Psalm 12y
If Yahweh does not build the palace, * in vain do its builders work on it.
If Yahweh does not guard the city, * in vain does the guard keep vigil.Failure to you who rise early, * who put off going to bed,
who eat the bread of idols. * But the Reliable gives prosperity to his beloved.Yes, sons are a boon from Yahweh, * fruit of the womb his reward.
Like the arrows in a warrior's hand * are the sons of one's youth.Happy the man who has filled * his quiver with them!
He will not be shamed but will repel * his enemies from the gate.
1. A gradual canticle of Solomon.
127:0 This is Psalm 127 in the whole Psalter, the 27th in the third part, the 8th of the Gradual Psalms, and the 3rd of the Gradual Psalms pertaining to progress in doing good. Someone who goes forward after firmness in his good purpose (Ps 125), and joy in doing good (Ps 126), he must have a good intention in everything, so that it will all be referred to God. This Psalm has to do with that relation or intention. Therefore, added to the usual title is the name "Solomon", because this Psalm has to do with spiritual construction , which was prefigured in the temple which he built.
The Psalm has two parts: He professes (1) that progress and perseverance in good comes from God, (2) that from him also is a reward to be expected in the future: "Failure to you". In the first, using an illustration, he shows (1) that all progress in good comes from God, (2) that all perseverance comes from him: "If Yahweh does not guard".
Unless the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.
If Yahweh does not build the palace, in vain do its builders work on it.127:1.1 The idea is: We are confirmed in our good purpose and happy with the good, but everything must be referred to God, since if Yahweh, who alone knows and is able, does not build the palace, that is, the Church and any soul, so that it may become his dwelling, in vain do its builders work on it. —Prov 9:1 Wisdom has built herself a house, she has set up seven pillars. —Prov 24:3 By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established. —Zech 6:12 Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall grow up in his place, and he shall build the temple of Yahweh. Therefore it is said in Amos 7:7 He showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. —1 Cor 3:9 You are God's farm, God's building. —Eph 2:20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Yet he wants helpers in this construction. Everyone must help him for his own case, but some want God to do the whole work, saying, "Pray for me," but they do not want to do anything. —Sir 21:8 He who builds his house with another's money is collecting stones for his funeral mound (Vul: stones in the winter). Stones collected in the winter are not suitable for a building. The helpers in this construction should be prelates —1 Cor 3:9 We are God's fellow—workers — but they are more destroyers than builders —Is 49:17 Your builders came destroying you (Vul), that is, they build in flesh and blood. —Micah 3:10 They build Zion in blood, and Jerusalem with wrong. So whoever builds without God builds in vain, like the builders of the tower of Babel (Gen 11). —Acts 5:38—39 If this plan or this project is from men, it will fail, but if it is from God, you will be unable to overthrow them.
Unless the Lord keep the city, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it.
If Yahweh does not guard the city, in vain does the guard keep vigil.127:1.2 Here he uses a simile to show that perseverance in good comes from God. The idea is: Unless he builds, it is in vain, and also, if Yahweh does not guard the city, so that it may persevere in good, in vain does the guard keep vigil. For he is the guard —Is 21:11 Watchman, what of the night? He has guards under him, namely, angels and prelates —Is 62:6 Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen. —Cant 8:11 Solomon let out the vineyard to keepers.
Note that for a city to be guarded well, several factors must come together: (1) There must be guards —Cant 3:3 The watchmen found me as they went around the city. (2) They must keep watch, for how could they be watchmen without keeping watch? —Mark 13:37 What I say to you, I say to all: Be on watch. (3) A guard on the gates — Nahum 2:7—8 The river gates are opened, the palace shudders, its mistress is led forth captive. Therefore Job closed his doors —Job 31:1 I made a covenant with my eyes, how could I look upon a virgin? (4) Weapons —Eph 6:11 Put on the armor of God, that you may stand perfectly. (5) Concord and unity of the citizens —Mt 12:25 A kingdom divided against itself is laid waste. —Eph 4:3 eager to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. But none of these will be of any use unless there is above all (7) the authority of the ruler — Prov 29:14 If a king judges the poor with equity his throne will be established for ever.
2. It is vain for you to rise before light,
Failure to you who rise early,127:2.1 In this part of the Psalm he shows that a reward is to be expected from God in the future, not in the present. So he states: (1) the fruitlessness of those who look for a reward here, (2) when and in what order it should be expected: "who put off". The idea is: The reward is from God, as well as perseverance in good merit, and also, for you who are in a hurry, it is vain to rise to glory and exultation before dawn, before the true light, which is Christ, comes to judge and shin on hearts. Christ is with these —John 8:12 I am the light of the world. —John 1:9 He was the true light. This light will rise in judgment and shine on everything. —1 Cor 4:5 Do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then one should rise with the desire for glory, but not now; rather one must lie down humbly. —Job 22:29 Whoever has been humble will be in glory (Vul). Or do not rise before the light, that is, before Christ, desiring to be exalted before Christ and to be put before him —Prov 29:23 A man's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
rise ye after you have sitten, you that eat the bread of sorrow. When he shall give sleep to his beloved, 3. Behold the inheritance of the Lord are children: the reward, the fruit of the womb. 4. As arrows in the hand of the mighty, so the children of them that have been shaken.
who put off going to bed, who eat the bread of idols. But the Reliable gives prosperity to his beloved. Yes, sons are a boon from Yahweh, fruit of the womb his reward. Like the arrows in a warrior's hand are the sons of one's youth.127:2.2.1 Here he shows in what order, when and by whom a reward should be sought. (1) He determines many conditions that go into this, and (2) he declares blessed those who go that far: "Happy the man who has filled". In the first, he shows (1) the order of arriving at the reward, (2) by what merit and by whom: "who eat", (3) when: "But the reliable", (4) the type of reward: "Yes, sons", (5) through whom or, according to another reading, how: "Like arrows". The idea is: I said that it is vain to be in a hurry, but after you sit down, that is, when you become humble (for sitting stands for humility), then you will rise to participate in glory. —Luke 14:11 He who humiliates himself will be exalted. —Micah 7:8 When I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, Yahweh will be a light to me. —Ps 139:2 You know my sitting, my humility, and you brought about my standing, my resurrection.
