May 10

1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain, that builds it; except the LORD keep the city, the watchman, waleath but in vain.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so be giveth his beloved sleep.

3 Lo, children are a heritage of the LORD; and the fruit of the words is his reward.

4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

The subject of this Psalm is God's blessing on His people as their one great necessity and privilege.

"We are here taught that builders of houses and cities, systems and fortunes, empires and churches all labor in vain without the Lord; but under the divine favor they enjoy perfect rest. Sons, who are in the Hebrew called 'builders,' are set forth as building up families under the same divine blessing, to the great honor and happiness of their parents."

The word vain is the key-note here, and we hear it ring out clearly three times. Without God, the Master-builder, we are nothing.

"Around the wall the sentinels pace with constant step; but yet the city is betrayed unless the unsleeping Watcher is with them. We are not safe because of watchmen if Jehovah refuses to watch over us. Even if the guards are wakeful, and do their duty, still the place may be surprised if God be not there. 'I, the Lord, do keep it,' is better than an army of sleepless guards."—C. H. Spurgeon.

Also, "unless we have His blessing, a dwelling-house cannot be comfortably erected. And if His blessing be not on our children, the house (the family) may be built up, but instead of its being the house of God, it will be the synagogue of Satan. All marriages that are not under God's blessing will be a private and public curse."—Adam Clarke.

"On the lintel of the door in many an old English house, we may still read the words, Nisi Dominus frustra—the Latin version of the opening words of this Psalm. Let us also trust in Him, and inscribe these words over the portal of 'the house of our pilgrimage;' and beyond a doubt all will be well with us, both in this world and in that which is to come."— Samuel Cox.

Closet Promise.—The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, and the Lord shall cover him all the day.—Deut. xxxiii. 12.

Beyond everything else the discouraged man or woman who lies awake at night nursing trouble and growing weaker to meet it, or striving with terrors that have no name, should remember that, straw though each of us be, we are of value in God's eyes. "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? But ye are of more value than many sparrows." "I will remember Thee on my bed," said David, "and meditate on Thee in the night watches." It is not in vain that we call upon God, not in vain that we invoke the heavenly hosts to come to our relief. And if only our eyes were opened we should see, O how often, the angel of the Lord encamped round about us, and just before us, flung wide for our shelter and salvation, the banners of the King!