with the instructions here
given him in the three first verses of this Psalm, and ye will see how fitly this Psalm
concerns him.”
4. Joseph Caryl makes it clear that it is not a universal, but a specific and limited
reality. He wrote, “Children are chiefly a blessing to the children of God. "Lo,
children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." But
are not houses and lands, gold and silver, an heritage bestowed by the Lord upon his
people? Doubtless they are, for the earth is his, and the fullness of it, and he gives it
to the children of men. But though all things are of God, yet all things are not alike
of him: children are more of God than houses and lands.” In other words, you
cannot make this verse apply to the many children born to families out of God’s will
who will be taught to worship idols, and live lives that are despicable in the eyes of
God.
5. Pastor Steven Cole recognizes the problem in trying to apply this Psalm to all

19. believers. He wrote, “I also realize that the subject of family life doesn’t directly
apply to everyone here. You may be single and not have your own family. You may
be divorced and feel like you’ve failed because your family is shattered beyond
recovery. Maybe your family is already raised and gone. Perhaps you’re married
without children. I cannot apply these things to every possible category represented
here today.” It is just a fact of life that not every subject the Bible deals with applies
to every believer at the same time, and sometimes it is a topic that never applies to
many believers. Life is too complex to think that all subjects are relevant to all
believers.
6. Bob Deffinbaugh wrote, “Some scholars have suggested that this Psalm was
originally two separate psalms. They propose this because the connection between
verses 1 and 2 and verses 3-5 is an enigma to them. I personally am convinced that
there is a very clear sequence and progression of thought. Children provide an
excellent conclusion to the argument of verses 1 and 2. Children illustrate and apply
positively the truths previously taught from a somewhat negative perspective. The
provision of children differs from that for which men toil. When men work they are
striving for wages, not a gift. Wages are what we produce with the work of our
hands. Gifts are those things generously and graciously given to us by another.
Children, verse 3 informs us, are a gift from God. They are a great reward.”
7. Deffinbaugh goes on, “Isn’t it interesting that children, while given by God, are
conceived when we are at rest, not when we toil. Children are normally conceived in
bed. What a beautiful illustration, then, of what we are told in verse 2, that God
gives to His beloved in his sleep…..” Deffinbaugh is going by a different translation,
and he uses it to eliminate the sleep issue, and I like it as a solution, for it works and
is a reality. He is using the
ASB, which renders it, “For He gives to His beloved
even in his sleep.” It is when sleeping with his wife that the Lord gives him the fruit
of his loins, and he is given children. It is by means of making love and not putting
in long hours that he has the blessing of a family.
7B. Deffinbaugh continues, “Do you see the point of the Psalm? The man who puts
too much stock in his labor is the man who has failed to understand the grace of
God. In His grace God has provided man with a time of rest and relaxation. And in
His grace God has made provision for many of our needs through the gift of
children. Contrary to the thinking of the workaholic, God’s gifts are not acquired
by feverish efforts, burning the candle at both ends, but by resting in His grace.”
What I see him saying is that the greatest rewards and gifts come to the believer in
rest and relaxation, and in trusting God rather than in working our fingers to the
bone. Workaholics build a house of many rooms, but those who slow down and
enjoy God’s provisions of a family build a much happier house that brings greater
pleasure to God and man.
8. The above view of Deffinbaugh is supported by others. Wayne Shih, for example
wrote, “Verse three says, “Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward
from him.” The word “heritage” or “inheritance” draws upon the idea of a gift. It’s

