Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat–for He grants sleep to those He loves. (127:1-2)
These verses fall right in the middle of the songs of ascent and they are a fitting reminder to us. All our labors and energies are in vain if we operate apart from the LORD. He must build. He must protect. He must provide. Otherwise what we do will have no ultimate value or impact. Jesus said the same thing in John 15: I am the vine; you are the branches, if a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).
I was familiar with verse one of Psalm 127 but I really did not remember verse two. The theme is the same with a little different emphasis. We can work day and night, rising early and staying up late. Working, toiling, laboring, trying to get ahead. But the LORD grants sleep to those He loves. That’s quite a contrast. God gives rest to those He loves because they rest in Him.
The bottom line in these verses is “Do I rest in God? Do I depend upon Him?” To answer that question, I have to look no further than my prayer life. Most of the time I rest on my resources, my abilities, and my efforts rather than on the Lord. How do I know? Because my prayer life is sporadic at best and I feel the pangs of stress and anxiety. “I have to make this work or else everything will fall apart!” “Everything depends upon me.” “I can’t fail in front of others.”
Stress comes when I put more on my shoulders than I was meant to bear. Rest comes as I cast my cares upon Him, walk in His Spirit, work in His strength, and leave the results in His hands.