Psalm 127

One way to measure how important people consider this issue is to look at the money involved with it.

! $21 billion spent on home security systems every year. $60 billion was sent on cyber security in 2021.

! Up from $41 billion just a year before.

$60 billion. The stores and businesses cost retailers over $68 billion a year.

Personal security is a $300 billion business. As a matter of fact, you can have your own 24-7 bodyguard for $500,000

or $900,000 if they can make you pay that much. Also, to protect from financial tragedy,

Americans spend over $600 billion on property and casualty premiums, $600 billion on life,

annuity premiums, and over $1 trillion in health insurance premiums every year.

There are an estimated 12.5 million police officers in the world, most paid in taxes,

$2.1 trillion in health insurance.

The world's military every year. By the way, 72% of that, or $800 million, is in the US.

$1 trillion in health insurance.

Now, according to the Bible, God cares immensely about our security.

In the US.

When the Lord placed people on the earth, He started with a man and a woman who were created to represent Him,

uniquely to represent Him.

He started with a man, multiplying and filling the world with His creation, His children,

bringing order to the earth through cultivation and natural resource and wildlife management.

Adam and Eve's disobedience didn't remove God's mandate,

but the resulting curse did bring about a change in the difficulty of the mandate.

As a loving Father, as a sustaining Father, our Creator has a deep interest in His children's well-being in a world affected by the curse.

He delights to see His children enjoying the pleasures of His creation,

and He blesses the fruit of hard work and diligence of building and of securing what is built.

God has always encouraged His people to look to Him for their sustenance and security.

And the family itself was designed by God as an essential part of His way of providing protection and security.

It's no wonder as well that when Jesus refers to the church that He is building,

which is in reality the redeemed family of God,

He mentions security right away.

He says, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

Our Heavenly Father wants us to experience His providence and protection in our homes and in our churches.

Psalm 127 is a wisdom psalm that gives us a glimpse of God's heart in the matter.

It's a psalm that God included in the scriptures to remind us to trust Him for our well-being.

God wants you and me to completely depend upon Him to establish and maintain your life and your calling.

He cares about you as a father cares for his child,

and He wants you to know that you can trust His way of providing for and defending you.

God wants you and me to know that you can trust Him for your life and your calling.

Now we find this psalm right in the middle,

the Songs of Ascent,

a series of psalms that are said to have been sung by pilgrims traveling up to Jerusalem.

These psalms encourage trust in and with fear of Yahweh,

the Lord.

This morning I'd like to highlight three important truths from Psalm 127

that the poet has given to encourage you to greater dependence on the Lord.

So let's look at verse 1 again.

Unless the Lord builds the house,

those who build it may be the day.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain.

Now this psalm begins with a proverb.

That's one reason why they categorize it as a wisdom psalm.

The proverb serves as a merciful reminder and warning.

In it, God wants us,

He warns us, that is,

that it's possible to be deceived by a false sense of security.

So the first truth then,

is that God wants you to beware of a false sense of security.

And by it, He wants to save you

from what would otherwise be a wasted life.

There's two main images here in this verse.

One is of laborers building a house,

and one is of a watchman guarding a city at night.

These are two very different tasks

that are considered essential to human security.

We live in a physical world

that can be very harsh at times

and requires shelter.

Cold, wind, rain, and heat

bring death to many people every year.

We also live in a world

where thieves and violent criminals exist.

And so we need protection.

But notice the word that's used here

to describe these two activities

of building and protection.

He calls it vain.

It doesn't say that

building isn't or can't be done without God,

but that apart from Him,

these activities are considered vain.

Now, I don't know about you,

but when I normally think of the word vanity,

I used to think of it

as describing something

that's applied to more extravagant

or excessive aspects of life.

Like a person spends all his time

in front of the mirror

or wondering if everybody is thinking

about him or her.

Positive.

But the psalm, in this psalm,

the term is applied to

some very essential aspects of life.

The Hebrew word shab

or vain

is different from the word hevel

or vanity

that occurs 36 times

in the book of Ecclesiastes.

Yes, they're synonyms,

but shab has a different usage.

And it also has a poetic element

in the sense that

when you read the psalm verbally,

it's a lot less creepy than heaven.

It's shab.

Unless God is this shab

the way the poet wanted to communicate

to us.

But not only does it refer to

emptiness or wastefulness,

but it's primarily used

to describe falsehood and deceit.

