46. Unless the Lord the House Shall Build (Psalm 127)

1 Unless the Lord the house shall build,
the weary builders toil in vain;
unless the Lord the city shield,
the guards a useless watch maintain.

2 In vain you rise at morning break,
and late your nightly vigils keep,
and weary days of toil partake;
for God's beloved there is sleep.

3 Like arrows in full quivers stored
are children given in days of youth;
for children are a great reward,
a gift from God in very truth.

Text Information
First Line: Unless the Lord the house shall build
Title: Unless the Lord the House Shall Build (Psalm 127)
Meter: LM
Language: English
Publication Date: 2013
Scripture: ;
Topic: Children; Creation; Family (3 more...)
Source: The Psalter, 1872, alt.
Tune Information
Name: BOURBON
Composer (attributed to): Freeman Lewis (1814)
Harmonizer: John Leon Hooker (1984)
Meter: LM
Key: f minor
Copyright: Harm. © 1984 John Leon Hooker


Text Information:

As this paraphrase of Psalm 127 makes clear, human beings need to recognize both that our efforts will be in vain without God’s help and that our blessings come from God. These enduring truths are linked to each other by this shape note tune that ends as it begins.


Media
Audio recording: Audio (MP3)
More media are available on the text authority and tune authority pages.

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