Psalm 126:title–127:5

A Harvest of Joy

A Song of Ascents.

¹When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,^r

we were like those who dream.^*

²Then our mouth was filled with laughter

and our tongue with shouts of joy;

then it was said among the nations,

“The Lord has done great things for them.”^*

³The Lord has done great things for us,

and we rejoiced.^*

⁴Restore our fortunes, O Lord,

like the watercourses in the Negeb.^*

⁵May those who sow in tears

reap with shouts of joy.^*

⁶Those who go out weeping,

bearing the seed for sowing,

shall come home with shouts of joy,

carrying their sheaves.

Psalm 127

God’s Blessings in the Home

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

¹Unless the Lord builds the house,

those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord guards the city,

the guard keeps watch in vain.^*

²It is in vain that you rise up early

and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil,

for he gives sleep to his beloved.^s*

³Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward.^*

⁴Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the sons of one’s youth.

⁵Happy is the man who has

his quiver full of them.

He shall not be put to shame

when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.^*