20. something that belonged to someone else but has been left to an heir. It’s something
that has been given as a trust. In the ancient world, where life was fragile and infant
mortality was high, to have children and to see them grow and become strong was a
real cause for joy. But where do children come from? I don’t mean that as a sex
education question. I mean, children are a gift and a trust from God Eugene
Peterson writes, “The example couldn’t have been better chosen. What do we do to
get sons [or daughters]? Very little. The entire miracle of procreation and
reproduction requires our participation, but hardly in the form of what we call our
work. We did not make these marvelous creatures that walk and talk and grow
among us. We participated in an act of love which was provided for us in the
structure of God’s creation (A Long Obedience inthe Same Direction, 105-106).
4. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.
1. Arrows are a source of protection. It is a dangerous situation to be facing an
enemy without weapons, and so it is a source of great comfort to have arrows in
your hands as you march forward. To be unarmed is to be at the mercy of the foe.
Having sons when you are young, which is the age when you are obligated to be a
warrior and endure combat, is a great source of comfort. They give you confidence
that you can face your enemies with assurance that you have backup that will give
you the victory. Someone wrote, “
aturally speaking, as arrows exceed a man's own
reach, so children exceed the span of his life -- projecting into the future the father's
influence either for good or ill, long after his death.” Like arrows shot out ahead of
the warrior, so children are shot out ahead in life to give the warrior an impact on
the future.
2. Barnes adds another value when he writes, “They are what a parent may rely on
for defense in danger, or for help in securing provision for himself and family - as
the warrior or the hunter relies on his arrows. Sons in their youth; in their prime
and vigor. The comparison of sons with arrows or spears is common in Arabic
poetry. “ Clarke adds, “Each child will, in the process of time, be a defense and
support to the family, as arrows in the quiver of a skillful and strong archer…” Gill
adds, “so are children of the youth: not young children, or children in their youth;
but such who are born to their parents when they are in their youth; and which are
generally healthful and strong, and their parents live to see them grown up; and
who are useful to protect them, and defend their persons and properties from
enemies when grown old and feeble, and unable to defend themselves…”
3. Spurgeon wrote, “As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of
the youth. Children born to men in their early days, by God's blessing become the
comfort of their riper years. A man of war is glad of weapons which may fly where
he cannot: good sons are their father's arrows speeding to hit the mark which their

21. sires aim at. What wonders a good man can accomplish if he has affectionate
children to second his desires, and lend themselves to his designs! To this end we
must have our children in hand while they are yet children, or they are never likely
to be so when they are grown up; and we must try to point them and straighten
them, so as to make arrows of them in their youth, lest they should prove crooked
and unserviceable in after life. Let the Lord favor us with loyal, obedient,
affectionate offspring, and we shall find in them our best helpers. We shall see them
shot forth into life to our comfort and delight, if we take care from the very
beginning that they are directed to the right point.”
4. Steven Cole wrote, “Arrows must be shaped and sharpened. In Solomon’s day,
you didn’t go down to the local sporting goods store and buy arrows.
either did
you find them lying around on the ground. Sticks aren’t arrows by nature. They
had to be carefully shaped and sharpened. Children are the same. This implies
work. Derek Kidner insightfully writes, “... It is not untypical of God’s gifts that
first they are liabilities, or at least responsibilities, before they become obvious
assets. The greater their promise, the more likely that these sons will be a handful
before they are a quiverful” (p. 442). Children don’t grow into straight, sharp
arrows by being left to themselves or to the TV set. It takes diligent effort on the
part of a wise father to bring them up in the training of the Lord.”
5. Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
1. Of course, Solomon was all for having a large family with unlimited numbers of
children. He had a thousand wives and concubines, and he had more wealth than
anyone else we know of in history. In the same circumstances most everyone would
be all for an extended nursery, with paid help to raise and care for the overflowing
quiver. On the other hand, there are those who can barely afford one arrow in their
quiver, and they would feel cursed rather than blessed if they had to support a full
quiver of them. Trying to apply this in all people, and in all nations, especially very
poor ones where poverty is overwhelming, it meaningless. What Solomon is saying is
that in the circumstances of his time, and in his nation, where abundance was
everywhere, it was considered by the public to be a great blessing to have a large
number of children.
2. A large family at that time could be an enormous help in running the family farm,
or business. They would supply an abundance of love and fun, and they would be a
force to be reckoned with in any conflict. I would feel quite secure with 4 or 5 big
husky sons walking beside we when we are confronted with a couple of bullies

