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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Psalms 127:2

It is vain, to no object and purpose, for you to rise up early, to sit up late, lengthening the day by artificial means, toiling and moiling with worry and care, always taking thought for this life and its needs, Matthew 6:25, to eat the bread of sorrows, thinking only of the hardships connected with the obtaining of one's daily bread; for so He giveth His beloved sleep, that is, while the believer reposes securely in God's protection, free from trouble and care on account of his trust in the providence of his heavenly Father, the Lord prepares to reward this trust by giving him all that he needs for his own good, as a free reward of His kindness and mercy. This blessing of the Lord upon the believers is now set forth by an unusually evident example.

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See also Psalms 127:2 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 127:2. IT IS _VAIN FOR YOU TO RISE UP EARLY_] There seems to be here an allusion to the daily and nightly watches which Nehemiah instituted. The people are worn out with constant labour...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    IT IS VAIN FOR YOU TO RISE UP EARLY - The psalmist does not here say that it is improper to rise early; or that there could be no advantage in it; or that people would be more likely to be successful...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    PSALM 120-134 The Psalms of Degrees Fifteen brief Psalms follow, called songs of degrees, or, ascents. They were in all probability used by Israel going up to Jerusalem three times a year to celebrat...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    CXXVII. A. This Ps. is, as is now generally admitted, composed of two independent Pss. In Psalms 127 A, _i.e._ in Psalms 127:1 f. the Psalmist's theme is _the vanity_ of toil without Yahweh's blessing...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    FOR SO. Thus. BELOVED. beloved one (singular) Hebrew. _yedid._ This was Solomon's name (Jedidiah) given by Jehovah (2 Samuel 12:25). Solomon was given because David was beloved of Jehovah. Somecodice...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    IT IS VAIN, &C.— _It is vain for you, ye that rise early, and late take rest: that eat the bread of fatigue: it is thus he giveth sleep to his beloved._ Mudge: who observes, that the words, _it is thu...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 127 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE In Relief of Domestic and Civic Anxiety. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 127:1-2, Jehovah's Blessing Succeeds our Endeavours, Allays our Anxieties, and Gives us Sleep. Stanz...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    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. IT IS VAIN FOR YOU TO RISE UP EARLY, TO SIT UP LATE, TO EAT THE BREAD OF SORROW...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    127:2 sorrows. (e-19) Or 'labours,' 'toils,' Proverbs 5:10 ; Proverbs 14:23 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BREAD OF SORROWS] RV 'bread of toil': cp. Proverbs 10:22. _For_ SO HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP] a difficult phrase. With a slight change in the Hebrew we may render, 'surely he giveth his beloved in s...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    A warning against over-anxiety in any work. Let it be left in the wise hands of Jehovah, who gives the best blessings without human aid. Perhaps the Ps. was addressed to some too-zealous workers in th...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 107:150 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ PSALMS 127 PSALMS FOR CLIMBING; PSALMS 120:134 Jesus said, "We wi

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    IT... SLEEP. — This verse, of the literal rendering of which there is no question, has met with many different interpretations. About the first clause there is no difference. Early rising, to pursue t...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    שָׁ֤וְא לָכֶ֨ם ׀ מַשְׁכִּ֪ימֵי ק֡וּם מְאַֽחֲרֵי ־שֶׁ֗בֶת...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 127:1 THIS pure expression of conscious dependence on God's blessing for all well-being may possibly have special reference to the Israel of the Restoration. The instances of vain human effort...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

      “THE LORD HATH DONE GREAT THINGS FOR US” Psalms 126:1-6; Psalms 127:1-5 The circumstances under which this psalm was written are evident upon its face. The exiles, lately back from Babylon, are re...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The thought of the pilgrim centres upon the city toward which his face is turned as the place of home. The strength of the Hebrew people in the past, and all that remains of it today, largely results...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    [It is] vain for (c) you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread (d) of sorrows: [for] so he giveth his beloved (e) sleep. (c) Who watch and ward and are also magistrates and rulers of the...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Hands. The idle are not entitled to blessings, which God will bestow on the industrious who fear him, preserving them from evils, Leviticus xxvi. 16., and Deuteronomy xxviii. 30. (Calmet) (2 Corinthi...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Anxiety and care will never improve either by exertion, for the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Ecclesias...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _‘IF HE SLEEP, HE SHALL DO WELL’_ ‘So He giveth His beloved sleep.’ Psalms 127:2 We take the ‘sleep’ in our text as denoting death, and confine ourselves to an illustration of the passage under this...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    2._It is vain for you in hastening to rise early. _Solomon now expresses more plainly that men in vain wear themselves out with toiling, and waste themselves by fasting to acquire riches, since these...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    These full blessings thus sought, the building the house, the keeping the city, the desired abundance of children, are all (Psalms 127) Jehovah's doing and gift, or man labors and watches in vain. The...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    [IT IS] VAIN FOR YOU TO RISE UP EARLY, TO SIT UP LATE,.... A description of an industrious and laborious person, who takes great pains to get a livelihood, or increase his substance; see Psalms 104:23...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Psalms 127:2 [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. Ver. 2. _It is vain for you to rise up early_] _Diluculantes sur...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _It is vain for you_ Builders or watch-men, or other persons engaged in any design, which to you seems important; _to rise up early, to sit up late_ To use constant and unwearied diligence; _to eat th...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    He directs his speech to the persons forementioned, _the builders or watchmen_, of both which sorts there are many that use the following course. _To rise up early, to sit late_; to use constant and u...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 127:2 vain H7723 up H6965 (H8800) early H7925 (H8688) up H3427 (H8800) late H309 ...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Psalms 127:2 We take the "sleep" in our text as denoting death, and confine ourselves to an illustration of the passage under this one point of view. Here we have an idea which it would be well to wor...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 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. It is vain for you, to rise up early, to sit up late,...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The vanity of worldly care and the wisdom of dependence on God for all things in the home. CHARACTERS: God. CONCLUSION: The best designed home will be a failure unless God crowns it with H...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    REFLECTIONS. The man who begins the world aright, must begin with God. The stately house is built in vain, and the family multiplied for wickedness, unless it be done in the Lord's counsel, and with...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _To eat the bread of sorrows._ THE BREAD OF TOIL AND THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS Labour is the law of life, and to this law nothing in God’s Word is opposed. “Man goeth forth unto his work and to his...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Except the Lord build the house._ AUTHORSHIP OF THIS PSALM Various considerations taken together require the opinion that this middle Song of Degrees was composed by Solomon. It suits the time of pe...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 127:1. The basic theme of this wisdom psalm is that without the Lord’s blessing, all human toil is worthless. This is seen clearly in vv. Ps

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION Various considerations taken together require the opinion that this middle Song of Degrees was composed by Solomon. It suits the time of peaceful house-building and civil settlement and p...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION A DIDACTIC psalm, preaching a contented trust in God as more conducive to the prosperity of a man, or a state, than any amount of fussy activity. The ascription to Solomon is borne out (1...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Psa 127:1-5 is a psalm that is important for all of us to really get implanted deep in our hearts. Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it (Psalms 127:1): I spent far too ma...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Acts 12:5; Acts 12:6; Ecclesiastes 1:14; Ecclesiastes 2:1;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    You — Builders, or watchmen. To sit — To use constant and unwearied diligence. So — By his blessing. Giveth — Freely, without that immoderate toiling, wherewith others pursue it....

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