Psalms

Psalm 127:1–5

¹A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

Unless the LORD builds the house,

its builders labor in vain;

unless the LORD protects the city,

its watchmen stand guard in vain.

²In vain you rise early

and stay up late,

toiling for bread to eat —

for He gives sleep to His beloved.

³Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD,

and the fruit of the womb is His reward.

⁴Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

so are children born in one’s youth.

⁵Blessed is the man

whose quiver is full of them.

He will not be put to shame

when he confronts the enemies at the gate.

Read all of Psalm 127

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 127:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
A song	שִׁ֥יר	šîr	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7892 song
of ascents	הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹת	ham·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H4609 what comes up
Of Solomon	לִשְׁלֹ֫מֹ֥ה	liš·lō·mōh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8010 Solomon
Unless	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
the LORD	יְהוָ֤ה׀	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
builds	יִבְנֶ֬ה	yiḇ·neh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1129 build
the house	בַ֗יִת	ḇa·yiṯ	Noun - masculine singular	H1004 house
its builders	בוֹנָ֣יו	ḇō·w·nāw	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H1129 build
labor	עָמְל֣וּ	‘ā·mə·lū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H5998 labour, toil
in	בּ֑וֹ	bōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
vain	שָׁ֤וְא׀	šāw	Noun - masculine singular	H7723 emptiness, vanity
unless	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
the LORD	יְהוָ֥ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
protects	יִשְׁמָר־	yiš·mār-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
the city	עִ֝֗יר	‘îr	Noun - feminine singular	H5892 excitement
its watchmen	שׁוֹמֵֽר׃	šō·w·mêr	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
stand guard	שָׁקַ֬ד	šā·qaḏ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H8245 watch, wake
in vain	שָׁ֤וְא׀	šāw	Noun - masculine singular	H7723 emptiness, vanity

Psalm 127:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
In vain	שָׁ֤וְא	šāw	Noun - masculine singular	H7723 emptiness, vanity
you	לָכֶ֨ם׀	lā·ḵem	Preposition; second person masculine plural
rise	ק֡וּם	qūm	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
early	מַשְׁכִּ֪ימֵי	maš·kî·mê	Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct	H7925 start, rise, early
and stay up	שֶׁ֗בֶת	še·ḇeṯ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
late	מְאַֽחֲרֵי־	mə·’a·ḥă·rê-	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct	H309 to remain behind, delay, tarry
toiling	הָעֲצָבִ֑ים	hā·‘ă·ṣā·ḇîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H6089 pain, hurt, toil
for bread	לֶ֣חֶם	le·ḥem	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3899 bread, food
to eat	אֹ֭כְלֵי	’ō·ḵə·lê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H398 eat
for	כֵּ֤ן	kên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
He gives	יִתֵּ֖ן	yit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
sleep	שֵׁנָֽא׃	šê·nā	Noun - feminine singular	H8142 sleep
to His beloved	לִֽידִיד֣וֹ	lî·ḏî·ḏōw	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3039 beloved

Psalm 127:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Children	בָּנִ֑ים	bā·nîm	Noun - masculine plural	H1121 son
are indeed	הִנֵּ֤ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
a heritage	נַחֲלַ֣ת	na·ḥă·laṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H5159 possession, property, inheritance
from the LORD	יְהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
the fruit	פְּרִ֣י	pə·rî	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6529 fruit
of the womb	הַבָּֽטֶן׃	hab·bā·ṭen	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H990 belly, body, womb
reward	שָׂ֝כָ֗ר	śā·k̲ār	Noun - masculine singular	H7939 hire, wages

Psalm 127:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Like arrows	כְּחִצִּ֥ים	kə·ḥiṣ·ṣîm	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine plural	H2671 arrow
in the hand	בְּיַד־	bə·yaḏ-	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3027 hand
of a warrior	גִּבּ֑וֹר	gib·bō·wr	Adjective - masculine singular	H1368 strong, mighty
so	כֵּ֝֗ן	kên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
children	בְּנֵ֣י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
one’s youth	הַנְּעוּרִֽים׃	han·nə·‘ū·rîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H5271 youth, juvenility, young

Psalm 127:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Blessed	אַשְׁרֵ֤י	’aš·rê	Interjection	H835 happiness, blessedness
is the man	הַגֶּ֗בֶר	hag·ge·ḇer	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1397 man
whose	אֲשֶׁ֤ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
quiver	אַשְׁפָּת֗וֹ	’aš·pā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H827 quiver
is full	מִלֵּ֥א	mil·lê	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H4390 be full, fill
of them	מֵ֫הֶ֥ם	mê·hem	Preposition-m; Pronoun - third person masculine plural
He will not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
be put to shame	יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ	yê·ḇō·šū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H954 be ashamed
when	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
he confronts	יְדַבְּר֖וּ	yə·ḏab·bə·rū	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1696 speak
the enemies	אוֹיְבִ֣ים	’ō·wy·ḇîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H341 be hostile to
at the gate	בַּשָּֽׁעַר׃	baš·šā·‘ar	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H8179 gate