Work is a good thing, a part of God’s perfect plan for human beings. After all, even before he fell into sin, Adam was given the job of tending and keeping the Garden of Eden. But in Psalm 127, Solomon, who oversaw the construction of the Temple of God, also warns us about some of the dangers of work.

For it’s so easy to become proud of our efforts, isn’t it? In the light of our achievements, we might even imagine that God is somehow helpless to accomplish His will without us. But while Solomon would have us labor to build houses, and while he would have us guard our cities diligently, at the same time he recognizes that any successes our efforts may produce are due solely to the providence of God (v. 1). Somehow, even while we work as hard as we can, God is still responsible for all the results we may achieve.

And that even extends into the sphere of the family. Every parent knows that rearing children is a hard job, especially if they are trying to earn a paycheck at the same time. But however hard we may work at training our children in righteousness, and however diligently we may model the Christian life before them, none of our efforts would bear any fruit without God. Because God is the One Who gives children to us in the first place (v. 3), any pride we have in their growth and development must be shared with their Creator, and ours.

So sure, we need to work as hard as we can. But we have no reason for worry or fear. For the good news is that our gracious, loving God, the God Who has accomplished everything necessary for our salvation in the cross of Christ, is able to give us everything we need even while we sleep (v. 2). Surely, we can trust in Him to bless all our efforts today.

Psalm 127 (NASB)

A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.
Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
3 Behold, children are a gift of the LORD; The fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.
5 How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They shall not be ashamed, When they speak with their enemies in the gate.