Build using God’s plans

Albert Bogle November 12, 2018 0 0

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Psalm 127

1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labour in vain.
Unless the Lord guards the city,
    the guard keeps watch in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
    for he gives sleep to his beloved.

3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the sons of one’s youth.
5 Happy is the man who has
    his quiver full of them.
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127 is an interesting psalm to read during the ‘Season of Remembrance’. The writer reminds us that we should be careful not to trust in our own ingenuity and resources while seeking to protect ourselves. Our protector is the Lord himself. He will be our defender. All through scripture we are reminded of the folly of putting our trust in might and power. ‘It’s not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord.’ (Zechariah 4:6).

When it comes to building our future, making the plans for how our lives are going to pan out, this psalm attaches a warning to planners. The writer infers that too much energy  can be expended building structures that in the end will never succeed, and making plans that may never materialise. 

When it comes to the last paragraph of the psalm, the psalmist suggests that if we do anything we need to nurture our children and give them the attention they require, and be their example of faith. In doing so we secure a future for ourselves in our old age. So real security is built around a right relationship with God and our families.

While the psalmist seems to me to be simply stating a fact that in an age, when every man may be called to be a fighting warrior, a father who has many sons will be valuable to the king. Perhaps many thousands years later wisdom might suggest too many lives have been lost fighting wars for kings that should never have taken place. Learning what it means to “Let God guard the city” may mean fewer arrows flying around in the air.

Lord,

Yesterday we stood ‘with’ those who are hurting

Two long standing minutes

The eleventh hour - chimes a costly peace

Today we ask for courage to ‘stand aside' and believe in your protection

Such faith will take a lifetime and more to perfect

The eleventh hour - chimes a costly peace

Wind down the rhetoric of those who peddle fear

Silence the voices of those who seek to sow division and discord

The eleventh hour - chimes a costly peace

Bring an end to our restless striving and anxiety

Turn our hearts again to You

The eleventh hour - chimes a costly peace

Stand guard over our thoughts

Stand guard over our words

Stand guard over our homes

For unless you stand with us 

We have nothing ‘within us’ to help us stand not even for two minutes.