The LORD - Builder and Watchman

"Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." Ps 127:1

Two concepts are mentioned: that of building and that of watching, or keeping guard. Also, two items are listed: the house and the city.

The house is the dwelling place of the family. The house is built by laying brick upon brick, with good mortar joints in between. There are other components: adequate foundation, doors, windows, a roof, plumbing and electrical systems, furnishings etc.

If the builder does a good job, the house will stand for many years. But the Psalmist is not referring to the skill of the builder. He's saying that, if God is in the blueprints, the building will remain. If the house builders invite God to be the Construction Superintendent, including Him in all aspects of the construction, the end result will be a building that will stand the test of time.

The ancient city was surrounded by a wall, and had large, strong gates, all for the protection of the residents. At night the gate would be shut and secured, and a watchman would be on guard on the wall to see that no enemy was intruding. Inside the city walls were many houses. There was a market place where commerce was conducted, there were places of worship and also a building where food from the harvest was stored. And so the city was the center of communal life.

We are all builders. Every day we add something to our lives. The Psalmist's good advice is applicable to us, who live in the modern world: Make sure God is at the center of all that we do.