Psalm 127:1-5 Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.… I. WHAT WE MAY NOT EXPECT, namely, that God will build the house without our labouring, that God will keep the city without the watchman's waking, or that He will give us bread without our toiling for it. This principle may be applied to — 1. Our ordinary life. One of the things which Christianity cannot bear is laziness. If in business I am not diligent I cannot expect to prosper. If I wish to be a man of learning, I cannot get it simply by praying for it; I must study, even to the weariness of the flesh. If a man be sick, he may trust in God as much as he wills; that should be his first thing, but let him also use such remedies as God has given if he can find them out, or learn of them from others. 2. The great matter of our salvation. 3. Our spiritual growth. If a man will not feed himself upon the bread of heaven, can he expect that he shall grow strong? 4. Our Christian work, in trying to bring souls to Christ. We cannot expect to see men converted if we are not earnest in telling them that truth which will save the soul. It is the work of the Spirit to convert sinners; to regenerate must be ever the sole work of God; yet the Lord uses us as His instruments. II. WHAT WE MAY EXPECT; We may expect failure if we attempt the work without God. We may expect it, and we shall not be disappointed. III. WHAT WE SHOULD NOT DO. 1. In our ordinary affairs we should not fret, and worry, and grieve. 2. In the matter of the soul's salvation a man should be anxious, yet his salvation wilt never come by his working, and running from this one to that and the other. "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows," for to those who are in Christ, to those who simply believe on Him, "He giveth His beloved sleep." 3. Now, with regard to growing in grace, I believe that it is much the same. It is foolish to be always fretting and worrying, and saying, "I am not humble enough, I am not believing enough, I am not this or that"; go to Christ, and rest yourself on Him, and believe that what He has begun to do for you and in you He will certainly perform and perfect. 4. Here comes in again our working for the Lord. It is a sweet way of working for Christ "to do the next thing," the next that needs to be done to-day, — not always forecasting all that we are going to do to-morrow and the next day, but calmly and quietly believing that there are so many days in which a man shall be able to walk and to work, and while we have them we will both walk and work in the strength of God. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: {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. |
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