Pslam 127
Psalm 127 is a very interesting Psalm with a message that is extremely apt considering the events of our current day. There is a general consensus that the overall purpose of Psalm 127 is to illustrate the complete futility of relying solely on our human efforts to accomplish anything meaningful and enduring. ... Anyone who watched the World Trade Center crumble into an ashen heap within mere hours can surely appreciate the wisdom of this Wisdom Psalm. Still, the interpretation of the Psalm is not without controversy.
One of the biggest points of contention goes to the overall structure of Psalm 127. While most commentators agree that Psalm 127 is intended to advocate the wisdom of making God the focus of everyday life, some questions arise as to whether the five verses of the Psalm were originally written as one piece. As noted by Allen, “The unity of the psalm is by no means assured. ... For instance, Weiser suggests that “[t]he psalm clearly falls into two parts which are quite unrelated as far as subject-matter is concerned. ... Both parts are in the form of an enlarged ‘Wisdom saying’ and for that reason have probably here been combined in a single ‘psalm.’”
Others, while believing the two parts of the Psalm to be somewhat independent, acknowledge a correlation in thought. For instance, Gaebelein and Polcyn argue that while the psalm is separated into two distinct themes, these themes are inter-related through contrast. ... Anderson would agree in seeing the Psalm as a unified piece. ... ” Rather than forcing a dissection of the two parts, it seems the better view to read the psalm as a unified whole. As Estes observes, both thematic logic and literary structure support the conclusion that Psalm 127 is a cohesive piece.
A detailed look at the Psalm supports the conclusion that the five verses of the psalm were to be taken together. The Psalm reads as follows:
1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
its builders labor in vain. ... (Psalm 127: 1-5 RSV)
From a thematic standpoint, Estes argues for a unified view by noting that “the references to the house which Yahweh builds (v. ...
Both Estes and Allen argue the parallel of motifs found in this hymn and the Psalm suggest the Psalm’s unity. This Psalm consists of two parts: verses 1-2 depict the ultimate futility of all human enterprise if God is not taken into account, while verses 3-5 show that many sons, or a large family, are a blessing of God (and not the result of human error). ... 1) in Hebrew can be viewed metaphorically “in terms of establishing a family,” as in Genesis 16:2; 30:3; and Exodus 1:21, further pointing “to unity in the Psalm.” Kraus also interprets verse 1 in this way, but is “reluctant to allow verses 3-5 to determine the role of the whole composition so specifically: rather, [in Kraus’ view] the two sayings which make up the psalm are both concerned with establishing a family refer to the suffering and joy in store for the father. ... Schmidt finds unity in interpreting Psalm 127 as a “song greeting at the birth of a son.” As such, the Psalm “refers to the establishment of a family and includes the sorrows and joys that are in store for the housefather.
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