Psalm 127

(Note: I originally wrote this over a year and a half ago. For some reason, I didn't think it was ready to share, so I just saved it as a draft. Now, as I read it, I don't know why I hesitated.)

First, a translation:

Psalm 127

A Song of Ascents, of Solomon
If YHWH does not build a house, the builders exert themselves in vain.
If YHWH does not watch over a city, the watchman is vigilant to no avail.
It is worthless for you to get up early, to delay sitting down, 
you who eat the bread of hardship, for He will give sleep to His beloved.
You see, children are given by YHWH; the fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a hero, so are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the young, strong man who fills his quiver with them.
They will not be ashamed, for they will speak to their enemies at the gate.

When one becomes a parent, this is truly a gift from the Lord. Although we can explain the whole process of reproduction biologically, something about the privilege of being used by God to create a new life is truly breathtaking. In fact, seeing the face of one’s child is one of the greatest joys in life. To quote cartoonist Stan Lee, however, “with great privilege comes great responsibility.” Post-baby, life has suddenly changed. We are no longer free to follow our own whims and to live footloose and fancy free. This 8 pound bundle changes everything.

As a husband and a father, my main concern is to be a provider and a protector for my family. Safety and security are basic human needs, and it is our job as parents to provide them for our children. As breadwinners, we earn money to feed and clothe our children. As nurturers, we build their self-esteem and give the needed assurance that they are loved. We teach and train them, and we hope that they will grow up to be good, responsible citizens. But there are no guarantees.

So what does this have to do with Psalm 127? Everything! I think that the whole psalm is about childrearing. At first reading, it appears that verses 1 and 2 have little to do with verses 3-5. In fact, some interpreters have speculated that these are two different compositions that have been joined to form this short psalm. However, this conclusion seems unwarranted.

Verse 1 speaks of “building a house.” Is it a stretch to relate this to building a home (a family)? I don’t think so. In Genesis 16, for example, Sarai refers to having children as “building a family”. In fact, the verb “to build” (bana) may derive from the noun for “son” (ben). Providing (v. 1) and protecting (v. 2) are integral parts of building a family.

How do I as a dad relate to building a home? I immediately think of being a breadwinner (verse 2) and providing for the material needs of my family. In addition, I want to establish in my children a sense of responsibility, of morality, of kindness, and of self-esteem. I want my children to be established in the faith; thus, I must not only teach, but model a life built in relationship with Jesus. If I hope for such a home, the Lord needs to be the architect and the contractor.

"Unless the LORD build the house..."

What about the lengths we go to in trying to make our family safe? There are so many baby safety products, so many rules, so many precautions, so many doctor visits, and so much advice. So do I rely on Parent’s magazine, immunizations, and 5-point safety harnesses to “guard” my family? Am I to put my trust in teachers, extracurricular activities, and sex-ed programs to guide my children’s choices? Unless the Lord is watching over them, all our precautions are worthless.

"Unless the LORD guard the city..."

In fact, all of our efforts, our strivings, are useless if the Lord doesn’t mold and protect our families. We need Him. He is not an optional extra. He is the foundation, the only source of the Life that is truly Life. It is a matter of entrusting the home building to Him. It is a matter of trust. Derek Kidner, in his commentary on this psalm, points to a parallel in Genesis 11. While men rely on their own ability to build a tower that reaches the heavens, God is choosing a man whom He would bless with a son, through whom He would build a great nation.

Verse 2 speaks about the uselessness of breaking one's back to "get ahead" in life and pile up possessions. The psalmist contrasts the "bread of hardship" (or pain) with "sleep." The frenzied striving of the overachiever is shown to be ultimately fruitless.

Luke 12:20 But God said to him, "Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?"

The beloved of God can close his eyes and sleep, knowing that God will provide for all of his needs.

Luke 12:24 Think of the ravens. They do not sow or reap; they have no storehouses and no barns; yet God feeds them. And how much more you are worth than the birds!
Luke 12:27-31 Think how the flowers grow; they never have to spin or weave; yet, I assure you, not even Solomon in all his royal robes was clothed like one of them.
Now if that is how God clothes a flower which is growing wild today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will he look after you, who have so little faith! But you must not set your hearts on things to eat and things to drink; nor must you worry. It is the gentiles of this world who set their hearts on all these things. Your Father well knows you need them. No; set your hearts on his kingdom, and these other things will be given you as well.

As the saying goes, the best things in life are free. Children are one of those blessings, a gift from the Lord. We do not deserve them. We did not earn them. They are graciously entrusted to us, and yet do we dare try and raise them on our own? Do we trust in our own power and wisdom to rear our children? No, we dare not. They are a blessing, but they must be given back to the Lord's care. We must teach them to walk in the fear of the Lord. We must cover them in prayer. We must ask the Holy Spirit to bear fruit in them. We must train them up in the way they should go. We must speak the strong name of Jesus over them as a shield. In short, we must lift them up and give them over to God. As Abraham surrendered Isaac, and Hannah devoted   Samuel, so must we entrust our children to the care of the Lord.

Only in the Lord can we have the assurance that they will be well. Only in God is our soul at rest (Ps. 62:1). He is the Father, the Daddy who can look after our children and provide for them in ways that our sins and shortcomings would never allow. He gives grace in our parenting flaws. He can understand, comfort, guide, shape, and protect our children in ways that we could never imagine. Trust Him. They will deal with their enemies and will not be put to shame (verse 5). They will be established by the Lord. They will not be moved.

Love them. Pray for them. Teach them the fear of the Lord. Then sleep, knowing that He who gave those little blessings to you is faithful. So shoot your arrow. Let God guide, build, and protect your home.

