It takes a lot of time and hard work to build a life, but how do you build a life that you’re proud of? A life that is successful and satisfying? According to the Bible and the 127th Psalm, you can can’t build a good life without God’s help. He provides two blessings that are essential for longterm flourishing.
First, God provides the blessing of rest. This may seem confusing at first, so let me explain. Verses 1 and 2 describe all kinds of strenuous activities like build a house, guarding a city, and poetically “eating the bread of painful labors.” While the Bible affirms the value of work, it doesn’t view work as an end in itself. The reason that people endure long hours is so they can eventually rest and verse 2 says that God is the one who provides it. It may be rest for the night, a weekly sabbath rest, or resting for eternity, but true rest can only come from trusting in God.
Second, God provides the blessing of children. In verses 3 to 5, children are described as an unqualified good and a blessings from God. They are called “a gift,” “a reward,” and “arrows in the hard of a warrior.” But, the last line of verse 5 makes the strongest connection for me between the blessing of children and a good life. In the ancient world, the “gate” was a place of public debate and legal action. Grown children could provide support and even a defense for their parents as they age. Without an up-and-coming generation, people are left to themselves.
The lesson from this practical psalm is clear: You can’t build a good life without His help. So, the question becomes, “How do you get God’s help in building a good life?” In addition to believing in the value of children, it’s also important to trust God to meet your needs. This doesn’t erase the need to work hard, but it does tie our labor to God’s care and provision. If He can give his children what they need while they sleep, than we can rest easy and live the good life.