Psalms 127:4

As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. AS ARROWS ARE IN THE HAND OF A MIGHTY MAN; SO ARE CHILDREN OF THE YOUTH - i:e., sons begotten in youth, when the father is in full strength (: cf. ). "Children of the youth" come then to the height of their manhood when the parents are declining in strength and need protection. They are like arrows-a defense against the enemies of their parents. The Chinese proverb says, 'When a son is born into a family, a bow and arrow are flung up at the gate' - i:e., a new protector is given to the family....

Verse Psalms 127:4. _AS ARROWS_ ARE _IN THE HAND OF A MIGHTY MAN_] Each child will, in the process of time, be a _defence_ and _support_ to the family, as arrows in the quiver of a skilful and strong archer; the more he has, the more enemies he may slay, and consequently the more redoubted shall he be. _CHILDREN OF THE YOUTH._] The children of _young people_ are always more strong and vigorous, more healthy, and generally longer lived than those of _elderly_, or comparatively _elderly persons_. _Youth_ is the time for marriage; I do not mean _infancy_ or a comparative _childhood_, in which several fools join in marriage who are scarcely fit to leave the _nursery_ or _school_. Such couples generally disagree; they cannot bear the _boyish_ and _girlish_ petulancies and caprices of

AS ARROWS ARE IN THE HAND OF A MIGHTY MAN - They are what a parent may rely on for defense in danger, or for help in securing provision for himself and family - as the warrior or the hunter relies on his arrows. SO ARE CHILDREN OF THE YOUTH - Sons in their youth; in their prime and vigor. The comparison of sons with arrows or spears is common in Arabic poetry. See Rosenmuller, Com. _in loc_. Also Morgenland, _in loc_....

EXPOSITION A DIDACTIC psalm, preaching a contented trust in God as more conducive to the prosperity of a man, or a state, than any amount of fussy activity. The ascription to Solomon is borne out (1) by the use of Solomonic words; _e_._g_._ 'etseb_,_ ne'urim_,_ yedido_;_ _and (2) by the agreement of the general sentiment with Proverbs 10:22. PSALMS 127:1 EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE; rather, _a house_;_ i_._e_. any house whatsoever. THEY LABOR IN VAIN THAT BUILD it. They will effect nothing—no house will be built. Except the Lord keep the city; rather, a city. The watchman waketh but in vai

AS ARROWS [ARE] IN THE HAND OF A MIGHTY MAN,.... Are shot out with great strength; come with much force, and do execution, and do not return in vain; with which men defend themselves, and annoy their enemies; see Jeremiah 50:9; SO [ARE] CHILDREN OF THE YOUTH: not young children, or children in their youth; but such who are born to their parents when they are in their youth; and which are generally healthful and strong, and their parents live to see them grown up; and who are useful to protect them, and defend their persons and properties from enemies when grown old and feeble, and unable to defend themselves: whereas children born to them in old age are generally unhealthy and weak; and besides, their parents rarely live to see them brought up, or to be helpful to them. So Christ's spiritual seed and offspring, who are the dew of his youth, are strong, and overcome the e

Psalms 127:1. _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. It is vain for you, to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows for so he giveth his beloved sleep. Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD and the fruit of the womb is his reward._ The psalmist had been speaking about house-building, and there is the building up of the house in the sense of a family being built up by children. Some people think children an encumbrance, but they are «a heritage of the Lord,» and they are to be looked upon with gladness. One said, «I have twelve sons,» and his friend answered, «That is exactly Jacob's number.» «Yes,» said the first speaker, «and I have Jacob's God to enable me to sustain them.» There is a comfort in that thought; may God grant that none may be troubled by those who

PSALM 120-134 The Psalms of Degrees Fifteen brief Psalms follow, called songs of degrees, or, ascents. They were in all probability used by Israel going up to Jerusalem three times a year to celebrate the feasts of the Lord--”Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, a testimony for Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.” They are indeed Psalms of “the goings-up” for we rise higher and higher as we read through them. Prophetically they give us again the steps from trial and suffering to the glorious consummation. As they are so simple in language and construction no lengthy annotations are needed. Psalms 120:1 begins with distress, picturing again the suffering of the righteous godly remnant. In Psalms 121:1 the Keeper of Israel, the Covenant Keeping God, is revealed

CXXVII. A. This Ps. is, as is now generally admitted, composed of two independent Pss. In Psalms 127 A, _i.e._ in Psalms 127:1 f. the Psalmist's theme is _the vanity_ of toil without Yahweh's blessing. The house was taken to mean the Temple: hence in the received text, but not in the LXX, the Ps. is ascribed to Solomon. At the end of Psalms 127:2 render, So, _i.e._ as fully as others get by their toilhe giveth to his beloved in sleep. But the text is almost certainly corrupt. B. PSALMS 127:3. SONS A GIFT BESTOWED BY YAHWEH. Psalms 127:4. children of youth, _i.e._ begotten in the vigorous youth of

CHILDREN OF THE YOUTH, &C.— These are opposed to the children of old age; and of these it is frequently observed, that they are the strongest, being, as Jacob says of Reuben, _his might, the beginning of his strength;_ and of such it is here said, _they are at arrows in the hands of the mighty Man 1:1_ :e. able to defend their parent against the attempts of his enemies, as well as weapons can be. _His quiver full of them,_ means his house as full of children as the quiver of a mighty man is of arrows. _They shall speak with the enemies in the gate,_ means, they shall plead for him against his adversaries, in the courts of judicature; which, as we have frequently remarked, were held at the gates of cities. REFLECTIONS.—The less we depend on our own schemes, or lean to our own understanding, and the more we look up to God, and seek help and direction from him, the surer will be the prosper...

PSALMS 127 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE In Relief of Domestic and Civic Anxiety. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 127:1-2, Jehovah's Blessing Succeeds our Endeavours, Allays our Anxieties, and Gives us Sleep. Stanza II., Psalms 127:3-5, Children a Gift from Jehovah. (Lm.) Song of the StepsBy Solomon. 1 Except Jehovah build the house in vain[745] will its builders have toiled thereon: Except Jehovah watch the city in vain[745] will the watchman have kept awake. 2 It is vain[745] for you who early rise who late take rest, [745] Or: For unreality. who eat the bread of wearisome toil: So would he give his beloved ones[746] sleep.[747] [746