lectionary.com

Pentecost Season · Proper 27 · Year B

Psalm 127

Unless the Lord Builds the House

November 7, 2027

The Holy Family, Rembrandt van Rijn
The Holy Family, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1645Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg
A carpenter at his bench in the dark at the back, the mother reading beside the cradle, and the whole house held in one lamp of light.Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. Children are a heritage from the Lord.Rembrandt van RijnRembrandt, who painted the holy family as a working household in Amsterdam.Hermitage Museum, Saint PetersburgThe Hermitage, Saint Petersburg.Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelMark 12:38-44Mk 12:38-44
EpistleHeb. 9:24-28Heb 9:24-28
Old TestamentRuth 3:1-5; 4:13-17Ru 3:1-5; 4:13-17Alt. OT1 Kings 17:8-161 Kgs 17:8-16
PsalterPs. 127Ps 127Alt. PsalmPs. 146Ps 146

Overview & Insights

"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." (Psalm 127:1)

A wisdom psalm of Solomon teaching that all human effort, building a house or guarding a city, is futile without the Lord, and that children are a heritage and reward from him.

From Sermons.com: Join Today to access the most scholarly & well written preaching resources anywhere.

Take it further: Psalm 127

Commentary

Enduring Word: Psalm 127Enduring Word: Ps 127 Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's verse-by-verse evangelical notes on the psalm.

BibleHub: Commentaries on Psalm 127:1BibleHub: Commentaries on Ps 127:1 BibleHub

Parallel classic commentaries on the vanity of labor apart from the Lord.

Background & Word Study

Sefaria: Psalms 127 (Hebrew)Sefaria: Ps 127 (Hebrew) Sefaria

Hebrew text with English and Jewish commentary on the song of ascents.

BibleHub: Psalm 127 InterlinearBibleHub: Ps 127 Interlinear BibleHub

Hebrew-English interlinear for word-level study of the psalm.

The Church Fathers

Catena: Psalm 127Catena: Ps 127 Catena

Patristic comments gathered verse by verse on Psalm 127.

Prep at sermons.com

Ready to write?

  • Full sermons on Mark 12:38-44
  • Illustrations cleared for use in worship
  • Commentary, quotes, and Bible dictionary
Open it at sermons.com →

Trusted by pastors since 1995.

Free every Tuesday

Illustrations & Sermon Prep in your inbox

The coming Sunday’s readings, a cleared-for-use illustration, and a sermon-prep head start. One email, free.