◄ What Does Psalm 127:3 Mean? ►

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Psalm 127:3(NASB)

Verse of the Day

There are a group of writings that are entitled, 'Psalms of Ascent'. They were a series of songs that were sung by Jewish pilgrims as they journeyed up the steep pathway to the holy city of Jerusalem, to celebrate the feasts of the Lord.

They would unite their voices in joyful praise, as they journeyed to attend one of the three pilgrim festivals. Psalm 127 is one such pilgrim psalm, which is attributed to Solomon and uses everyday activities such as house building, civil defence, manual employment, and the rearing of a family, to proclaim their dependence on God.

The first few verses acknowledge reliance on the Lord and celebrate the benefit of domestic activities and daily work, when governed by God. It points out that one's labour is in vain without God's providence, and that work which is undertaken independently will be fruitless, while those who honour the Lord in their undertakings will prosper.

The second part of the psalm proclaims that children are a gift of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is a reward. The Psalmist likens them to arrows in the hand of a warrior and declares, "Happy is the man who has His quiver full of them."

Every child is a miracle from above, for we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Children are a heritage and gift from the Lord, and there is much in Scripture that gives parental guidance on the godly upbringing of their offspring.

May those who have been entrusted with the heritage and gift of children, take their parental responsibilities seriously, and bring them up in the way they should go, for God has promised that when they are old, they will not depart from the way of Truth.

May we who have been entrusted by the Lord to be parents, recognise the awesome responsibility with which we have been endowed. Help us to faithfully train our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord – and nurture them on the living Word of Truth, for God's greater praise and glory.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the heritage and gift of children and the joy that comes from children's children. May Christian parents recognise the responsibility and importance of training up their offspring in the ways of the Lord. I ask Your divine protection over our precious children and pray that both mothers and fathers unite in their godly upbringing and training. Look down in pity on children who do not have the opportunities of a Christian upbringing, and draw them into a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I ask this in Jesus' name, AMEN.