I grew up on a farm in Western Pennsylvania. Although I didn’t appreciate farm life as a young boy, I look back with appreciation on the life and blessings I was given. The primary blessing had to do with “hard work.” That is, I learned what it meant to get up early, work the land with my father and go to bed late at night. As a result, I carried those lessons into adulthood.
I am the first to admit that there is a subtle “dark side” to the principle of hard work.
- It's the idea that we can make things happen.
- We think we can accomplish our goals if we just work hard enough.
- We assume we can go as far in life as we want to go, as long as we are willing to put in long hours.
However, these assumptions are deceptive. Psalm 127 gives us a very different perspective on life. This “wisdom psalm,” sung by Jewish pilgrims on their way to Israel’s annual feasts, reminds us that everyday life needs to start with an invitation.
Notice that the author of Psalm 127 employs two words that are critical to interpreting the psalm. The first word is “unless” (v. 1). It's a word that introduces a warning. The psalmist seems to be saying, “Unless God is in the picture, there may be no “true success.”
The other word used by the psalmist is the word “vain” (vv. 1 & 2). It can be translated as “futile” or “worthless.” In the context of Psalm 127, Solomon was saying that if God were left out of the picture, the end result would most likely be “futility.”
And that is where the “invitation” comes into our reading.
We must invite God into every activity of our lives, since every accomplishment is God's doing.
How is God the source behind everything we accomplish?
- According to verse 1a, God provides us with “wisdom.” I know the word “wisdom” does not appear in the text. But when the writer says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain,” he is not suggesting that construction work be literally turned over to God. Solomon was speaking metaphorically. So what does a house builder need? That person needs “wisdom” to carry out the task. And God is the source of that wisdom.
- According to verse 1b, God also provides us with national security. The “city” was representative of the nation. And a nation could have a strong system of defense against foreign and domestic enemies. But unless the LORD did the protecting, the best system of defense would fail. God is the source of our national security.
- According to verse 2, the LORD provides us with sleep. We take this resource for granted, but sleep is absolutely essential to restoring the body and mind for each new day of activity. God is the source of rest and renewal.
- In verses 3 through 5, the psalmist says that the LORD provides us with personal protection. Yes, God guards over our national security (cf. v. 1b), but He also makes personal protection available to every Christ-follower on a daily basis. In ancient Israel the social safety net was not a government fund or even private insurance. People found protection through family care. Parents cared for their children when they were small. And when the parents entered their senior adult years, the children took care of them. Whatever the equivalent resource might be in our modern context, God is always the supplier. God provides us with personal protection.
The essential truth of Psalm 127 is simply that we must invite God into every endeavor, since every accomplishment is God's doing.
How do we actually invite God to “resource us” with the things that will lead to daily success?
We must simply ask Him!
- Ask Him to come to your aid as you begin your day.
- Ask Him to reign supreme over every task you undertake.
- Ask Him to reveal and work His will over your own agenda.
- And by all means, when you accomplish each task, be sure to offer up praise to the God who has absolute reign over your life!
Have you made that important invitation yet today? If not, pause and read Psalm 127 one more time. Now invite the LORD of life into all that you say and do. You won't regret it.
