Keep The Lord In It

Text

Psalm 127:1–2 NASB95

Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

Introduction

This Psalm is part of a larger grouping called the Song of Ascents.

They were worship Pslams sung by the Jews.

Tradition tells us that they were sang as Jews made their way up to Jerusalem to worship.

Perhaps when the priests made their way up the steps of the temple

Perhaps they increased in volume and intensity as they sang more songs.

While there may be no consensus to the occassion in which they were sung, we know why they were sung; to worship and praise God!

Something inside these Psalms ought to move us to worship God. Something inside these Psalms says I must praise Him.

Something inside these Pslams move me to be thankful to God.

Consider the text

#1 The Vanity of your efforts without God

The text opens up with, “unless the Lord” builds

The text opens up with, “unless the Lord” watches

The effort is vain. . .if God is not in it. . .it is vain. [futile, wasted, empty]

Meaning, it’s not going to be as good, glorious, advantageous Ps 60:11 “O give us help against the adversary, For deliverance by man is in vain.”

The House

Comfort/Peace - If the Lord is not in it then the house won’t be as good as it can be

Essential for living - What is more essential to living than God Himself

When God builds: it lasts, it endures. God has a good pedigree when it comes to building things. Ask Daniel, Dan 2:44, Matt 16:18, Matt 7:24-25. - Nothing compares to the peace and life that God gives.

The Watchmen

A city needed watchmen

Safety and Security - If the Lord is not watching then the city will always be at risk.

When God has watch: nothing gets past Him. Remember that Jesus said, I am the door of the sheep…nothing gets past Jesus, no enemy defeats our God… “Unless the Lord watches” - Nothing compares to this Watch!

Is the Lord building though? Is He watching though?

Is the Lord in it? Leading, guiding, directing?

Is the Lord simply a consultant or the managing director?

Do you submit to His plans or do you make your own and ask Him to sign off?

This is hard today because “Self-sufficiency” is lauded today. How much can I do without needing anyone. Certainly, there seems to be a disdain for Divine Involvement.

This undoubtedly caused them to reflect as they sang

#2 The Abundance of God’s Blessings

Ps 127:2 “It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.”

The Psalmist turns to the efforts to extend the day to maximise your efforts. . .God gives in their sleep. See the contrast?

When I replace self with faith in God, He works it out the best.

Have you ever made a well thought out plan, and for some reason it didn’t work out? Or you encountered some problem that you never anticipated? - “building without God”

Keep The Lord In It!

No one blesses like God. . .

When God blesses it’s so different, may be He doesn’t want you thinking it was you.

When God works you can have rest/peace/

Keep The Lord In It!