Psalms · Psalm 127

"A song of ascents about Solomon" — This song David recited about his son, Solomon, for he saw through the holy spirit that he [Solomon] was destined to build the Temple, and on that very day, Solomon would marry Pharaoh’s daughter, and concerning this was said (Jer. 32:31): “For this city has aroused My anger and My wrath since the day they built it.” Therefore, he recited this song. My son, why should you build a house and turn away from following the Omnipresent? Since He does not desire it, its workers have toiled at it in vain. "[its] watcher keeps his vigil in vain" — The watchman watches it in vain.

"A Song of Ascents; of Solomon" — meaning, concerning Solomon, like "and of Levi he said" (Deuteronomy 33:8); and this song was composed by one of the poets about Solomon, when David wished to build a house for the Name, and Nathan prophesied that Solomon his son would build it. Then David rejoiced after having been troubled, and the poet began by noting that everything is in the hand of Hashem, and not according to the thoughts of man, nor according to how much a person exerts himself and strengthens himself with all his might in his deeds. And behold, he began by mentioning building, which is a great necessity for mankind. Moreover, it had been David's intention to build the house, and he had prepared the silver, the gold, and the bronze [for it]. And the meaning of "in vain is their labor" — [that is,] unless Hashem helps them, or He sends a wind and destroys everything. And behold, he mentioned the craftsmen — that is, the builders — and after them the guardians of the building, who are the watchmen of the city. And the word "watches" — like "to watch at my doors" (Proverbs 8:34); and afterward he mentioned the merchants of the city. And he said: "in vain... who rise up early" — [whether] for [their] work or for [their] commerce.

"A song" — This psalm was said concerning Solomon, and the lamed of 'li-Shlomo' [of/for Solomon] means 'concerning.' It was said concerning the building of the Temple, which David intended to build — he gathered silver, gold, and bronze for the work, but it was not accomplished by his hand, only by the hand of his son. It also contains an allusion to the messianic king, for he too is called 'Solomon' in the Song of Songs; but we will explain it first as referring to Solomon. He speaks of the Temple, for David labored to build it, but since God, may He be blessed, did not wish him to build it, He [i.e., his son] built it — and the meaning of 'its builders' is those occupied with its construction. Likewise it speaks of Jerusalem, since it is the capital of the kingdom, and the Temple was built within it. He says: whoever builds the Temple must do so by the will of God, may He be blessed — and that is Solomon, my son — that building will not be in vain, but the Temple will truly be established. So too the city of Jerusalem: 'Hashem guards it' — for He commanded that my son be king in it, and since it is by His will, He will guard the Temple and the city. "And keeps watch" [ve-shaked] — this refers to being occupied with and exerting effort over the matter.

"Of Solomon" — This is said concerning Solomon, for he foresaw through the holy spirit that at the time Solomon would build the Temple he would marry Pharaoh's daughter. And concerning this he said: what use, then, is there in building — "except Hashem build the house" — meaning, if the Omnipresent does not desire the building because of your deeds, which are not good, then indeed the builders have labored on it in vain, for it will not endure. "Except Hashem keep the city" — because of these deeds. "The watchman wakes but in vain" — is it not for nothing, the alertness and persistence of the watchman in guarding the city? For the enemy will surely come to the city and destroy the house.

"Wakes" — an expression of haste and diligent effort, as in "be vigilant and keep watch" (Ezra 8).

"A Song of Ascents; of Solomon" — this psalm and the one after it were juxtaposed intentionally: the first will explain that human effort avails nothing at all, but everything is done and completed by the counsel of supernal providence; and in the psalm that follows it he will explain when effort does avail, and the means that lead one to the proper goal — "Except Hashem build the house" — unless God's help accompanies the building, "they labor in vain that build it" — effort avails nothing at all. And not only in bringing the matter as a whole into being, for man alone cannot accomplish it by labor without help from on high, but even in preserving things already made, such as guarding a city already built — even here, "Except Hashem keep the city, the watchman wakes but in vain," and man's effort in guarding it avails nothing — and not only in general actions, but in particulars as well:

"It is futile for you" — The craftsmen, who rise early and stay late at their work and sustain themselves with toil and labor, with bread of toil, [i.e.,] of the toil of work. "so will the Lord give" — The Holy One, blessed be He, [will give] sustenance to him who banishes his sleep from his eyes in order to engage in the Torah. "to one who banishes sleep" — Heb. לידידו שנא. to one who banishes (מנדד) sleep from his eyes.

"Who eat the bread" — in toil. And the meaning of "who rise up early" — [means, to go] to the marketplace. And likewise "who sit up late" — there [i.e., also at the marketplace]. "So He gives" — [refers to] Hashem, mentioned above, [giving] to His beloved. "Sleep" — in the manner of "sweet is the sleep of the laboring man" (Ecclesiastes 5:11). And behold, the sense is that everything is decreed from heaven, and Hashem gives to each as He has decreed — not according to man's own planning, his toil, and his stratagems.

