Relying on God
We must constantly remind ourselves of the folly of human effort apart from God. Anything we attempt in life is doomed to failure unless we rely on the power of God. The psalmist shows us this is true in four aspects of human life: In Psalm 127 : 1 – 5
social (verse la);
civic (verse 1b);
business (verse 2); and
domestic (verses 3-5).
In each of these there is an unmistakable emphasis on the necessity for reliance on God.
"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it." Regardless if it is a
private dwelling or the house of God, it is useless to undertake building unless we seek the prosperity of God. The psalmist does not say that unless the Lord consents that the house should be built, he says unless the Lord builds the house. We supply the materials; He does the work in our social lives.
"Except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." Turning from social to civic life, the psalmist knows the unseen watchman of every city is Jehovah Himself. The constant vigilance of a guard is without reward if he watches alone. It does little good for us to stand watch unless the Lord stands with us. Not to set a watch when the enemy is at hand is foolish, but to set a watch in our own strength is just as foolish.
"It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows." Here the
psalmist does not counsel us against rising early. His intent is to show us that nothing is
accomplished by rising early or staying up late if all we do is worry about our problems. Here too we must have absolute dependence upon God.
Finally, the psalmist turns his attention to reliance on God in domestic matters. He begins
with a statement about children that is totally opposed to the philosophy of the world today. In a day in which children are frequently viewed as a bother, an infringement on personal freedom, and are therefore aborted before they are born, the psalmist counters, "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD." Children come to us from God and are another means of building a house. In fact, in the Hebrew, the word for son (ben) and daughter (bath) both come from the same root word for house (beth).
Although building a house is akin to building sons and daughters, building sons and daughters is more important than building a house around them.
To whatever endeavor God calls you today, whether it be social, civic, business, or domestic, reliance on Him is a prerequisite to success. You cannot build a house fruitfully without the labor of God. You cannot watch a city successfully without the protection of God. You cannot engage in business tirelessly without the strength of God. You cannot raise children lovingly without the wisdom of God. All human activity is but folly unless you rely upon God for success. Ask Him to make you successful today.
Psalm 127 : 1 – 5
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.
Stops & Steps 1744 22Jul2011