Psalm 123

Despite the sequential number of this psalm, this is no "Sesame Street" experience. This is a heavy psalm, full of anguish and honesty. Eugene Peterson's book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction has been very helpful with the other Songs of Ascents, but not this time. Peterson calls this an "instance of service." In my view this is a psalm of desperation.

Here's my translation:

A song of the festival caravans.
To You I lift my eyes--
the One dwelling in the heavens.
Now, just as the eyes of servants on the hand of their masters,
just as the eyes of a maidservant on the hand of her mistress,
in that exact same way are our eyes on the LORD our God
until He is gracious to us.
Be gracious to us, O LORD, be gracious to us,
for we have had more contempt than we can handle.
The derision of those who are at ease and the contempt of the proud
are too much for our soul.

To me this is a desperate cry. Those speaking have been bent to the point of breaking, and they cannot take any more. I really appreciate the honesty of this psalm. Robert Alter translates: 'Grant us grace, LORD, grant us grace, for we are sorely sated with scorn.' It is good to know that other faithful members of God's family have been pushed to the very edge, too. And yet, despite their dire situation, they respond by turning to the LORD. The psalmist lifts His eyes to God. And He who dwells in the heavens is there...as always. He sees all. He knows all.
And so the child of God turns to Him.

In a way, this psalm is an appeal to the character of God. You see the trouble we are in, Lord. You are good. You are able. You love us. Help us! We will not turn away until you do.

Two well known teachers, John Calvin and Charles Spurgeon, comment on this Godward look. Calvin sees this as a look of emancipation. To me, Spurgeon's description is more exact. He sees the psalmist as one who is looking reverently, obediently, attentively, continually, expectantly, singly, submissively, and imploringly.

How many times have you been desperate? Have you responded with such faithfulness? Spurgeon continues:

Blessed are those servants whom their Master shall find so doing. Waiting upon the Lord is a posture suitable for both earth and heaven: it is, indeed, in every place the right and fitting condition for a servant of the Lord. Nor may we leave the posture so long as we are by grace dwellers in the realm of mercy. It is a great mercy to be enabled to wait for mercy.

Nobody wants such mercy. Waiting in desperation is a miserable place to be, but it's somewhere that most of us will probably spend some hard time. The good news is that Jesus has been there...and abides there with us even now. I close with a quote from Amy Carmichael's book His Thoughts Said...His Father Said:

But still the son felt like a long shore on which all the waves of pain of all the world were beating. His Father drew near to him and said, 'There is only one shore long enough for that. Upon My love, that long, long shore, those waves are beating now; but you can be one with Me. And I promise you that there shall be an end, and all tears shall be wiped from off all faces.'

God is faithful. He lives to "grant us grace."

Look to Him.

Psalm 122

I started to do a series on the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134) quite some time ago. I have been at a crossroads of sorts throughout the past year, and I believe the Lord has impressed on me the image of our whole life as a pilgrimage. We are on a journey--a "going up," an ascent. We don't make a decision and then suddenly arrive. We walk it out. We walk with the Lord.

This is post #3 of 15. Eugene Peterson calls Psalm 120 a "Psalm of Repentance," Psalm 121 a "Psalm of Trust," and Psalm 122 a "Psalm of Worship." The delay in writing this blog entry does not reflect depth of engagement or struggle. Rather, it reflects being busy (and scattered?). In fact, the only reason I'm writing now is that I've put it off too long. As I begin, I'm not even sure I have much to say.

Well, now that you're on the edge of your seat (HA!), here's my translation of the psalm:

A song of ascents. Of David. I rejoiced with those saying to me,
“To the House of YHWH we go!”
Our feet were standing at your gates, Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, built as a city that is joined together as one whole.
There the tribes ascend, the tribes of the LORD, a reminder to Israel to praise the Name of the LORD.
For there remain the legal seats, the thrones of the House of David.
Desire the well-being of Jerusalem. May those that love you take it easy.
Wholeness be within your wall of defense, quiet unconcern within your palace.
For the sake of my relatives and my friends, I will now say, “Peace be within you!”
For the sake of the House of the LORD our God, may I seek your good.

Isn't there a wonderful sense of excitement and expectancy in this Psalm? We're going to the House of God! REJOICE! I love it! What an honor and a privilege.

Worship, and the assembly of saints, plays an important part in our journey. We are not alone. We walk as a company. We have a destination: Jerusalem, the heavenly City of God. Worship is our destiny. When we pray "Thy Kingdom come...", we're praying for heaven to become manifest now.

How many of us get reconnected through worship and through fellowship with brothers and sisters who love the Lord? In worship we become God-centered, develop a healthy God-esteem, and see things aright. We get a proper perspective. Our wounds are healed, our hope is renewed, our love is rekindled.

Peterson, commenting in A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, admits that we often don't feel like worshipping. But feelings, he says, are "great liars" and "completely unreliable in matters of faith." "Worship," explains Peterson, "is an act which develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God which is expressed in an act of worship." (All quotes are from page 50.)

So, in other words, we need worship. We need the assembly, thus Hebrews 10:25. As we meet together in Jesus' Name, He fulfills His promise to be among us. As we live in unity, God is glorified. As we love and pray for one another, we grow up in Him.

Psalm 122 is a love song for God's House, for God's City, and for meeting with Him in the company of His people. It is a beautiful thing! We, who are being built into God's House, will one day see Him there face to face. And until we do, we pray for the well being of His Kingdom and seek its good.

Worship is an essential part of the journey--a time when we regain our bearings, heal our wounds, recommit, sharpen our swords and come together as one. Worship whets our appetite for our hearts' true home.

May God bless your times of corporate worship this month. As we honor His Coming to us, may we be faithful in our going to Him as His people.

I rejoiced with those saying to me, "To the House of YHWH we go!"

"Peace be within you, Jerusalem!"