Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 127
PSAL. CXXVII.
A Song of degrees for Solomon] As Pſal. 72.1. Penned by David not long before his death; and left his Son Solomon, to teach him, that nothing can be gotten (or kept, no not Children be gotten) but by Gods bleſſing. This laſt was a fit leſſon for Solomon, who by ſo many wives and Concubines, left but one only ſon that wee read of, and him none of the wiſeſt. Some render it. A Song of degrees of Solomon,Lib. 3. foreign Cap. 1. making him the penman of it; yea Origen from this inſcription, entitleth Solomon to all the Songs of degrees; but that's not likely.
Verſ. 1 Except the Lord build the houſe] Not the Fabrick only, but the family and the Government thereof; there is no good to bee done, if God ſet not to his F…at, foreign Naz.and ſay, Let it bee done; if hee blaſt, or not bleſs mens indeavours and policies, they are all but arena ſine calce, ſand without lime, they will not hang together, but like untempered Morter, fall aſunder. There is a curſe upon ſuch as Idolize themſelves, and kiſs their own hands, though they bee induſtrious, Johoaki… for inſtances, Jer. 22.
Except the Lord keep the City, the watchman] Whether civill, or military: fruſtra nititur, qui Deo non innititur. Politicians ſtand on their own heads (like Children) and ſhake their heeles againſt Heaven, but all in vain. Souldiers, ſome of them are ready to ſay with Ajax, I acknowledge no God but my ſword, &c. Such ſhall bee ſurely befooled and confuted; and Gods bleſſing declared to bee all in all.
Verſ. 2 It is vain for you to riſe up early] Di…culantes ſurgere, tardantes ſedere, to toil and moil in the World. It were to bee wiſhed, that this Niſi, niſi, fruſtrà, fruſtrà, were ever ſounding in the ears of worldings, who will needs act upon their own principles; God is not in all their thoughts.
To eat the bread of ſorrows] i.e. Hardly gotten, or that men can ſcarce beteem themſelves, they are ſo miſerable and parſimonious; or bread eaten with carefullneſſe, as Ezek. 12.19. certainly men may ſooner by their care adde a furlong to their ſorrow, than a cubit to their comfort.
For ſo hee giveth his beloved ſleep] Dilecto ſuo, to each of his beloved ones; not without an alluſion to Solomons other name, Jedid…ah, Gods darling. To theſe hee giveth ſleep, extraordinary quiet, refreſhing ſleep (foreign with an Aleph quieſcent, which is not uſuall) that is, hee giveth wealth without labour, as to others labour without wealth, ſaith Kimchi, the world comes tumbling in upon them, as wee ſay, they have it quaſi per ſomnium (as Towns were ſaid to come into Timoth…us his toiles whiles he ſlept) without anxiety, they break not their ſleep for the matter,Plut. Omnia neceſſaria benigniſſime Dominus quaſi per jocum largitur. Beza. but live by faith, and make a good living of it too.
Verſ. 3 Lo… children are an heritage of the Lord] This Solomon could not but be ſenſible of. See the title of this Pſalm; eſpecially if by children are meant good children, as Prov. 18.22. by a Wife is meant a good wife. And here the poor man that hath no inheritance otherwiſe, hath one from the Lord; for ſuch are oft full of children; neither may hee wiſh, as one graceleſſe man did, that God would keep ſuch his bleſſings to himſelf, for hee had too many of them.
Is his reward] That is, his free gift; and God will be their exceeding great reward, if by their Parents prayer and good education, they prove towardly, as the Lords heritage, and as arrows in the hand, &c.
Verſ. 4 As Arrows are in the hand of a mighty man] Heb. Of a Gyant, who ſhe…teth them with a courage, and is cunning at it. As clean and well-kept arrows. … ſimilitude importeth, that Children muſt have more in them than nature; for arrows are not atrrows by growth, but by art: ſo they muſt bee ſuch Children, the knottineſs of whoſe nature is refined and reformed, and made, ſmooth by grace: and then they are cared for. As, if they prove otherwiſe, they are a ſingular heart break to their poor Parents, who are ſeen to ſit under Elias his Juniper, wiſhing for dea…h, and ſaying with Moſes, Numb. 11.14 15. I am not able to bear all this ſore affliction; becauſe it is too heavy for mee. And if thou deal thus with mee, kill mee I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy light, and let mee not ſee my w…e chedneſs.
So are children of the youth] Or, young ſons, or …ds, ſpringlings, ſtriplings, vegetous and vigorous, able to bee a guard to their aged Parents againſt the children of violence, who ſeek to preſs in upon them at the door, as the Sodomites dealt by righteous Lot, (ſee verſe 5.) beſides the ſervice they may do to the Commonwealth (as did the Horatii, and Curatii) by their impetus h…roici, valour and vertue.
Verſ. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver] That is, his houſe full of them, ſo they bee good children: for elſe to bee childleſs is a mercy, it is foreign, a bleſſed miſery, ſaith Euripedes; and Ariſtotle concludeth that foreign is no bleſſing, unleſs it bee foreign, that is, to have a numerous iſſue, unleſs they bee vertuous.
They ſhall not bee aſhamed] Neither Father nor Children: ſe enim illi mutuo muniunt ac firmant, they help each other.
But they ſhall ſpeak with their enemies] Periment, ſaith Tremellius, they ſhall foil them, and non-ſute them.