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(A song by Solomon for worship.)

Only the Lord Can Bless a Home

Without the help of the Lord
it is useless to build a home
    or to guard a city.
It is useless to get up early
and stay up late
    in order to earn a living.
God takes care of his own,
    even while they sleep.[a]

Children are a blessing
    and a gift from the Lord.
Having a lot of children
to take care of you
    in your old age
is like a warrior
    with a lot of arrows.
The more you have,
    the better off you will be,
because they will protect you
when your enemies
    attack you in court.

(A song for worship.)

The Lord Rewards His Faithful People

The Lord will bless you
if you respect him
    and obey his laws.
Your fields will produce,
and you will be happy—
    all will go well.
Your wife will be as fruitful
    as a grapevine,
and just as an olive tree
    is rich with olives,
your home will be rich
    with healthy children.
This is how the Lord will bless
    everyone who respects him.

I pray that the Lord
    will bless you from Zion
and let Jerusalem prosper
    as long as you live.
May you live long enough
    to see your grandchildren.
Let's pray for peace in Israel!

(A song for worship.)

A Prayer for Protection

Since the time I was young,
    enemies have often attacked!
Let everyone in Israel say:
“Since the time I was young,
    enemies have often attacked!
But they have not defeated me,
though my back is like a field
    that has just been plowed.”

The Lord always does right,
    and he has set me free
from the ropes
    of those cruel people.
I pray that all who hate
    the city of Zion
will be made ashamed
    and forced to turn and run.
May they be like grass
    on the flat roof of a house,
grass that dries up
    as soon as it sprouts.
Don't let them be like wheat
    gathered in bundles.
And don't let anyone
who passes by say to them,
    “The Lord bless you!
I give you my blessing
    in the name of the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. 127.2 God … sleep: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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