22. looking for trouble. It is not likely that I will walk away from the conflict in shame,
for it is more likely that the bullies will be crawling away in shame. I would be
walking around with my own body guard, and be humming to myself, “How blessed
I am to have a quiver full of these boys.” Phillips agrees with this and wrote,
“….the object of the verse is doubtless to show, that a numerous progeny is a great
blessing to a man, and an important addition to his strength and safety; that they
will be a defense to him in a time of danger, and serve him to repel an enemy, as
arrows do in the hand of a mighty man." Barnes put it, “The meaning is, that they
would do honor to the family, and gratify the heart of the parent, by their valor in
defending their city and home, or in attacking the cities of the enemies of their
country.” Spurgeon put it, “
obody cares to meddle with a man who can gather a
clan of brave sons about him.”
3. The above is certainly a valid interpretation, but it is not likely the only thought
Solomon had in mind, for he was a man of peace, and was not likely one who was
out ready for a brawl with strangers, or contending with enemy forces at the gate.
He more likely had in mind the idea that when he dealt with issues of debate with
those who differed from him in the gate, where many decisions of law and
government were decided, he would have the support of a large number of his
family, which made him a substantial member of the community with a bigger voice
in matters that effected the community than those with few or no children. In other
words, a large family made him superior in authority, and with greater validity in
his defense of his perspective. It was clearly a political advantage.
4. Clarke points out that the courts were held at the gate of the city, and if a man is
falsely accused of a crime he has to defend himself, and if he has a large family he
has many witnesses to his integrity and his whereabouts at the time of the crime. In
other words, his large family is his key defense against his enemies who are accusing
him of wrong doing. Clarke sees this as a possible interpretation, but still prefers to
see it as a matter of having a good size force in case he needs to defend his property.
Gill agreed, and wrote, “The sense is, that their children should stand and plead the
cause of their parents against their adversaries in courts of judicature;…”
5. Spurgeon has mixed emotions about this verse, for he defends the value of the
verse, and then in the end of the paragraph concludes that it really does not make a
difference in the long run, and even the childless couple can be just as happy. It
makes sense to be ambiguous on this matter, for there is endless variety in the world
of happy families, and happy couples. He wrote, “Happy is the man that hath his
quiver full of them. Those who have no children bewail the fact; those who have few
children see them soon gone, and the house is silent, and their life has lost a charm;
those who have many gracious children are upon the whole the happiest. Of course
a large number of children means a large number of trials; but when these are met
by faith in the Lord it also means a mass of love, and a multitude of joys. The writer
of this comment gives it as his own observation, that he has seen the most frequent
unhappiness in marriages which are unfruitful; that he has himself been most
grateful for two of the best of sons; but as they have both grown up, and he has no

