What does it mean that "unless the Lord builds the house" the builders labor in vain (Psalm 127:1)?

"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." (v. 1.) It is contended that it should be rendered a house, and not the house. If we accept the correction, the teaching will be all the more emphatic, as in the application it will include Solomon's own house, the temple which he had the privilege of building, and the house or temple which will yet be rebuilt, first by the Jews in unbelief after their restoration, and finally by the Lord Himself after the establishment of His kingdom. (See Zechariah 6:12.)

We have, then, first of all, the general truth that all human undertakings are to no purpose unless the Lord is with us in them, guiding, controlling, and sustaining, unless, indeed, we are but carrying out His purposes and designs. It was well for Solomon to be deeply imbued with the conviction here expressed, seeing that one half of his reign (twenty years) was occupied in the erection of the house of the Lord and his own house. That he failed to remember the divine principle which he had been given to record is seen from the comment appended to the statement that he was seven years in building the Lord's house. "But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years," nearly twice seven. Alas! how often is it that we commence our own service in real dependence upon the Lord, with the full sense that we can do nothing apart from Him; and then, from one cause or another, even from delight in the work itself sometimes, we are betrayed into dependence upon our own methods or our own energies, or into losing sight of God's object through being occupied with our own.

Remark, moreover, that our own houses often come into competition with the Lord's house. Very solemn instruction is given on this head by the prophet Haggai. "Ye looked for much," he says to the restored remnant, "and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of Mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house." (Haggai 1:9.) We need, therefore, to ponder much upon this truth, that all our "building" is utterly in vain unless it is as accomplishing the Lord's work.

Dr. Weizmann looked back to the former times when inspired seers and poets of Israel spoke of universal justice and peace, and he looked forward to the time when, perhaps, a new word will come forth to a sorely-tried world. And such a time is coming, for the most eloquent and sublime of all those ancient prophets proclaimed, "Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people. and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isa. 2:3-4). But when will that be? Only when these same people believe the report of this same prophet, which hitherto they have not believed, and confess that He whom they crucified was wounded for their transgressions, and bruised for their iniquities (chap. 53:5). Will they do this? Not until they learn through still more bitter experiences than they have known hitherto that, without Christ, the Stone which was set at nought by the builders of their national life of old, and who is still set at nought by them and left out of their plans, their building must come to nothing. Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it (Ps. 127). And the Lord will only build upon and from the Headstone of the corner, even Christ, whom He raised up from the dead (Ps. 118:22; Mark 12:10; Acts 4:11). Then Jerusalem shall be all and more than Dr. Weizmann says it shall be, for all that God has said of it shall be fulfilled. "The remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people, as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass." And all the nations oft he earth shall look to Israel as the true spiritual, moral and intellectual centre, and they will say, "Come, let us go up to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths" (Mic. 4:3).

The prophetic application is of great interest, and it contains much encouragement for the remnant of a future day. From other scriptures we learn that the Jews will be restored to their own land while in unbelief, and that, in the attempt to revive their national splendour, they will build the temple. (See Isaiah 66:6; 2 Thess. 2:4, etc.) This will be carried on before the eyes of the pious remnant, those who "keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." But guided by the teaching of this Psalm, they will be comforted with the assurance that "except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it"; and they will thus be kept from being deceived by the building and the establishment of the gorgeous rites of the national temple. And surely a solemn warning is conveyed by these words to Christian builders. As Paul writes, "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon." (1 Cor. 3:10.) The one that builds in wood, hay, or stubble does but labour in vain, except, alas! to secure his suffering loss in the future or his own destruction. Truly the day will declare the character of every man's work, whether of Jewish or Christian builders, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