In fact, the false prophets of Israel

were described as bringing

vain or false visions

to the people.

Same word, shab.

And so vanity,

in this sense,

here in Psalm 127,

is used to describe

something that isn't

what it appears to be.

So in the context of this passage,

we are warned

that involvement

in even the most basic

needs of life

can deceive us

if God is not the one

providing it.

In these situations,

any security we gain

is really

a false security.

This kind of delusion

is everywhere.

I remember as a young man

in 1981,

a report came out

that listed the most ideal locations

to live in the world.

They were rated

according to several

different criteria,

but security was one

of its primary concerns.

And among the top five

on the list

were some beautiful islands

off the coast

of Argentina

called

the Bauchlin Islands.

One year later,

on April 2nd,

World News reported

the headlines,

Argentine forces

invade the Bauchlin Islands.

The ensuing

two and a half months

war with Britain

claimed

1,200 lives.

Whatever security

the islands offered

was

no,

it didn't really exist.

That's natural

for us to feel secure

in our accomplishments.

We have prosperous cities.

We have developed

highly developed skills,

nice homes,

many churches,

police,

and a strong military.

But I wonder

if it's possible

that these things

have masked

an ever-increasing

spiritual meaning.

in our generation

we've seen

the church

there are programs

for every imaginable

problem.

Never has there been

as many

marriage seminars

and books

available.

But the results

have been disappointing.

Divorce among

nominal Christians

has officially

surpassed

that

non-insuredness.

The passage here

doesn't say

that it's impossible

to build

or provide

some sense

of security

but it does warn us

that all our efforts

all our goals

our successes

can amount

to nothing.

In order to be

truly dependent

upon God

we must be aware

that it's possible

to be met

and misled

by a private sense

of security.

There is here

in these verses

a second truth

that God wants

you to know.

That truth

is simply

that

God

himself

is

your ultimate

source

of sustenance

and security.

Not only

should we be aware

of a false

sense of security

but

God wants you

to be assured

that he alone

provides

what you need

and what

he provides

is

what you need.

Look at these

verses again

verses 1 and 2

each stanza

begins

or each stanza

in the verse

refers to

the Lord

Yahweh

unless Yahweh

goes

unless Yahweh

watches

and in verse 2

he

referring to

the Lord

he gives

there's a wonderful

truth implied here

and you have to

look at it

from the back

side

but it's true

the God

who created

the universe

and who appeared

to Abraham

and Isaac

and Jacob

is not

some distant

creator

who left us

to run

our own lives

he's the creator

and sustainer

of the universe

he builds

he secures

he gives

and he does this

all the time

of Yahweh

and we

are created

in his image

to work

with him

in his

work

but he

is the owner

the architect

the general

contractor

the foreman

the inspector

and the maintainer

is Shomer

Iskael

the keeper

of Israel

now verse 2

reveals a further

aspect of this

truth about the

Lord

the vanity

mentioned here

is that of

attempting to

cram more work

today than is

necessary

it is vain

for you

rising early

going late

to rest

eating the bread

of an anxious

toil

you might think

of the typical

workaholic

something compels

that person

not to want

to stop

it could simply

be a desire

to provide

well

this activity

is also

vain

because

it defeats

the person

into thinking

that this

is necessary

or advantageous

to get ahead

maybe even

break you

these persons

might quickly

rise to the top

but often

lose anything

value to them

like family

and friends

along the way

the point of

the passage

is that

what God

says about

this

or actually

what God

says about

himself

it is vain

for you

to live

like this

because

God

gives

his beloved

sleep

God

created

us

people

who

need

to sleep

!

