Psalm 127:1
Strong's Lexicon
A Song
שִׁ֥יר (šîr)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's Hebrew 7892: n m 1) song 1a) lyric song 1b) religious song 1c) song of Levitical choirs n f 2) song 2a) song, ode

of Ascents.
הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹת (ham·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's Hebrew 4609: 1) what comes up, thoughts 2) step, stair 2a) step, stair 2b) steps (of sundial) 2c) stories (of heaven) 2d) ascent 2e) song of ascent 2e1) to the three great pilgrim feasts (Psalm titles)

Of Solomon.
לִשְׁלֹ֫מֹ֥ה (liš·lō·mōh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 8010: Solomon = 'peace' 1) son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs

Unless
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's Hebrew 518: 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather

לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's Hebrew 3808: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time)

the LORD
יְהוָ֤ה ׀ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 3068: Jehovah = 'the existing One' 1) the proper name of the one true God 1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of H0136

builds
יִבְנֶ֬ה (yiḇ·neh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 1129: 1) to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to build, rebuild 1a2) to build a house (ie, establish a family) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be built 1b2) to be rebuilt 1b3) established (of restored exiles) (fig.) 1b4) established (made permanent) 1b5) to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine)

the house,
בַ֗יִת (ḇa·yiṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 1004: nm 1) house 1a) house, dwelling habitation 1b) shelter or abode of animals 1c) human bodies (fig.) 1d) of Sheol 1e) of abode of light and darkness 1f) of land of Ephraim 2) place 3) receptacle 4) home, house as containing a family 5) household, family 5a) those belonging to the same household 5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body 6) household affairs 7) inwards (metaph.) 8) (TWOT) temple adv 9) on the inside prep 10) within

its builders
בוֹנָ֣יו (ḇō·w·nāw)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 1129: 1) to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to build, rebuild 1a2) to build a house (ie, establish a family) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be built 1b2) to be rebuilt 1b3) established (of restored exiles) (fig.) 1b4) established (made permanent) 1b5) to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine)

labor
עָמְל֣וּ (‘ā·mə·lū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's Hebrew 5998: 1) to labour, toil 1a) (Qal) to labour

in
בּ֑וֹ (bōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew :

vain;
שָׁ֤וְא ׀ (šāw)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 7723: 1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood 1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity 1b) emptiness of speech, lying 1c) worthlessness (of conduct)

unless
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's Hebrew 518: 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather

לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's Hebrew 3808: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time)

the LORD
יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 3068: Jehovah = 'the existing One' 1) the proper name of the one true God 1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of H0136

protects
יִשְׁמָר־ (yiš·mār-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 8104: 1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to keep, have charge of 1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life 1a2a) watch, watchman (participle) 1a3) to watch for, wait for 1a4) to watch, observe 1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory) 1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain 1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow) 1a8) to keep, preserve, protect 1a9) to keep, reserve 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware 1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain 1b3) to be kept, be guarded 1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed 1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from

the city,
עִ֝֗יר (‘îr)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 5892: 1) excitement, anguish 1a) of terror 2) city, town (a place of waking, guarded) 2a) city, town

its watchmen
שׁוֹמֵֽר׃ (šō·w·mêr)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 8104: 1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to keep, have charge of 1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life 1a2a) watch, watchman (participle) 1a3) to watch for, wait for 1a4) to watch, observe 1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory) 1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain 1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow) 1a8) to keep, preserve, protect 1a9) to keep, reserve 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware 1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain 1b3) to be kept, be guarded 1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed 1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from

stand guard
שָׁקַ֬ד (šā·qaḏ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 8245: 1) to wake, watch, awake, be alert 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to keep watch of, be wakeful over 1a2) to be wakeful, wake (as mourner or sufferer)

in vain.
שָׁ֤וְא ׀ (šāw)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 7723: 1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood 1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity 1b) emptiness of speech, lying 1c) worthlessness (of conduct)

Parallel Strong's
Berean Study Bible
A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the LORD protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain.

Young's Literal Translation
A Song of the Ascents, by Solomon. If Jehovah doth not build the house, In vain have its builders laboured at it, If Jehovah doth not watch a city, In vain hath a watchman waked.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A Solomonic song of ascents. Unless the LORD builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain.

New American Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
{{A Song of degrees for Solomon. }} Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh [but] in vain.
Parallel Verses
New International Version
A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

New Living Translation
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.

English Standard Version
Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

New American Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A Solomonic song of ascents. Unless the LORD builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain.

International Standard Version
Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor uselessly. Unless the LORD guards the city, its security forces keep watch uselessly.

NET Bible
A song of ascents, by Solomon. If the LORD does not build a house, then those who build it work in vain. If the LORD does not guard a city, then the watchman stands guard in vain.

American Standard Version
Except Jehovah build the house, They labor in vain that build it: Except Jehovah keep the city, The watchman waketh but in vain.

English Revised Version
A Song of Ascents; of Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Young's Literal Translation
A Song of the Ascents, by Solomon. If Jehovah doth not build the house, In vain have its builders laboured at it, If Jehovah doth not watch a city, In vain hath a watchman waked.
















Cross References
Leviticus 26:20
And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.

Psalm 78:69
And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

Psalm 121:3
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Psalm 121:4
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

Psalm 126:6
He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalm 1:1
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Psalm 126:5
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

Psalm 126:4
Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.

Psalm 127:2
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Psalm 127:3
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Psalm 127:4
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
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