UNLESS THE LORD

UNLESS THE LORD
Psalm 127:1
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain.” 

“Let go and let God,” says one school of thought. “God helps those who help themselves,” says another. One tells us to do nothing, God does everything. The other tells us unless we do something, nothing will happen. Who is right? Both, at different levels of truth and in different contexts. Obviously, a house won’t be built if the builders are lounging around. Yet, when it is built, the builders cannot claim the credit. 

When I became a Christian, the first in my non-Christian home, I learned to give thanks before I took my meals. My father noticed and asked, “Who give you food to eat?” I wanted to answer, “You, Father, but God gives you strength to work and earn money to buy the food.” Out of respect, I kept quiet. My father became a Christian years later, and I believe he recognised that unless God provided the food, we would have nothing to eat. 

The psalm, attributed in the title to King Solomon, does not denigrate hard work. Rising up early, and staying up late, to put food on the table—is commendable and not to be disparaged. But all must be done in recognition of the LORD who gives us life and health, mind and body, knowledge and skills, to do what we do. Arrogant are we if we boast, “I did it all by myself.” Yet, popular culture drums into us the mantra, “Believe in yourself. You can do it!!” No wonder, self-help books occupy prominent shelves in bookshops. 

From building and guarding, the psalm turns to sleeping (v.3): the LORD “gives to his beloved sleep”. Nothing illustrates our utter dependence on God like sleep! Every day, we switch off and entrust our body (and life) to our Creator. If we have not learned to trust him in our endeavours, our sleep is likely to be fitful. But what peace is ours when we know he is in charge, building the house and guarding the city.

Perhaps, the two schools of thought can be reconciled: we work believing everything depends on us, but we trust knowing everything depends on God. We do what we can, and God will do what we cannot. Unless he does what we cannot, we will never accomplish what we think we can. 

He builds, we work; he guards, we sleep.