Psalm 127: Building a House; Building Hope
WORSHIP
LAUDS
Written by Dave Cooley
Read Psalm 127
2024 has been nothing short of a very…very… eventful year.
Approximately a quarter of the world's population will be voting in major elections this year, making it the biggest election year in history, possibly shifting political landscapes and international relations on a global scale. If you’re anything like me, given how chaotic things have felt both domestically and internationally, I find myself having moments of anxiety and uncertainty. What kind of future is being built by us? Are we setting future generations up for failure? I wrestle with questions like this more often than I’d like, but, in the midst of it all, Psalm 127 offers a powerful and timely message.
The opening verse says "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain,".
The Hebrew word for "house" here, "bayit," can also mean "household" or even "family." As we navigate this nomadic summer as a church, it reminds us that the true church, the body of Christ, isn't limited by bricks and mortar. It's the community we build together, a spiritual home, where we can encourage one another, and lift each other up as a spiritual family.
The psalm continues, "Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain." Our city grapples with challenges on both a local and federal level. It often feels like a microcosm for what's happening in the rest of the world. Those challenges can lead to concerns for safety, and frustration at injustice. But this verse reminds us that our ultimate security doesn't lie in human efforts alone. Our reassurances and hope come from building our lives, our church, on the foundation of God's promises, with the Church serving as the light that darkness cannot overcome (John 1:5).
In the second half, the psalm switches focus on children as a heritage and reward from God. The psalm likens them to arrows, and whoever has a quiver full of them are blessed. Our children, the next generation, are a gift entrusted to us by God. They are the arrows we equip and send out into the world, carrying the values and faith we nurture within the walls of this church, our spiritual "bayit."
Even in a season of disruption, the message of Psalm 127 is clear: our hope doesn't lie in the permanence of buildings or the shifting sands of politics. It lies in the firm foundation of our faith. The anxieties of the world can be overwhelming, but this psalm reminds us that true security and strength come from building a spiritual house together, a place where we nurture the "arrows" of the next generation.
So, as we gather in our temporary spaces this summer, let our worship, and our fellowship, be a testament to the enduring power of faith. Let us equip and empower one another so that when we go out into the world, we carry the strength and hope of this "bayit" built on the love of Christ.
Reflection:
As you reflect on Psalm 127, what do you sense the Lord is inviting you to ‘build’ in this season of your life? Where do you sense the Lord’s invitation to co-labor with Him for the sake of our community and city?
Spend time praying over our city and nation. Submit your concerns and anxieties about the state of things to the Lord. Consider where the Spirit might be inviting you to respond with good news and good work.
VESPERS
The Psalm of Not
By Nicholas Samaras
Not breath, but breathing.
Not me, but Christ in me.
Not me, but the Holy Spirit in me.
Not breath, but breathing.
Not justification, but repentance.
Not me, but my neighbor first.
Not time given, but time used.
Not my chance, but my helping
Others find their chance.
Not breath, but breathing.
Not a prayer based on need or fear,
But a prayer based on love.
Not the act, but the action.
Not me, but the ancestors comprising me.
Not my hands, but the craft of my hands.
Not me, but my daughter and my son.
Not me, but my father in me, glimmering.
Not breath, but breathing.
