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La Biblia Reina-Valera
Salmos 127:1
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Cántico de ascenso gradual; de Salomón.
Si el Señor no edifica la casa, en vano trabajan los que la edifican; si el Señor no guarda la ciudad, en vano vela la guardia.�C�ntico gradual: para Salom�n� Si Jehov� no edificare la casa, en vano trabajan los que la edifican; si Jehov� no guardare la ciudad, en vano vela la guarda.
Canci�n de las gradas: para Salom�n. Si el SE�OR no edificare la casa, en vano trabajan los que la edifican; si el SE�OR no guardare la ciudad, en vano vela la guardia.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
for Solomon: or, of Solomon, Psalms 72:1, *title
The Lord: Psalms 33:16-18, Proverbs 16:9, Proverbs 21:30, Proverbs 21:31, Ecclesiastes 9:11, 1 Corinthians 3:7
build: 1 Chronicles 22:10, 1 Chronicles 22:11, 1 Chronicles 28:10, 1 Chronicles 28:20, 1 Chronicles 29:19, 1 Corinthians 3:9-15
they labour: 1 Corinthians 15:14, Galatians 4:11
that build it: Heb. that are builders of it in it
except: Psalms 121:3-5, Isaiah 27:3, Zechariah 2:4, Zechariah 2:5
the watchman: Song of Solomon 3:3, Song of Solomon 5:7, Isaiah 21:5-12, Isaiah 56:10, Isaiah 62:6, Jeremiah 51:12, Jeremiah 51:31, Ezekiel 33:2-9
Reciprocal: Genesis 1:28 - General Genesis 2:22 - made Genesis 24:12 - I pray Genesis 28:3 - God Exodus 1:21 - made them Leviticus 26:6 - ye shall Leviticus 26:20 - your strength Deuteronomy 8:18 - he that Joshua 2:2 - told the king Joshua 6:1 - because 2 Samuel 7:11 - he will make 1 Kings 2:24 - made me 2 Kings 6:27 - whence 2 Kings 7:10 - the porter 2 Kings 19:26 - of small power 1 Chronicles 17:10 - the Lord 2 Chronicles 17:5 - the Lord Nehemiah 7:3 - Let not the gates Psalms 121:4 - he that Isaiah 21:8 - I stand Isaiah 37:27 - their inhabitants Jeremiah 51:58 - the people Habakkuk 2:13 - is it Malachi 1:4 - They shall build Luke 5:5 - we Romans 11:25 - until 1 Corinthians 3:6 - God 1 Thessalonians 2:1 - in vain
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it,.... Whether it be understood literally of an artificial house, as Solomon's own house; or the house of the Lord, or any other: let a man be ever so bent upon building one, or have ever so much skill in drawing the plan of it, or be ever so well provided to go through the expense of it, or have ever so many hands employed in it, yet, if the Lord does not give success, it will all be in vain; the building will fall down, or be consumed by fire before it is finished; or by one providence or another he will be obliged to desist from it, as in the case of the builders of the tower and city of Babel. Or whether it be understood of a family, which is built up by an increase and multiplication of children; so Leah and Rachel built up the house of Israel, Ruth 4:11; this depends upon the providence of God; for, as it is after said, "children are an heritage of the Lord", Psalms 127:3. Or whether it be understood, figuratively and mystically, of the church God, the house of the living God; the house of Christ, a spiritual one; a Gospel church, whose materials are lively stones, or true believers. Now there are builders in this house, some indeed very bad ones; and it is no wonder that they labour in vain, who reject and lay aside the foundation and corner stone, Christ; who deny his deity, despise his righteousness; or mix grace and works, law and Gospel, together, and pluck down with one hand what they build with another: and though there are others that are good ones, and lay the foundation, Christ; and build on this foundation precious truths, comparable to gold, silver, and precious stones; minister the word, and administer the ordinances, truly and faithfully; and in all direct to Christ for grace, strength, peace, comfort, and eternal life; speak to edification, and are the means of reviving the graces of God's people, and of establishing their souls; as well as of the conversion of sinners, whereby the house of God is built up; yet if the Lord does not prosper their work, all is in vain. For the principal builder is God, Father, Son, and Spirit; this is mostly applied to the second Person, the Word and Wisdom of God, Proverbs 9:1; but not to the exclusion of the Father, who has laid in Zion a foundation, a precious corner stone, and builds souls on it; nor of the Spirit, through whom saints are built up an habitation for God, Isaiah 28:16. The Targum here is,
"if the Word of the Lord does not build the city.''
