Series: The Psalms
Scripture: Psalm 127:1-5 (main); Luke 15:11-32
Title: How to Provide for and Protect Your Family
Heavy credit: (See below for bibliography)
Summary of passage:
Bottom Line: Hard work + Discipline + Divine Support = Fruitfulness that will last; “For apart from me you can do nothing.” -Jesus
Discussion questions for group and personal study.
Reflect and Discuss in your groups:
Psalm 127
OPEN: How many siblings did you have?
What was the biggest family that you knew?
Can you name all their kids?
CONSIDER (V. 2): What causes you the most worry?
What do you tend to lose sleep over?
Does this verse help at all? Why?
CONSIDER (WV. 3-5): In today's society, what have you heard are the disadvantages to having children?
From what you have read in the Bible and heard
in the church, what are the advantages?
Which are you inclined to believe?
APPLY: Acknowledge that God can run your business and family better than you can.
Give God control of your business and family through sincere prayer.
Final Questions (optional or in place of above)
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
For further study, note Genesis 11 illustrates this Psalm.
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Opening story:
Hawkeye scene (See YouTube)
Video clip to open the message: https://youtu.be/DCkaS2ygh-Y Stop after “good job Hawkeye” (1:00)
While this Psalm applies to mom’s and dad’s, it feels very fatherly in tone and emphasis. Even in the gender in the NIV “Blessed is the man” is the translation. So I am applying this to Fathers in particular today believing that wherever this is taken to heart stronger marriages and families will follow. That leads to stronger neighborhoods, cities, and nations. That leads to a better world. But more likely it leads to a stronger church in a dark world.
Psalm 127 is written by either David to Solomon or by Solomon himself. Beloved is possibly a covert reference (concealed signature) to Solomon’s God-given name of Jedidiah since they use the same root word. (2 Sam 12:25) The point is that this is a special work by a father and what he does in life.
Ironically, much of Solomon’s wisdom was lost on him.
His building (literally and figuratively) became reckless,
His kingdom a ruin, and
His marriages a disastrous denial of God.
Warning: If we’re not careful, we’ll also have wisdom we ignore in life.
Bottom Line: Hard work + Discipline + Divine Support = Fruitfulness that will last; “For apart from me you can do nothing.” -Jesus
I. THE FOUNDATION FOR A SUCCESSFUL FAMILY (127:1-2) (WILLMINGTON)
A. What is necessary (1-2)
The home must be built by the Lord.
The home must be protected by the Lord.
B. What is needless (3-5): The breadwinners need not burn the candle at both ends and be overly anxious, for God will supply rest and what we need.
II. THE FRUITS FROM A SUCCESSFUL FAMILY (127:3-5) (WILLMINGTON): Children
A. The parents will be honored (3-4): Children are a reward and like sharp arrows.
B. The parents will be helped (5): They will not be ashamed in front of their accusers. (At the city gates i.e. in court (public?))
I. Labor is in vain without God’s providence. (1-2) (BKC)
II. Children are evidence of God’s providence. (3-5) (BKC)
“Children are some of the Lord’s providential blessings. They are a reward from the LORD. Sons help defend the family for they are like weapons (arrows) in the hand of a mighty man. Sons are capable of defending the family in civil cases (at the gate civil cases were discussed and decided). The images of arrows and of defense “in the gate” was natural for a nation endangered from without and within.” BKC
CSB Study Bible
House = physical building and/or home, family connecting
Food = hard work + favorable conditions + favor of God
Children = uncertainty of childbirth + favor of God
Bottom Line: Hard work + Discipline + Divine Support = Fruitfulness that will last; “For apart from me you can do nothing.” -Jesus
THE FOUNDATION FOR A SUCCESSFUL FAMILY (127:1-2) (WILLMINGTON)
I. Prosperity and security are not ultimately your accomplishments but God’s gifts. (127:1) (Keller)
“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”
Psalms 127:1 NIV https://psalm.bible/psalm-127-1
3 Universal Preoccupations of humanity:
Building (Creator, producer)
Security
Raising a family
What are we spending our time building?
Will it last?
Will we wish we had worked more on our death bed?
Watchmen (security)
Uvalde shooting???? Are our children safe? Can we sleep at night?
