Concern takes seriously our responsibilities; worry takes seriously the Lord’s. Don’t confuse the two.
With Psalm 127, we’ve reached the midpoint in the 15 Songs of Degrees. The arranger, perhaps Hezekiah, placed this short and sweet psalm by Solomon as the point of the sundial. You can see how the theme fits. Solomon ran God’s construction company. He was given the honor of building the Lord’s Home-away-from-Home. He knew two things about these projects, both the temple and the city fortifications. “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (v 1). The Lord wants us to be ready to build and battle for Him—as long as we understand our role and His. He’s the Lord; we’re the laborers. He’s the Guardian; we’re the gatekeepers. It’s His plan and protection we need. But Solomon goes further. “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep” (v 2). If we confuse ourselves with God, taking His role on our little shoulders, insomnia and sorrow replace sleep. Take your part seriously as workers and watchmen, but leave the overall responsibility with Him. And, says the wise man, although you didn’t get to build the Lord’s house, you do build your own home. Again, distinguish God’s responsibility and yours. “Children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward” (v 3). Do your part in faithful parenting, but be sure you remember to commit them daily to the Lord. That’s our building part. The battling part? “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth” (v 4). It’s our job to polish and point those arrows so, when we let them go, their trajectory is to please Him. They’ll be armed and ready to “speak with their enemies in the gate” (v 5).