It follows,
except the Lord keep the city; the city Jerusalem, as the Targum; who also here makes mention of the Word of the Lord: or any other city: God, with the Heathens t was called πολιευς, the keeper of cities; this title is given to Minerva by Pindar u, and is one of Jupiter's titles w;
the watchman waketh [but] in vain; to preserve it from riots, robberies, fires, c. This may be applied to the church of God, the city of the living God, of which saints are fellow citizens: now in this city there are watchmen, some indeed that are blind and asleep, and so quite unfit for this office but there are others who are awake and diligent, and watch in all things; and for the souls of men, and the good of the city, the church, to prevent heresies, errors, and immoralities; and yet all their watchfulness is in vain, unless the Lord keep it, who watches over his people for good, and that none hurt them; he wakeful, never slumbers nor sleeps, and constant night and day; and keeps his people by his power, and as tenderly as the apple of his eye.
t Aristotel. de Mundo, c. 7. Apuleius de Mundo, prope finem. Phurnutus de Natura Deor. c. 9. u Olympiad. Ode 5. w Pausaniae Attica, sive l. 1. p. 43, 53. Vid Theoph. ad Autolye. l. 1. p. 76.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Except the Lord build the house - Or rather, “a house.” The word “house” may refer either to an ordinary dwelling; to the temple, as a place of worship; or to a family, with reference to its success and prosperity, as the word house is often used now. The statement is universal, and is designed to indicate a universal dependence on God in human undertakings, though it is not improbable that there may have been an allusion, when the psalm was composed, to some building which was contemplated or commenced. If the psalm was a composition of David or Solomon, the allusion way have been to the temple about to be erected. The language, however, is so general as to be applicable to any enterprise of that kind.
They labor in vain that build it - literally, “In vain toil its builders in it.” The idea is, that they are entirely dependent on God. No matter what their skill, their strength, their industry may be - all will be in vain unless God shall assist them. They are dependent on Him for life, for health, for strength, for practical wisdom, for a disposition to continue their work, and for success in it. Their work might be destroyed by fire, by a tempest, by an earthquake, or by an irruption of enemies; and for the result, therefore, they are entirely dependent on God.
Except the Lord keep the city - The same idea of dependence is here repeated in another form. The preservation of a city depends wholly on God, whatever care or precaution may be used.
The watchman waketh but in vain - literally, “In vain waketh the keeper.” The word rendered waketh means to be sleepless; and then, to watch. The allusion is to the watch or guard appointed to keep a city, and the idea is, that, whatever may be the diligence, the care, the fidelity of one thus appointed to guard a city, its safe-keeping must depend on God alone. Fires may break out in spite of the watchmen; a tempest may sweep over it; bands of armed people may assail it; or the pestilence may suddenly come into it, and spread desolation through its dwellings. There may have been an allusion in this to some immediate arrangement for guarding Jerusalem when the psalm was composed; but the remark is so general that it is not necessary to confine it to that. It is universally true that, after all the care for their own preservation which people can employ, their safety depends wholly on God.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
PSALM CXXVII
The necessity of God's blessing on every undertaking, without
which no prosperity can be expected, 1, 2.
Children are a heritage from the Lord, 3, 4.
A fruitful wife is a blessing to her husband, 5.
NOTES ON PSALM CXXVII
The Hebrew, Chaldee, and Vulgate attribute this Psalm to Solomon. The Syriac says it is "A Psalm of David concerning Solomon; and that it was spoken also concerning Haggai and Zechariah, who forwarded the building of the temple." The Septuagint, AEthiopic, Arabic, and Anglo-Saxon have no title, but simply "A Psalm of Degrees." It was most likely composed for the building of the second temple, under Nehemiah, and by some prophet of that time.
Verse Psalms 127:1. Except the Lord build the house — To build a house is taken in three different senses in the sacred writings.
1. To build the temple of the Lord, which was called הבית habbeith, the house, by way of eminence.
2. To build any ordinary house, or place of dwelling.
3. To have a numerous offspring.
In this sense it is supposed to be spoken concerning the Egyptian midwives; that because they feared the Lord, therefore he built them houses. See the note on Exodus 1:21. But, however, the above passage may be interpreted, it is a fact that בן ben, a son, and בת bath, a daughter, and בית beith, a house, come from the same root בנה banah, to build; because sons and daughters build up a household, or constitute a family, as much and as really as stones and timber constitute a building. Now it is true that unless the good hand of God be upon us we cannot prosperously build a place of worship for his name. Unless we have his blessing, a dwelling-house cannot be comfortably erected. And if his blessing be not on our children, the house (the family) may be built up, but instead of its being the house of God, it will be the synagogue of Satan. All marriages that are not under God's blessing will be a private and public curse. This we see every day.
Except the Lord keep the city — When the returned Jews began to restore the walls of Jerusalem, and rebuild the city, Sanballat, Tobiah, and others formed plots to prevent it. Nehemiah, being informed of this, set up proper watches and guards. The enemy, finding this, gathered themselves together, and determined to fall upon them at once, and cut them all off. Nehemiah, having gained intelligence of this also, armed his people, and placed them behind the wall. Sanballat and his company, finding that the Jews were prepared for resistance, abandoned their project; and Nehemiah, to prevent surprises of this kind, kept one-half of the people always under arms, while the other half was employed in the work. To this the psalmist alludes; and in effect says, Though you should watch constantly, guard every place, and keep on your armour ready to repel every attack, yet remember the success of all depends upon the presence and blessing of God. While, therefore, ye are not slothful in business, be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; for there is no success either in spiritual or secular undertakings but in consequence of the benediction of the Almighty.
