Psalm 127:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

NIV: Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.

NASB: Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.

CSB: Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord, offspring, a reward.

NLT: Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.

KJV: Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

NKJV: Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Children are depicted as a heritage from the Lord and as His reward. The Hebrew terms nachalah and sakar both imply something valuable. One refers to something passed down from one generation to the next, the other to wages or rewards. Just as a father leaves an inheritance to his children, the Lord gives parents the precious possession of children.

Children should be considered blessings and not burdens. The unborn child is a reward from the Lord and not simply unwanted tissue to be cast aside. In Genesis 30:2 Jacob referred to children as "the fruit of the womb." When Leah gave birth to her fifth son, she called him Issachar, meaning, there is reward (Genesis 30:18). When she gave birth to a sixth son, she announced: "God has endowed me with a good endowment" (Genesis 30:20). Jesus treated children as those who belonged to the kingdom of God. He blessed them and said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:14).

As the prior verses noted, how we "build" into the lives of children makes a difference (Psalm 127:1–2). Raising children to understand godliness and godly wisdom gives them a better chance of success (Proverbs 22:6). A humorous quip notes that children in the play pen, viewed as special gifts from the Lord and reared in His truth (Ephesians 6:4), are much less likely to become adults in the state pen—a reference to prison.

Psalm 127:3–5 continues the theme of reliance on the Lord. However, it changes the emphasis from building and daily work to home and family. It is not only important to rely on the Lord in a career or in chores; it is especially critical as we live with our families and rear our children. Children are blessings from God.

This psalm insists any work, whether it is constructive or defensive, is pointless when it's not aligned with God. Anything not grounded in godly truth is bound to fail, eventually. Long days spent striving to get what the Lord has not willed are just stress leading to sleepless nights. Keeping the theme of building for the future, children are not a burden but a blessing. The Lord rewards parents with children who help them achieve victory over life's challenges. The father of many children is blessed. Children help provide protection against every enemy that threatens the family's security.

Solomon wrote this "song of ascent." Like the others (Psalms 120–126, 128¬–134), it was sung by the people of Israel as they traveled to Jerusalem to observe an annual festival. The psalm points out the futility of making plans and trying to carry them out without relying on the Lord. Connected to this is the idea of children and the blessing they bring.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.