"It is vain for you" — This refers to Absalom, who was quick to rebel against his father and seize the kingship; and Scripture says of him, 'And Absalom rose early and stood beside the gate,' etc. And it speaks against him, and against those who helped him: 'It is vain for you who rise early.' "That sit up late" — This is said against Adonijah, who delayed carrying out his rebellion and sitting on the throne of the kingship until David grew old and lay upon his bed; and both of them 'ate the bread of toil,' for they labored to acquire the kingship, but it did not succeed in their hands. "Toil" [atzavim] — from 'in toil shall you eat of it.' And it says 'eaters of bread,' for just as a man toils for bread, so they toiled for the kingship, and it did not avail them. And it says, 'so He gives to His beloved sleep' — Solomon is 'my beloved,' beloved of God, may He be blessed, as it is written, 'and he called his name Jedidiah.' And the meaning is: just as they thought to seize the kingship through their own toil, so God, may He be blessed, gave the kingship without toil to Solomon, as to a man who is asleep — or, while he was still asleep and unaware of the matter of the kingship, God had already arranged the kingship for him. And the word 'sheina' [sleep] is written here with an alef, and it is as though written with a heh.

"It is vain for you" — and likewise your toil is for nothing, you who rise early to do your work and stay up late occupied with your labor, due to the smallness of your trust in Hashem, and who eat bread that comes through great sorrow and through the toil of labor. "So He gives" — does He not likewise give sufficient sustenance to whoever drives sleep from his eyes and occupies himself instead with the work of Heaven? Meaning: just as excessive guarding of the city brings no great benefit, since everything depends on the favor of the Omnipresent, so too excessive toil of labor brings no benefit, for without much toil the Omnipresent gives sufficient sustenance to whoever labors in Torah.

"Late" — from the language of delay and postponement. "Sit" — from the language of sitting. "His beloved" — from the language of wandering. "Sleep" — [the same as] "shenah," spelled with a heh.

"It is vain for you" — you who are "early to rise, and late to sit up," toiling at your work by day and by night; with all your toil and effort you are only "eaters of the bread of toil," and one who increases in toil and labor gains no advantage over one who eats scant bread. And is it not so that "so He gives to His beloved in sleep" — to them He gives sleep just as He gave you toil and labor, for they sleep during these very hours in which you toil; and nevertheless they have their allotted portion just as you do, who have driven sleep from your eyes through toil and much labor:

"Behold, the heritage of the Lord" — for that man [who banishes sleep from his eyes]. "sons" — These are the disciples whom he sets up, who are to him like sons. "the reward is the fruit of the innards" — The reward is the fruit of the Torah that is in his heart as it is said (Prov. 22:18): “For it is pleasant that you guard them in your innards.”

"Lo" — even if a man lies with many women, time after time without end, the woman will not conceive except at the time that Hashem has decreed, for in His hand are the keys of every womb; and the gift of children is an inheritance that He gives to whomever He desires. "Reward" — the meaning is the reward for labor, namely the fruit of the womb.

"Behold" — David says: I see that 'the heritage of Hashem is children' — that is to say, the good that God gives into a person's hands in this world is children, and they are his heritage; for I have a good heritage in Solomon my son. "Reward, the fruit of the womb" — This repeats the same idea in different words; that is to say, the reward that God, may He be blessed, gives to His beloved in this world is children, and they are his good heritage — that is, 'the fruit of the womb.'

"Behold, the heritage of Hashem" — meaning, even if one increases his toil in labor to increase wealth to bequeath to his sons after him, behold, the sons themselves are the heritage of Hashem, and He gives them to whoever is upright in His eyes; and if he does not find favor with Hashem, from where will he have sons to bequeath the wealth to? "The fruit of the womb is a reward" — the sons, who are the fruit of the womb, come as a reward for deeds, and from the hand of Hashem; and the matter is doubled in different words.

"Behold" — after having explained that effort does not avail in producing one's work, guarding one's possessions, and bringing sustenance, he now says that likewise in the begetting of children, their upbringing and rearing, this too is a gift of God. Behold, "children" who are grown are "a heritage of Hashem," while "the fruit of the womb" — the young ones — are "a reward" of God to those who merit it before Him. He employs his language according to the usual practice, that for labor and work one gives wages by the hour, but for love and closeness one gives a heritage that endures for generation after generation. So too, in return for merit and mitzvot, one's reward is the fruit of the womb — that his wife not be barren — and when he is closer to Hashem and good before Him, He gives him an enduring heritage, namely, grown children to establish generations as a heritage:

"Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man" — with which to battle his enemies. "so are the sons of one’s youth" — The disciples that a man sets up in his youth.

"As arrows" — which are mighty. "So are the children of one's youth" — but not so the children of one's old age.