Now sleep

is God's

means for us

to maintain

health

mentally

physically

sleep

good night's

sleep

is necessary

it rests

the mind

it allows

the body

to prepare

itself

well

the sleep

is a

powerful

illustration

of dependence

on God

most of

the vital

aspects

of our

lives

really we

have no

control

over

can we

really be

in control

when we

have to

check out

eight hours

every single

day

what a

vulnerable

activity

you don't

have to

work more

than one

day each

day to

meet your

needs

because God

provides what

you really

need

you don't

have to

work

seven days

a week

just to

survive

because God

provides

what you

need

I think

Jesus

emphasized

this when

he said

seek first

the kingdom

of God

and all

of these

things

the things

that you

really need

will be

added

to you

now

we must

recognize

that our

involvement

in our

own

sustenance

and security

is obvious

but it's

not enough

our sustainer

is the

ultimate

source

of our

well-being

really

there's only

two ways

to live

you can

either build

with God

or you can

build without

him

you can

either

attempt to

secure

your life

with God

or without

him

and we

know from

the scripture

that the

Lord's

favor is

upon

those

who

build

with

him

and

secure

with

him

but he

is against

those

who

build

without

him

when God

is for

us

we call

that grace

when God

is against

us

we call

that

wrath

now think

about it

the all

knowing

omnipresent

all wise

all powerful

infinitely

good

God

is for

you

isn't that

security

enough

but if God

is against

you

all your

building

and attempt

to secure

your life

will amount

to nothing

of course

there is

good news

for those

who build

without

him

God

has

provided

the way

for anyone

to move

from wrath

to grace

that is

the essence

of the gospel

of Jesus

Christ

that we love

so much

Jesus'