“In vain” ≠ vanities in Ecclesiastes, though still sweeping
“Anxious toil” or “toiling” of late comes from same root word used in Gen 3:16 where Eve hears from God some of the consequences of her actions.
Hard work + Discipline + Divine Support = Fruitfulness that will last
II. So overwork, worry and strain are a) foolish, and b) wrong. (127:2) If you know that the one who loves you
unfailingly is in complete charge of history, you will be able to sleep well (verse 2).(Keller)
“In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.”
Psalms 127:2 NIV https://psalm.bible/psalm-127-2
Work still harder is no answer to worldly success: it can be a fresh enslavement, in fact. Not simply that projects fail (some bread) but that they lead nowhere.
“In vain you rise early and stay up late, …discipline and diligence isn’t enough (Sorry Jocko)
Why? Because the LORD gives sleep zzzzzzzzz to his beloved—true rest and peace that allows you to sleep when the enemy is out there (today’s war on children in general)
Being anxious over food…
Working long hours…
Vain unless the LORD is in it.
Trusting in the Lord leads to rest and peace because we’re not carrying the full burden but recognizing that we cannot—but He can.
Hard work + Discipline + Divine Suppor = Fruitful life in all that you do
Transition: From here on, Solomon gives the alternative to our elaborate failures.
THE FRUITS FROM A SUCCESSFUL FAMILY (127:3-5) (WILLMINGTON)
III.-V. So too thriving, happy children are God’s doing. (127:3-5) (Keller)
“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.”
Psalms 127:3 NIV https://psalm.bible/psalm-127-3
“Helicopter” parenting and over involvement in our children’s lives, cannot ensure their health and happiness. (Keller)
Unless the Lord enters their lives, all our watching is in vain. (Keller)
Giving our children to God is the ONLY WAY we get to keep them. (Keller)
If you know that the one who loves you unfailingly is in complete charge of IEStory, you will be able to sleep well. (Keller)
And if you are overworked and over stressed, you are forgetting who God is. Jesus wait it most bluntly: “Apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
What do parents worry about most? Their children’s future.
They are: a heritage from the Lord (he is the gracious ultimate source).
Heritage = a person’s unique source of family identity: the values, traditions, culture and artifacts handed down by previous generations.
Repeated: a reward ( a good blessing) from him (ultimate source).
Genesis 11 illustrates this Psalm:
Man builds for glory and security to achieve is only a fiasco “in vain” whereas
God quietly gives to the obscure Torah a son whose blessings havre proliferated ever since.
Wealth isn’t the issue.
An upstanding family is wealth and honor enough.
IV.
“Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.”
Psalms 127:4 NIV https://psalm.bible/psalm-127-4
Simile
How are they a heritage and reward? Like arrows to an archer—warrior/protector/rescuer readying for battle.
Full quiver of arrows represented prestige and protection in that day. (CSB)
“Like arrows for a warrior, children were useful in the agricultural society. The man who had many children also enjoyed respect in the near eastern society.” (CSB)
We’re in a war. Every day.
V.
“Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.”
Psalms 127:5 NIV https://psalm.bible/psalm-127-5
Something he launches in the battle to defend and win the battle.
Our battle isn’t against flesh and blood (Ephesians 2) but against rulers and principalities beyond this world.
Are we preparing our children for that??!
Simile continues…
Someone he launches into life to enter the fray (equipped??) on their own two feet.
Assuming the Lord builds his house resting on the Lord,
He will be blessed
His children will not be put to shame when they battle
In court
In war
In life
Because if they all with the Lord too (most raised this way will) then they’ll have nothing to be ashamed of. Therefore, peace no matter the short-term outcome.
And long-term
Conclusion
Bottom Line: Hard work + Discipline + Divine Support = Fruitfulness that will last; “For apart from me you can do nothing.” -Jesus
Prodigal Father scripture Luke 15:11-32
References/Bibliography:
“Psalms 73-150” by Derek Kidner
“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)
“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)
“The Songs of Jesus” by Tim Keller
“Treasury of the Psalms” by Charles Spurgeon
Outline Bible, D Willmington
NIV Study Bible (NIVSB)
ESV Study Bible
ESV Gospel Transformation Bible (GTB)
CSB Study Bible
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