The Lord Will Build
“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.” - Psalm 127 ESV
If you have been in the church for a while, you more than likely have heard this Psalm. Both the first half and second half of Psalm 127 are “famous” in the body of Christ. The first half speaks to God’s sovereignty and plan. The second half speaks to the blessing that children are to the family. Have you ever wondered why these things are together? Why is God’s sovereignty and children spoken in the same Psalm? There are no coincidences in God’s world, so there must be a reason for these things being together as they are. Here are three truths that we can gleam from Psalm 127 and how it’s all connected.
God Alone Builds
“Unless the LORD builds...” We see all over the scripture that God is sovereign over all things. Man will try to build. Mankind builds many things: cities, companies, legacies, empires, and more. However, God is sovereign over all of these things. He is the one who builds. God is the one who establishes all things. Man may claim to have built all these things, but ultimately, it is the Lord. We can take great comfort in knowing that the Lord of all creation has us in His hands, and the outcome of our life will be for our good (Romans 8:28).
God Gives Children
In God’s sovereignty, He is the one who provides families with children. Only the Lord can open and close the human body (Isaiah 66:9). He gives people children so that they will be blessed. If you are a parent, I’m sure you have felt this blessing in raising your children. However, we also know that raising children is one of, if not, the hardest things you will ever do. Sometimes that blessing can be overwhelming, difficult, and drive us to the lowest points we have ever been to. Which is when we can look back at the start of Psalm 127 and be comforted by the words “Unless the LORD builds...” How is that comforting you might ask? I pray you take comfort in God’s sovereignty and know that He will continue to lead you through parenthood. He is there for you. He cares for you. He loves you. And He loves your children more than you do. Call out to Him, and He will show you the way.
God’s Plan is Far Better Than Our Own
We all have plans for our lives as early as childhood. Those plans twist and turn and change over time, but God’s plan never changes. There are no backup or fallback plans. His plan is perfect, and it’s better than any plan we could ever make. Whether we plan on building some kind of legacy for people to remember, having a lot of children, or anything else we might plan, we can take comfort in knowing that what comes to pass will never be by random chance. God’s plan will indeed unfold before us. Our plans may fail, but God’s plan never will. We can trust that the Lord has a plan for us, and it will be the best story we could write for ourselves.
Trust in the Lord
I pray that this passage encourages you to trust the Lord even more than before. He is sovereign over all things, including the direction of our lives and our families. My encouragement to you is this: Let the Lord build! Trust Him to build your life the way He sees fit. You will never be disappointed!