death

and resurrection

satisfied

the demands

of justice

against

our

independence

when we

believe in

Jesus

we are

laying down

our own

false

sense of

self-sufficiency

and we

depend

entirely

upon

him

receiving

God's

grace

begins

with a

simple

act of

faith

but it

follows

with a

lifetime

commitment

of faith

to build

only what

he is

building

to guard

only what

he is

concerned

about

and to

work

within

the means

and gifts

that he

provides

that is the

Christian life

God wants you

to give him

your complete

trust

God not only

wants to warn

us against

the delusion

of false

purity

and to

show us

that he

is the

only source

of true

security

but in

this song

there appears

to be

something

which I

consider

fascinating

thirdly

he gives

us an

important

illustration

of the

role of

children

in how

he

provides

security

for us

so the

third point

God wants

you to

know

that he

gives

children

as a

means

to

security

look

about

look

at what

God

says

about

verse

three

behold

children

are

inherited

from

the

Lord

of

the

womb

of

the

Lord

now both

of those

terms

are value

terms

used to

describe

how

children

contribute

to God

care for

a family

I know

we get

to

summarize

them as

children

are

blessings

but if

we do

that we're

missing

the point

of this

passage

inheritance

from the

Lord or

literally

of the

Lord

and a

reward

generally

we don't

understand

these verses

as a little

context

right now

in the

period of

the kings

of Israel

when the

psalm was

written

families

depended

greatly

on

children

for their

prosperity

and

protection

against

threats

and in

agrarian

society

children

worked

in fields

and care

for

lives

and as

they grew

they were

essential

for

social

security

and the

care

of their

elderly

parents

that was

the way

of life

now most

of us

will confess

children

are

blessings

but

practically

many think

of them

as liabilities

out of the

cost

of childhood

the cost of

feeding

and clothing

the child

money needed

for a good

education

and other

wants

needs

it can be

quite expensive

in our

society

we hear

more arguments

against

having

children

they're an

inconvenience

not ready

they're a

choice

our perception

of the

blessings

of children

has

changed

when the

Israelites

sang this

song on

the way

to Jerusalem

during each

of the

three

great

festivals

they understood

exactly what

they were

saying

God gives

children for

the prosperity

and security

of the family

of the nation

and of the

fulfillment

of the

gospel

there's

something

about

God's

choice

of

Abraham

that

affirms

this

when you

think of

Abraham

what

first comes

to your

mind

father of

all nations

faith

father of

all nations

right

we have

those terms

to describe

him and

they're

completely

accurate

when we

think of

him

as a

man of

faith

don't

we

by faith

in God's

command

he left

his homeland

and his

father's

house

to travel

to

command

his

promise

to start

all over

by faith

in God's

command

he trusted

the Lord

would give

him

a son

even though

he was

99 years

old

and also

by faith

he obeyed

the Lord's

test

and offered

up his

son Isaac

as a

sacrifice

fully believing

that God

was able

to raise

him from

the dead

but Abraham's

role in

redemptive

history

was so

much more

than a few

amazing

demonstrations

of faith

what was

Abraham's

daily

essential

role

in redemptive

history

he was a

father

he taught

his family

faithfully

and this

disciple

them

discipline

that

disciple

them

in the way

of the

Lord

how do I

do that

right after

God told

Abraham

that within

a year

his 90

year old

wife

Sarah

would have

a child

and on

his way

to destroy

the cities

of the

plain

near the

salt

sea

he said

something

that I

think is

amazing

verse 17

of chapter

18

of Genesis

the Lord

said

shall I

hide from

Abraham

what I

am about

to do

seeing

that Abraham

shall surely

become a

great and

mighty nation

and that all

the nations

of the earth

will be

blessed in

him

familiar with

that phrase

right

that's the

gospel

that's what

we are

benefiting from

to this

day

then he

says

for I

have

chosen

him

that

listen

carefully

he may

command

his

children

and his

household

after him

to keep

the way

of the

Lord

doing

righteousness

and justice

and then

further

so that

the Lord

may bring

to Abraham

what he

has promised

him

the Lord

himself

here

says

that the

accomplishment

of his

great plan

of salvation

required

that a

man

Abraham

command

his children

and household

after him

to keep

the way

of the

Lord

by human

righteousness

and justice

be a

faithful

father

God's

way

involves

a

godly

heritage

now look

how up

Scott

describes

Christ's

children

in verse

4 he

calls them

arrows

in the

hands

of a

mighty

warrior

there are

plenty of

things we

can call

children

but why

arrows

an

arrow

was

what

a

weapon

of

war

you might

be tempted

to think

of it

solely in

terms of

hunting

but really

the

mighty

man's

arrows

were

his

protection

they were

his

second

amendment

right

as a

weapon

they had

to be

adequately

prepared

and available

at hand

they were

the mighty

man's

defense

they were

meant to

be aimed

and fired

at a

threatening

target

a great

warrior

was one

with a

good aim

and who

made each

arrow

count

in view of

this it

makes sense

that an

effective

warrior

would have

more than

1.93

arrows

in his

equipment

now

does this

description

of children

make you

feel a

little bit

uncomfortable

well the

godless

philosophy

of our

name

says that

children

are

individuals

which

are

free

to

discover

their

own

purposes

in life

and interests

this is not

god's

perspective

can you

imagine a

warrior

taking his

arrows

and tossing

them up

in the

air

to see

where

they

will

go

if you

as a

parent

lay down

your

responsibility

to

train

direct

teach

to

guide

your

children

someone

else

will

if you

don't

take

and aim

your

arrows

at the

appropriate

target

you can

be sure

that your

enemy

will take

them

and aim

them

back

at you

the

end of

verse 5

highlights

the final

way

children

become

god's

meaning

of

security

notice

here the

image of

a family

having

a

convocation

in

the

city

perhaps

these

enemies

were

accusing

the

man

falsely

in

court

perhaps

the

man

is

being

taken

advantage

of

in

business

we

really

don't

know

from

the

context

but what

is clear

is that

this

family

man

had his

children

with him

riding

the

gate

standing

with him

reminds me

of Ben

Cartwright

the

man

facing a

couple of

renegades

in the

town

just as

the men

talk and

try to

take advantage

of old

Ben

you'd

hear

click

click

click

three guns

held by

Adam

Haas

and

little

yo

cocked

and aimed

from three

different

directions

as a

wisdom

song

psalm 127

doesn't

address

all the

issues

that the

view

of God's

sovereignty

raises

God

doesn't

give

everyone

lots of

children

sometimes

he doesn't

give

anything

having

and raising

children

doesn't

well

doesn't

mean

that they

will all

turn out

well

and

sometimes

we

experience

tragic

loss

and even

the

ungodly

have

children

God

has good

reasons

for

the

truth

of

psalm

1.7

is still

valid

God

wants

you

to

completely

depend

on

him

to

establish

and

maintain

your

life

and

calm

cares

about

and

he

wants

you

to

know

that

you

can

trust

his

way

of

providing

to

benefit

from all

this

you need

to be

aware

in

some

ways

the

deception

of

false

security

you need

to

trust

that

he

is

the

only

source

for

true

security

and

what

he

provides

is

what

you

really

need

and

he

needs

to

value

his

way

of

providing

children

as a

means

of

security

a

strong

family

will have

a

positive

influence

in the

church

in the

community

and in

the

world

and a

strong

church

family

made

up

strong

families

can

have

a

great

impact

for

effective

discipleship

life

transformation

and the

fulfillment

of our

evangelistic

task

in the

world

today

so I

would encourage

to build

what the

father is

doing

protect

what he

cares

about

look to

him

alone

for what

he needs

and value

value

to

children

in your

life

and

service

that's

right

a

Thank you.