Psalm 127

This psalm was one of the first psalms my Methodist grandfather taught me. It might even have been the first. A strange little psalm to teach a child, uh? I like it and it's memorable and the theme is an interesting one for a child to ponder -- that it is God who works in everything and everyone, that all work, all being, all doing comes from God. And without God there is nothing that can do, nothing can be done. In God we live, move, and have our being. 

So the idea is that we should chill, we should learn to let God work through us, we should rest in God working within us and working in the world. It's a deep thing to ponder.

The psalm also reminds us that children are a reward, never a burden. God gives them as joy. In a world where many Christians get an unplanned pregnancy and doubt God will help them feed their children, it's good to remind that. Too many Christians having abortions, alas.

My sons are rewards. God sent them to me to be the joys of my life. 

But today I'm also thinking of why I didn't teach my sons this psalm. I guess we all have our favorites and we all have the ones that stick with us and the ones we consider important for kids to know.

Psalm 127

 ¹Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
 ²It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
 ³Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
 ⁴As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
 ⁵Happy 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.