1The vanity of human endeavours without God's blessing. 3Children are God's good gift.
0 A1 Song of degrees 2for Solomon.
1 See Psalm 120 in the title.
2 That is, an ode of Solomon. Other, for Solomon, that is, an ode of David for an instruction to his son Solomon, so likewise Psalm 72 in the title.
1EXCEPT the LORD build 3the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep 4the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
3 Understand hereby the building and keeping of the house or the city, not only the material frame thereof, but also the state and government, both particular or personal, and general over kingdoms, countries and cities, churches and congregations.
4 Understand hereby the building and keeping of the house or the city, not only the material frame thereof, but also the state and government, both particular or personal, and general over kingdoms, countries and cities, churches and congregations.
25It is vain for you to rise up 6early, to sit up 7late, to 8eat the bread of sorrows: for so 9he giveth 10his beloved 11sleep.
5 Namely, unless you have the blessing of the Lord.
6 Namely, to work or labor.
7 Or, stay up late, namely, at work to get your living.
8 That is, sour bread, or bread gotten with much carking toil and labor. See the annotation 1 Kings 22 on verse 27. Other, bread of painfulness.
9 Namely, God.
10 It seems that David had a special regard here to Solomon, who in 2 Sam. 12:25 is called Jedidiah, that is, the beloved of the Lord.
11 Other, he giveth sleep to his beloved. As if he had said: All the toil and care shall not benefit man if the LORD shall not bless him, but whomever He loves and blesses, he shall have enough and be able to sleep with peace of mind commending himself and his own, after their labor has ended, unto God, the Lord.
3Lo, children are 12an heritage of the LORD: and 13the fruit of the womb is his 14reward.
12 That is, a blessing given by the Lord, as Job 20:29; Psalm 61:5; Isa. 54:17.
13 That is, the children.
14 Namely, given by the Lord. A reward is sometimes given as due for service performed, as Gen. 30:28; Num. 18:31, sometimes of mere grace and favor, Rom. 4:4, such as God gives to His own servants, Gen. 15:1; Isa. 62:11.
415As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are 16children of the youth.
15 The meaning is: as a strong and valiant man, shooting his arrows upon his enemy, does wound and destroy the same, so are children, who are well bred, a good help and assistance to their parents against the enemies of the same.
16 Namely, those who are begotten in the flower of the parents’ age; for, such children are commonly of a more vigorous disposition than others are, and they are sooner able to help and relieve their parents. Thus are such called the sons of old age, which are born to aged parents, Gen. 37:3.
5Happy is the man 17that hath his quiver full of them: 18they shall not be ashamed, but they shall 19speak with the enemies in the gate.
17 That is, who has his house filled with such children.
18 That is, they shall not need to leave their righteous cause unanswered before their adversaries when they appear before the judge.
19 That is, when they have any cause to plead, or, in debate before the judges, whose seat was usually in the gates of the city. See the annotation Gen. 34:20.