Children as God’s gift

“Children are a heritage from the LORD … Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them!”

~ Psalm 127:3, 5 (NIV)

Psalm 127 concludes in verse 5 by saying, “Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of (children)”. It is clear that Psalm 127:3-5 encourages us to regard children as a gift and blessing from God. But we should not ignore the way the Psalm begins: “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain” (Psalm 127:1, NIV).

On the one hand, Psalm 127 encourages us to have children—a quiver full of them! Children are a blessing from God! (Singapore’s declining birth rate encourages us also.)

But, on the other hand, Psalm 127 reminds us that no matter how much we labour and long for something, the outcome of our efforts depends ultimately on God. Psalm 127 applies this wise counsel (verse 1) to the blessing of children (verse 3). This wise connection is reinforced by the fact that the words for “builders” (verse 1) and “children” (verse 3) rhyme in the Hebrew language (bonim, banim).

We pray and plan for the gift of children, but always remain content to trust in the LORD’s timing and decision. For “children are a heritage from the LORD …” but “unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”