Parallel Verses

New American Standard Bible

A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.
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.

King James Version

{A Song of degrees for Solomon.} Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Holman Bible

A Solomonic song of ascents.Unless the Lord builds a house,
its builders labor over it in vain;
unless the Lord watches over a city,
the watchman stays alert in vain.

International Standard Version

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor uselessly. Unless the LORD guards the city, its security forces keep watch uselessly.

A Conservative Version

Unless LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless LORD guards the city, the watchman wake but in vain.

American Standard Version

Except Jehovah build the house, They labor in vain that build it: Except Jehovah keep the city, The watchman waketh but in vain.

Amplified

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.

Bible in Basic English

If the Lord is not helping the builders, then the building of a house is to no purpose: if the Lord does not keep the town, the watchman keeps his watch for nothing.

Darby Translation

{A Song of degrees. Of Solomon.} Unless Jehovah build the house, in vain do its builders labour in it; unless Jehovah keep the city, the keeper watcheth in vain:

Julia Smith Translation

Song of ascensions to Solomon. If Jehovah shall not build the house, they building it, in it labored in vain. If Jehovah shall not watch the city, he watching, watched in vain.

King James 2000

[A song of ascents. Of Solomon.] Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain that build it: unless the LORD keeps the city, the watchman wakes, but in vain.

Lexham Expanded Bible

Unless Yahweh builds a house, its builders labor at it in vain. Unless Yahweh guards a city, a guard watches in vain.

Modern King James verseion

A Song of degrees for Solomon. Unless Jehovah builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless Jehovah keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

{A song of the stairs} Except the LORD build the house, their labour is but lost that build it. Except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

NET Bible

A song of ascents, by Solomon. If the Lord does not build a house, then those who build it work in vain. If the Lord does not guard a city, then the watchman stands guard in vain.

New Heart English Bible

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.

The Emphasized Bible

If, Yahweh, build not the house, in vain, have the builders of it toiled thereon, If, Yahweh, watch not the city, in vain, hath the watchman kept awake:

Webster

A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD shall build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD shall keep the city, the watchman waketh in vain.

World English Bible

Unless Yahweh builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.

Youngs Literal Translation

A Song of the Ascents, by Solomon. If Jehovah doth not build the house, In vain have its builders laboured at it, If Jehovah doth not watch a city, In vain hath a watchman waked.

Devotionals

Devotionals about Psalm 127:1

References

American

Fausets

Hastings

Images Psalm 127:1

Prayers for Psalm 127:1

Context Readings

The Blessing Of The Lord

1 A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.
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.
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.



Cross References

Psalm 33:16-18

The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not delivered by great strength.

Proverbs 16:9

The mind of man plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.

Proverbs 21:30-31

There is no wisdom and no understanding
And no counsel against the Lord.

1 Corinthians 3:7

So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.

1 Chronicles 28:10

Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act.”

1 Chronicles 28:20

Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.

1 Chronicles 29:19

and give to my son Solomon a perfect heart to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies and Your statutes, and to do them all, and to build the temple, for which I have made provision.”

Psalm 78:69

And He built His sanctuary like the heights,
Like the earth which He has founded forever.

Psalm 120:1

A Song of Ascents.
In my trouble I cried to the Lord,
And He answered me.

Psalm 121:1

A Song of Ascents.
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?

Psalm 121:3-5

He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.

Psalm 122:1

A Song of Ascents, of David.
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

Psalm 123:1

A Song of Ascents.
To You I lift up my eyes,
O You who are enthroned in the heavens!

Psalm 124:1

A Song of Ascents, of David.
Had it not been the Lord who was on our side,”
Let Israel now say,

Psalm 126:1

A Song of Ascents.
When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion,
We were like those who dream.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.

Jeremiah 51:12

Lift up a signal against the walls of Babylon;
Post a strong guard,
Station sentries,
Place men in ambush!
For the Lord has both purposed and performed
What He spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.

Zechariah 2:4-5

and said to him, “Run, speak to that young man, saying, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the multitude of men and cattle within it.

1 Corinthians 3:9-15

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

1 Chronicles 22:10-11

He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

Psalm 72:1

A Psalm of Solomon.
Give the king Your judgments, O God,
And Your righteousness to the king’s son.

Psalm 125:1

A Song of Ascents.
Those who trust in the Lord
Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.

Song of Songs 3:3

The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
And I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’

Song of Songs 5:7

“The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
They struck me and wounded me;
The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me.

Isaiah 21:5-12

They set the table, they spread out the cloth, they eat, they drink;
“Rise up, captains, oil the shields,”

Isaiah 27:3

“I, the Lord, am its keeper;
I water it every moment.
So that no one will damage it,
I guard it night and day.

Isaiah 56:10

His watchmen are blind,
All of them know nothing.
All of them are mute dogs unable to bark,
Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;

Isaiah 62:6

On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen;
All day and all night they will never keep silent.
You who remind the Lord, take no rest for yourselves;

Jeremiah 51:31

One courier runs to meet another,
And one messenger to meet another,
To tell the king of Babylon
That his city has been captured from end to end;

Ezekiel 33:2-9

“Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman,

1 Corinthians 15:14

and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.

Galatians 4:11

I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain