We come to Psalm 127 in our Psalms of Ascent, long a favorite of mine, and, I’ll confess, I didn’t associate it with the Ascent psalms. I memorized it in KJV decades ago:

• Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: Except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
• It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows: For so he giveth his beloved sleep.
• Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: And the fruit of the womb is his reward.
• As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; So are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them:
• They shall not be ashamed, But they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. (Psalm 127.1 – 5, KJV)

Three uses of “vain” in the first two verses: my work is in vain if the LORD isn’t in it. Then three positive verses on the family: “Happy is the man whose quiver is full of children.” There are more positive verses on the family in Psalm 128. Stay tuned.

Here’s The Message:

• If GOD doesn’t build the house, the builders only build shacks. If GOD doesn’t guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap. It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?
• Don’t you see that children are GOD’s best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you; you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep. (Psalm 127, MSG)

Peterson deals with two extremes on our perspective on work.

• Babel

The greatest work project of the ancient world is a story of disaster. The unexcelled organization and enormous energy that were concentrated in building the Tower of Babel resulted in such a shattered community and garbled communication that civilization is still trying to recover. Effort, even if the effort is religious (perhaps especially when the effort is religious), does not in itself justify anything.

• Buddha

Eastern culture…manifests a deep-rooted pessimism regarding human effort. Since all work is tainted with selfishness and pride, the solution is to withdraw from all activity into pure being. The symbol of such an attitude is the Buddha—an enormous fat person sitting cross-legged, looking at his own navel. Motionless, inert, quiet. All trouble comes from doing too much; therefore do nothing. Step out of the rat race.

Peterson said there were people in Paul’s Thessalonica like that, and Paul had to address the problem:

Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you…For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. (2 Thessalonians 3.6 – 11, ESV)

Peterson goes on to say that work with the right perspective is a good thing. I’ve made that point many times, most recently a little over a week ago.

The premise of the psalm for all work is that God works: “If GOD doesn’t build the house . . . If GOD doesn’t guard the city . . .” The condition if presupposes that God does work: he builds; he guards…The Bible begins with the announcement “In the beginning God created”—not “sat majestic in the heavens,” not “was filled with beauty and love.” He created. He did something. He made something. He fashioned heaven and earth. The week of creation was a week of work. The days are described not by their weather conditions and not by their horoscope readings: Genesis 1 is a journal of work. We live in a universe and in a history where God is working.

And he concludes by pointing out that the most productive “work” we do – reproduction – doesn’t feel like work at all!

Don’t you see that children are GOD’s best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! (Psalm 127.3, 4, MSG)