"As arrows" — He says that the children a man has in the days of his youth are a great help to him, like arrows in the hand of a warrior. And David had sons of his youth who were good, wise, and mighty, as it says, 'and David's sons were priests,' and it says, 'and David's sons were chief about the king' — meaning that they were the first to help him. And all of them were good, except Absalom and Adonijah, who grew proud in their beauty and turned to bad ways; and he took pride in the good ones. And he says that every person ought to take pride in good children, and consider them for himself a good portion and a good heritage that God, may He be blessed, has given him.

"As arrows in the hand of a mighty man" — meaning, and indeed this is a great reward. For just as with arrows that are in the hand of a mighty man — even though it was the arrows that killed someone — nevertheless it is apparent to all that it is not the arrows that caused the death, but rather the mighty man who shot them; so too the sons whom a man teaches in their youth, while the power is still in his hand to guide them in the straight path — behold, even though it is the sons themselves who walk in the straight path, nevertheless it is apparent to all that all this is the handiwork of their father, to his glory.

"As arrows" — but this comes with a condition: it applies if the children grow up toward the desired goal, which is Torah and the service of Hashem. For if "the children of one's youth" are like "arrows in the hand of a mighty man" — just as the mighty man does not shoot his arrows in vain, but aims them at the target of his desire and does not miss — so too their offspring will not be for naught, but will be aimed at the desired target and goal: to establish a blessed seed who fear Hashem and keep His commandments. Only then [does the comparison hold].

"Praiseworthy is the man who has filled his quiver" — with those arrows. אשפה is the arrowcase, called cuyvre in Old French. "they will not be ashamed when they talk to the enemies in the gate" — Torah scholars who defeat one another in halachah and appear as enemies to one another (addendum).

"Happy" — having likened the children to arrows for fighting the enemy, he then said: "who has filled his quiver with them" — by way of a figure. "They shall not be put to shame" — [this refers to] the father and the sons. And the meaning of "in the gate" — in the sight of all. And the meaning [of the psalm as a whole] is to recall that David was troubled when he was told that he would not build the House, fearing that his enemies would take revenge and rejoice; but when Nathan told him that his son, who would issue from his own body, would build the House, all his worry departed.

"Happy" — Since he compared them to arrows, he compared his house to a quiver. "They shall not be ashamed" — the father and the sons, when they speak in the gate before the elders; for they are many and good, and will be able to speak in the gate before their enemies and not be ashamed, and not be terrified of them. And concerning the messianic king, it is to be explained thus: "House" — referring to the Temple. "And city" — referring to Jerusalem. Now, from the day the Temple was destroyed and Israel was exiled and Jerusalem was laid waste, Jerusalem was at times built up and at times in ruins, for it was in the hands of many nations, and throughout the years wars broke out — these would build it and those would destroy it — since it was not the will of Hashem, may He be blessed, that they build it or guard it. "In vain do the builders labor" — and in vain do the watchmen keep vigil. "Who rise early" — these are the ones who conquered Jerusalem first. "Who sit up late" — these are the ones who came afterward and overpowered those who came first, and took it from their hand — and [others took] it from their hand in turn, and so on throughout all the days. "But to him" [i.e., to His beloved] — this refers to the messianic king, to whom God, may He be blessed, will give Jerusalem without toil; and those who toiled over it will not remain in it. The other verses are the words of David, as we have explained them. And as for how we explain it concerning the people of the world in general, it is as follows: he first mentions the building of the house, which is the establishment of a kingdom for any king, for himself and for his sons after him — like [the phrase] 'and a house will be built for you,' whose meaning is a continuing line [halikhot]. And he says that it is not within the power of a king to establish the kingship for himself and his sons after him except by the will of Hashem, may He be blessed. Afterward he mentions the guarding of the city from fear of enemies, for the watchmen of the walls will not avail to prevent enemies from conquering it if Hashem does not guard it. Afterward he speaks of those occupied with worldly affairs who pursue wealth — who rise early for their work or their trade, and also stay late until sunset at their work, or sit in their shops to sell their merchandise — and all this exertion is in vain for them unless God, may He be blessed, helps them; for whomever God, may He be blessed, favors and loves, He gives him wealth without labor and without toil, as though he were asleep. And afterward he mentions the matter of children, which is likewise a good gift from God, may He be blessed, when they are good.

"Happy is he who has filled [his quiver with them], etc." — meaning, he who has many such sons; and since he likened them to arrows, he used concerning them a term fitting for arrows, for the way [with arrows] is to fill them within the quiver. "They shall not be put to shame" — they will not come to shame when they speak in the place where the sages sit, for they will be wise enough to speak with intelligence and knowledge. "With their enemies" — meaning, with those who dispute with them in matters of the wisdom of Torah, who appear, because of the dispute, as though they were enemies to them.

"Quiver" — this is the case in which they place the arrows, as in "his quiver is like an open grave" (Jeremiah 5:16). "Gate" — it is the way of the wise and the judges to sit in the gate, as in "execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates" (Zechariah 8:16).

"Happy is the man that has his quiver full" — of these arrows. For what use are the arrows filling the quiver if he cannot send them to their target? So too, what use are children who do not belong to Hashem?