23. child at home, he has without a tinge of murmuring, or even wishing that he were
otherwise circumstanced, felt that it might have been a blessing to have had a more
numerous family: he therefore heartily agrees with the Psalmist's verdict herein
expressed. He has known a family in which there were some twelve daughters and
three sons, and he never expects to witness upon earth greater domestic felicity than
fell to the lot of their parents, who rejoiced in all their children, as the children also
rejoiced in their parents and in one another. When sons and daughters are arrows,
it is well to have a quizzer full of them; but if they are only sticks, knotty and
useless, the fewer of them the better. While those are blessed whose quiver is full,
there is no reason to doubt that many are blessed who have no quiver at all; for a
quiet life may not need such a warlike weapon. Moreover, a quiver may be small
and yet full; and then the blessing is obtained. In any case we may be sure that a
man's life consisteth not in the abundance of children that he possesseth.”
6. This Psalm obviously fits a war like culture where combat is a regular part of life.
It our culture it does not seem appropriate, for we do not think of our children as
weapons needed for protection of our persons and properties. We need to see them
as precious for other reasons than warfare, and so quantity is not now as essential as
in the days where numbers were important in combat. Steven Cole has some words
of wisdom for parents at this point. He wrote, “Children are called a “gift,” a
“reward,” and, indirectly (v. 5), a “blessing.” They are not burdens or interruptions
to our pursuit of our self-centered goals. We need to treasure our children as we
would a precious gift from a wealthy friend, because that is what they are. If
children are gifts from God, two applications follow: (1) Communicate verbally to
your children how precious they are to you. Let them know in words that they are
God’s special gift to you. You don’t do this to “build their self-esteem,” an
unbiblical concept that has come to us from psychology. You do it to instill in
them the realization that they were created by a loving, sovereign God for His
sovereign purpose. Since my kids were infants, I’ve told them repeatedly, “You’re
such a blessing! I’m so glad God gave you to us!” Children need to hear that
verbally from both parents, but especially from their dads. (2) Communicate non-verbally
to your children how precious they are to you. One of the key ways to do
this is to spend time with them. That says, louder than words, “You’re more
important to me than my job or my other interests.” Kids often interpret an
absent father as rejection, even if he thinks that his absence is a sacrifice he’s
making to provide for them. A child who feels rejected will often grow angry and
bitter.”
7. Some feel that a quiver full is a little too much, and they would rather see the
glass half empty at least. Adrian Dieleman gives us a word picture of the paradox
of children, for it is clear to all parents that they are both precious and painful. He
wrote, “We know from Psalm 127 how precious our children really are: "Blessed
is the man whose quiver is full of them."

24. "Stop that wrestling. Look what you just did. You wrecked the end table."
Aren't children a precious gift from above? Aren't they one of life's richest
blessings?
"Why would you slide down the roof and hood of the car? What possessed
you to make it more slippery by throwing gravel on top? Look at all the
scratches and gouges."
How dreary this world would be without the pitter-patter of little feet, the melodic
strains of their laughter, the happy looks on their sun-freckled faces.
"Where is my screwdriver? I keep telling you to put everything back."
How fragile a child! How short is the time we have to delight in them. Moms and
Dads, enjoy your children when they are little. And don't bruise their tender souls
or burst the delicious bubble of their happiness ...
"Don't fill your glass over the floor ... Oh no! Juice all over the floor I just
washed. That does it!"
The psalmist does not tell us children are a gift of God because they are always so
much fun or because they are so sweet and cute. The Promised Land was a heritage
from God too. And, it took the Israelites years of struggle to wrestle this land from
the Canaanites. Even then the land remained a mixed blessing. So it goes with the
bundles of joy God entrusts to parents. Being a parent does involve struggle and
trial.”
7B. Dieleman ends his message on this Psalm with these words, “I would like to end
with a prayer of General Douglas MacArthur for his son.
Title: Build Me a Son, Lord
Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak,
and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud
and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a
son who will know You [and Christ].
Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and
spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm;
here let him learn compassion for those who fail.

25. Build me a son whose heart will be clean, whose goal will be high; a son who
will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to
laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet
never forget the past.
And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so
that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him
humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of greatness, the
open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.
Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, "I have not lived in vain."
8. Matt Slick has written this conclusion to this Psalm, and it is a fitting way to end
this study, for he wraps it up nicely.
“This Psalm calls you to recognize and acknowledge that God is the true builder
and that all you do must be done in an attitude of humble dependence upon Him. It
calls you to look to God for your security, both on a national and in a personal level.
It calls you to trust God for your safety and the safety of your family and to
recognize that God blesses His people with children. His children. Your dependence
upon God, as Christians, will not produce vain effort. If you seek God's will in all
you do and have, then it is not vain work. On that day of judgment, when the Lord
Jesus judges all the secrets of men and women and the fires of purification remove
the pure works from the impure, your works will stand... if they were done for the
Lord, if they were blessed by Him, if you gave to Him all that you do and have. In
humility, seek God in all you do. Seek His will. Give to Him your work, your
security, your family... and He will bless you.”