Bible Study: December 3, 2025

Prayer

As always, we start with prayer. Firstly, do we have any praise reports from the previous week? Next, is there anything we as a group can pray for concerning you or someone close to you?

Praise

Let’s Take Time

Let’s Take Time

To Wait Upon The Lord,

Let’s Take Time

To Listen To His Voice,

Unless The Lord Builds The House,

We Labor In Vain,

So Let’s Take Time

To Wait Upon The Lord.

Passage

Psalm 127

God’s Blessings in the Home

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

¹ Unless the Lord builds the house,    

those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord guards the city,    

the guard keeps watch in vain.

² It is in vain that you rise up early    

and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil,    

for he gives sleep to his beloved.

³ Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,    

the fruit of the womb a reward.

⁴ Like arrows in the hand of a warrior    

are the sons of one’s youth.

⁵ Happy is the man who has    

his quiver full of them.

He shall not be put to shame    

when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Preamble

Context: Psalm 127 is from the ‘Songs of Ascents’, written by King Solomon, the son of King David, for people who travel to Jerusalem for worship, celebration, and sacrifice. This psalm highlights that without the LORD's involvement, our hopes and plans for building anything will fail. Interestingly, the psalm also seems to be divided into two parts—the first part focusing on God's role in building and protecting the 'house' [Temple] that was just built, and the second part on the blessing of having children. But wait. Are these two things connected?

In the generation before this psalm was composed, there was a time when King David and the prophet Nathan discussed building a 'house' for God, and God was not particularly pleased (2 Samuel 7, ref below). However, that conversation shifts when God speaks of the two types of ‘houses’ that are also mentioned in this psalm. These will not be 'houses' constructed by King David or the prophet Nathan, but by God. Then, King David’s son, King Solomon, pens this psalm years later.

Ponder

1.      Does anything from this song or psalm touch you in a new way upon re-reading or re-singing it? What is it--and why is it standing out to you?

2.      Take a look at verse one. "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” What the are first images that come to your mind when you think about that line? Does it remind you of anything from your own life, or home or church? Why does it remind you of that?

3.       What do you think the word ‘house’ here is referring to in this psalm; and in its entirely throughout the psalm? Is it just a building... or is there something more alluded to here? (Hint: think of 2 Samuel 7). Is there a double meaning here that fits the entire psalm beyond just the Temple [house] that everyone in this Psalm of Ascents is marching towards?

4.      When you imagine a house being more than a piece of property (church, personal home, you) and also imagine it as your ‘lineage house’ and family, how has God guarded yours?

5.      “Sons” here actually refers to more than just sons (quick version, this psalm is about physical battle as well, hence why there is a historical masculine leaning here) but it refers to the 'house linage' of a blessed family that the LORD has for you as your heritage. How do you see God’s ‘[house] heritage’ in your own family of sons and daughters (physical and spiritual) ? Where do you see the blessing of the LORD in their lives and/or in their children’s lives?

6.      As we looked at Advent Hope on Sunday, what hope do you see proclaimed in 2 Samuel 7 and also here in Psalm 127? What 'house' does the LORD continue to build that is so much bigger than the Temple to where everyone is travelling in this psalm—and how is your family a part of it?  

[Reference]

2 Samuel 7: 11b-13 Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. ¹² When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Pray & Part