You who eat, by delightfully enduring, as if your were being refreshed, the bread of sorrow, affliction and misery. For this bread is for those who rejoice in tribulations. It is the bread spoken of in Ps 80:5 You fed us tears as our food. This is the bread which Job fed on —3:24 Sighing came as my bread. —Gen 3:19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread.
As for the time, I said that you must first sit down, because the Lord gives sleep, i.e. death, to his beloved. The death of the saints is called sleep, because it is (1) very delightful to them —Jer 31:26 My sleep was sweet to me. It is also (2) a rest for them —Rev 14:13 Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors. (3) a security —Job 11:18—19 You will take your rest in safety; you will lie down and none will make you afraid. With this sleep Stephen slept in the Lord (Acts 7).
Fourthly, what kind of a reward: It will be perpetual, because it is an inheritance, and deserved, because it is a reward. Read it this way: When he gives his beloved sleep, the inheritance is children who are just and sons of God, the reward is the fruit of the womb, that is, the just, who are the fruit of the womb of the Church. Although evil people are sometimes born from the Church, they are not her fruit, but only the good and the just who persevere in goodness. These are those reborn, according to John 3:5 Unless one is born of water and the Spirit. But some later become evil, and cannot be called fruit of the Church. Eve, who was born of Adam while he was sleeping, gave birth to the most wicked Cain, and to Abel the just (Gen 4). But the inheritance is given to the true sons, who are the fruit. —Gen 25:5—6 Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac, but to the sons of his concubines he gave gifts. —Gal 4:30 The son of the slave shall not inherit with the son of the free woman. To these are given the inheritance of Christ —Rom 8:17 If children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.
Or it could be interpreted: When he gave his beloved sleep, then the inheritance of the Lord, which are sons, will go to their eternal reward. These are the just, who belong to Christ, who is the fruit of a virginal womb —Ps 2:8 The nations will be yours.
Fifthly, he shows through whom one will come to that reward, and there are two intermediaries: (1) the Apostles, and (2) the spiritual sons of the Apostles: "are the sons of one's youth". The idea is: I said that after sleep will be given an inheritance and a reward. How will this come? Like sharp and penetrating arrows, namely, the Apostles, in a warrior's hand, that is, in the hand of Christ, they are shot, that is, sent throughout the world. These are the arrows of Hab 3:11 In the light of your arrows they speed. They are shot and sent —Mark 16:15 Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. —Mt 10:16 I send you out. —Ps 18:14 He forged his arrows and scattered them.
So are the children of those who were shaken, that is, of the Apostles, who were shaken in being sent through the whole world. Some these were Dionysius, Quintinus, Firminus and other preachers. —Ps 45:16 In place of your fathers, the Apostles, shall be your sons, their successors. Another interpretation is: As arrows in a warrior's hand are powerfully shot, so the children of the Apostles who were shaken, are themselves shaken and dispersed, thrown out of once city into another, and they shoot the arrows of Scripture. For Scripture is an arrow, having (1) a metal tip, which is constancy of will, (2) a shaft, which is good action, and (3) feathers, which are knowledge and intention, which guide the whole arrow. Or again the whole passage could be better interpreted to show the way of coming to the reward: I said that a reward would be given after sleep. Will there be a long wait? No, but as an arrow flies powerfully and speedily and almost imperceptibly from the hand of the warrior, so the sons of those shaken will go quickly to their reward.
5. Blessed is the man that hath filled the desire with them; he shall not be confounded when he shall speak to his enemies in the gate.
Happy the man who has filled his quiver with them! He will not be shamed but will repel his enemies from the gate.127:2.2.2 Here he declares blessed those who arrive at their reward. They are blessed on two counts: (1) for getting what is good, (2) for escaping what is evil: "He will not be shamed". The idea is: The inheritance will be given quite quickly after sleeping, and happy the man who is given this inheritance, because he has fulfilled his desire because of them, that is, the preachers, or "with them", the good things announced by the preachers, which are arrows. —Ps 103:5 who fills your desire with good things (Vul). —Sir 2:14 Wisdom inebriates men with her fruits. Because people hear from them and draw from them, they are happy, because that is wisdom —Prov 3:13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, who gains understanding. —Prov 8:34 Happy is the man who listens to me.
He will not be shamed, because he is happy and has fulfilled his desire, even when he speaks to his enemies at the gate, which is Christ. —Wis 6:11 Long for my words, and you will be instructed. —Sir 5:15 There are riches and glory in the speech of a sensible man (Vul). For he is given understanding, and thus the power to satisfy everyone. —Sir 5:14 If you have the knowledge, answer your neighbor; if not, put your hand over your mouth.
And in the end, he will not be shamed when he speaks to his enemies, the devils accusing him, at the gate of judgment. For judgments were customarily held at the gates —Prov 31:31 Let her works praise her in the gates. —Is 45:17 You shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity. —Is 49:23 I am Yahweh. Those who wait for me will not be put to shame. —Jer 17:18 Let those be put to shame who persecute me, but let me not be put to shame. That is happiness. May he lead us to it who is blessed for all ages.