Parallel Verses

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.

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.

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 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 early,
To retire late,
To eat the bread of anxious labors—
For He gives [blessings] to His beloved even in his sleep.



Cross References

Psalm 33:16-18


The king is not saved by the great size of his army;
A warrior is not rescued by his great strength.

Proverbs 16:9


A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life],
But the Lord directs his steps and establishes them.

Proverbs 21:30-31


There is no [human] wisdom or understanding
Or counsel [that can prevail] against the Lord.

1 Corinthians 3:7

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

1 Chronicles 28:10

Consider this carefully, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be courageous and strong and do it.”

1 Chronicles 28:20

Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and take action; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor abandon you [but will guide you in the construction] until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

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 all [that is necessary] to build the temple [for You], for which I have made provision.”

Psalm 78:69


And He built His sanctuary [exalted] like the heights [of the heavens],
Like the earth which He has established forever.

Psalm 120:1

In my trouble I cried to the Lord,
And He answered me.

Psalm 121:1

I will lift up my eyes to the hills [of Jerusalem]—
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

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

Psalm 123:1

Unto you I lift up my eyes,
O You who are enthroned in the heavens!

Psalm 124:1

“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,”
Let Israel now say,

Psalm 126:1

When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion (Jerusalem),
We were like those who dream [it seemed so unreal].

Ecclesiastes 9:11

I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the strong, and neither is bread to the wise nor riches to those of intelligence and understanding nor favor to men of ability; but time and chance overtake them all.

Jeremiah 51:12


Set up a signal on the walls of Babylon [to spread the news];
Post a strong blockade,
Station the guards,
Prepare the men for ambush!
For the Lord has both purposed and done
That which He spoke against the people of Babylon.

Zechariah 2:4-5

and he said to the second angel, “Run, speak to that young man, saying, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited [like villages] without walls [spreading out into the open country] because of the great number of people and livestock in it.

1 Corinthians 3:9-15

For we are God’s fellow workers [His servants working together]; you are God’s cultivated field [His garden, His vineyard], God’s building.

1 Chronicles 22:10-11

He shall build a house for My Name (Presence). He shall be My son and I will be his father; and I will establish his royal throne over Israel forever.’

Psalm 72:1

Give the king [knowledge of] Your judgments, O God,
And [the spirit of] Your righteousness to the king’s son [to guide all his ways].

Psalm 125:1

Those who trust in and rely on the Lord [with confident expectation]
Are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but remains forever.

Song of Songs 3:3


“The watchmen who go around 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, they wounded me;
The guardsmen of the walls took my shawl from me.

Isaiah 21:5-12


They set the table [for the doomed banquet], they spread out the cloth, they eat, they drink;
“Rise up, captains [of Belshazzar’s court], oil your shields [for battle, for your enemy is at the gates]!”

Isaiah 27:3


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

Isaiah 56:10


Israel’s watchmen are blind,
They are all without knowledge.
They are all mute dogs, they cannot bark;
Panting, lying down, they love to slumber.

Isaiah 62:6


On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed and stationed watchmen (prophets),
Who will never keep silent day or night;
You who profess 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 [who are exiled in Babylon] and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword on 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 [useless, amounting to nothing], and your faith is also vain [imaginary, unfounded, devoid of value and benefit—not based on truth].

Galatians 4:11

I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored [to the point of exhaustion] 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