A question of translation has been raised on the last clause of this verse. It is contended by some that it should be rendered, "So He giveth His beloved in sleep." The word "in" however is not in the original; and out of some nine or ten versions consulted, almost all give the sentence as it stands in our version. Accepting this, then, as correct, we have to ascertain its meaning. The contrast drawn is manifestly between dependence on one's own energy and strength, and rest in the Lord. The first verse makes this clear. "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it," etc. This truth is enforced in verse 2, the psalmist urging the vanity of seeking to attain the proposed end by human energy. He teaches, in short, that the Lord gives to His beloved what others seek after by their own persevering efforts and carefulness. You, he says, hope by striving and anxious labour, to reach your haven; the Lord bestows rest, as gift and blessing, upon His people. We do not therefore think that "sleep" necessarily means natural sleep; but rather that it is a figure for peace or repose of mind or soul. And what a blessed lesson to learn, that peace can only be enjoyed as the Lord's gift. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Another point may be noticed. The Psalm is attributed to Solomon; the "for" in the title being more properly rendered "of" - that is, "A song of degrees of Solomon." This may explain to us the introduction of the "house" and the "city." Solomon had learnt the lesson, in building the temple, that his work would be in vain, unless the Lord built it; and so also, as regarded the security of Jerusalem, that it would never be safe except the Lord kept it. This, moreover, has another application. The remnant of the last days is found in all these "songs of degrees," and they are thus prophetic. When restored to their own land, they will see the temple being built in unbelief, and the city guarded by an apparently irresistible force of human power. As instructed by this Psalm, they will be comforted by the knowledge that "they labour in vain that build" the temple; for the true temple will be built by the Lord Himself (Zech. 6:12); and also that all the human precautions for the safety of the city will be utterly in vain, because they will be taken without the Lord. Into the obvious applications to ourselves we need not enter, further than to remark, that all rest of heart, freedom from anxiety, blessing upon the work of our hands - all these things are connected with dependence on the Lord.

A question of translation has been raised on the last clause of this verse. It is contended by some that it should be rendered, "So He giveth His beloved in sleep." The word "in" however is not in the original; and out of some nine or ten versions consulted, almost all give the sentence as it stands in our version. Accepting this, then, as correct, we have to ascertain its meaning. The contrast drawn is manifestly between dependence on one's own energy and strength, and rest in the Lord. The first verse makes this clear. "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it," etc. This truth is enforced in verse 2, the psalmist urging the vanity of seeking to attain the proposed end by human energy. He teaches, in short, that the Lord gives to His beloved what others seek after by their own persevering efforts and carefulness. You, he says, hope by striving and anxious labour, to reach your haven; the Lord bestows rest, as gift and blessing, upon His people. We do not therefore think that "sleep" necessarily means natural sleep; but rather that it is a figure for peace or repose of mind or soul. And what a blessed lesson to learn, that peace can only be enjoyed as the Lord's gift. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Another point may be noticed. The Psalm is attributed to Solomon; the "for" in the title being more properly rendered "of" — that is, "A song of degrees of Solomon." This may explain to us the introduction of the "house" and the "city." Solomon had learnt the lesson, in building the temple, that his work would be in vain, unless the Lord built it; and so also, as regarded the security of Jerusalem, that it would never be safe except the Lord kept it. This, moreover, has another application. The remnant of the last days is found in all these "songs of degrees," and they are thus prophetic. When restored to their own land, they will see the temple being built in unbelief, and the city guarded by an apparently irresistible force of human power. As instructed by this Psalm, they will be comforted by the knowledge that "they labour in vain that build" the temple; for the true temple will be built by the Lord Himself (Zech. 6:12); and also that all the human precautions for the safety of the city will be utterly in vain, because they will be taken without the Lord. Into the obvious applications to ourselves we need not enter, further than to remark, that all rest of heart, freedom from anxiety, blessing upon the work of our hands — all these things are connected with dependence on the Lord.

(vv. 1-2) Already the godly remnant have owned that “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,” they would have been swallowed up by their enemies. Looking back on their captivity they can say, “Blessed be the Lord … our soul is escaped” (Ps. 124:1, 6, 7). Now they look on to the “house” and “the city,” the goal to which they are journeying, and they own, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it”; and “except the Lord keep the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.”

Thus, in the course of these pilgrim psalms, the godly own that it is the Lord who sets them free; it is the Lord who keeps them on their pilgrim journey; and it is the Lord who establishes them in the home to which they are going. They had seen the purpose of the Lord to have Jerusalem “builded” and “compact together” (Ps. 122:3). Now they recognize that only the Lord can carry out His purpose.

We know that in a day to come men will rebuild the temple; but the godly, guided by the Spirit of God, will realize that all the labours of men will be in vain. The Jewish nation, returning to the land in unbelief, will neither be able to maintain their temple or keep their city. However great the energy they may put forth, in rising up early and sitting up late, and eating the bread of sorrows — human efforts will be in vain.

Now we are told that "unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it"(v. 1). The pride of man moves him to want to do something, — something even for God; but this is not submission to Him who is Himself the Builder. "For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God" (Heb. 3:4). Ezekiel 40-43 provides God's plans for the temple of God in the millennium, and then it will be fully acknowledged that the Lord is the great Builder.

Similarly, "unless the Lord guards the city, the watchmen stays awake in vain." Thus, the temple and the city will be entirely under the control of the Lord of glory. The prophecy of Haggai deals clearly with the house (or the temple), while that of Zechariah emphasizes the Lord's perfect care for the city. We may think our labors are most important, but they are empty and vain if not in accord with the Word of God. Thus, people will rise early and sit up late, but their object of temporal gain is defeated and they "eat the bread of sorrows" (v. 2).

Thus all comes from Jehovah, and He is seen to be the sole dependence of all His creatures. It is from this that man departed in Eden; to set up in independence for himself. If he is brought back, then; it must be to this; and this is what we find in the hundred and twenty-seventh psalm. Jehovah alone is sufficient: except He build the house, the builders toil on it in vain; except He keep the city, the keeper vainly is awake. And then follows the emphatic rebuke of that anxious toil on man's part, early and late, eating the bread of drudgery, while God gives to those beloved of Him in a way so different: they lie down and sleep, and are supplied!

Counting on God's word, they have learnt to count on Him alone for everything, and now express it; for, whether it be the building the house, or the keeping the city, or the strength and blessing which the children of youth are to their families and country, all is from Jehovah. (Ps. 127) They had learnt the vanity of building the house without the Lord's countenance. They had felt their powerlessness to keep the invader out of the city. The house had been laid low (Ps. 74) and the city had been a prey to the enemy. (Ps. 79, Isa. 29, Zech. 14) All extraordinary watchfulness on man's part was only in vain. God would have His people to trust Him, and to learn this from His bestowal of sleep. "So he giveth his beloved sleep." This daily blessing was a lesson of it. Besides, if the arm of flesh was needed by which to repel the foe, God could bestow it. "Lo the inheritance of Jehovah (i.e. what He gives) is children, and His reward the fruit of the womb." For defence or for attack let them rely on what He will provide. "For, as arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth." "They shall not be ashamed, for they shall destroy their enemies in the gate."

Counting on God's word, they learn to count on Him for everything, and now express it. For whether it be the building of the house, or the keeping of the city, or the strength and blessing which children of youth can be to their families, all is from Jehovah (127). They will have learnt (after their last return to their land) of the vanity of doing anything without the Lord's countenance. They will have proved their powerlessness to keep the invader, the northern power, out of the city. The Temple will have been laid low (Ps. 74), and the city will have become a prey to the enemy (Ps. 79, Isa. 29:4, Zech. 14:1-2). Daniel's prediction (Dan. 8:11-12, 9:27) will have come true. All extraordinary watchfulness on man's part was in vain. God therefore would have the people to trust in Him, and to learn this from His bestowal of sleep, or, as some would translate, "in sleep," providing what was needful whilst they slept — "i.e. without restless self-activity, in a state of self-forgetful renunciation, and modest calm surrender to Him." Besides, when the arm of flesh should be needed, God could provide it (127:3-5).