Psalm 127: The Work Song

For Meditation

We’ve had many conversations over the course of our working lives and lots of them have centered on work-life balance. We’ve read books and articles on the topic and heard some sermons on it. I’ve come to the conclusion there are no easy, quick answers that will help us find that balance. Just when we think we have it, something happens that throws us off balance again – a job change, a demanding co-worker, a family crisis, a pandemic! It feels to me like it’s a tension in which we will always be living.

I don’t think we’re much different than the ancient Israelites, who sang this pilgrim song when they came to Jerusalem three times a year to celebrate the Lord’s blessing on their crops. This wisdom song speaks to the temptations they faced and is a call to remember that God loves them and desires to bless them. That call still resonates today as we seek to navigate the tension between our work and our relationships. We are loved by a good and faithful Father who blesses us and secures our lives for his purposes.

Psalm 127

1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.

3 Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents in court.

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