Psalms 127

1 “A song of the degrees for Solomon.” Unless the Lord do build the house, in vain labor they that build on it: unless the Lord guard the city, in vain is the watchman wakeful.

If people are building a house without [knowing whether] it is Yahweh’s [will to build it], they are building it in vain. [Similarly], if Yahweh does not protect a city, it is useless for guards/sentries to stay awake [to tell people if their enemies come to attack it].

2 It is in vain for you to be early in rising, to be late in sitting up, eating the bread of painful toils; [for] so doth he give unto his beloved during sleep.

It is [also] useless to arise very early and go to sleep late at night in order that you can work hard [all day] to [earn money to buy] food, because Yahweh gives food to those whom he loves.

3 Lo, children are an inheritance from the Lord: a reward is the fruit of the body.

Children are a gift [that comes to parents] from Yahweh; they are a reward/blessing from him.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.

If a man has sons while he is still young, [when they grow up, they will be able to help him defend his family] like [SIM] a soldier [can defend himself if] he has [a bow and] arrows in his hand.

5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver filled with them: they shall not be put to shame, when they do speak with the enemies in the gate.

A man [who has many sons] is [very] happy, like [MET] [a soldier who has many arrows] in his quiver is very happy. If a man [with his many grown sons is taken] by his enemies to the place where they decide matters, his enemies will never be able to defeat that man, [because his sons will help to defend him].