Word of Salvation – June 2026
DEPENDENT ON THE LORD
Sermon by Rev John Haverland
Text: Psalm 127
Readings: Matthew 6:25-34, 7:24-29.
Theme and purpose: To remind us that we are dependent on God for his blessings in our lives, families and church.
This psalm is in the middle of a collection of 15 psalms that are known as the Songs of Ascent. These psalms were sung by the people of Israel as they travelled from their homes and villages to Jerusalem for one of the three major religious festivals of the people of Israel.
Many of them had to travel some distance and so were away from their homes for some time.
They didn’t know what they would encounter on their travels to Jerusalem and the temple, or what would happen as they travelled home. On their journey they had time to reflect on these matters and to remember that they were dependant on the Lord for their health and strength and lives.
None of us know what tomorrow will bring, or next week, or next year. We do not know the future.
We too are dependent on God for everything we own, have and do. This is the message of this psalm – we are dependent on God for shelter, security, sustenance, and sons.
- We are dependent on God for SHELTER: “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain.”
a) This psalm was written by Solomon. He was a very wise man and knew a lot about many areas of life, including building. He spent seven years supervising the building of the temple in Jerusalem, and another 13 directing the building of his palace. In v 1 he describes building a house. There are many houses being built in our towns and cities. Regularly people are selling a house and moving to another one.
But the word ‘house’ here also refers to our families. In Hebrew the word for builders (vs 1) and the word for sons (vs 3) are almost the same; bonim and banim. The psalm uses this similarity to picture our families. Solomon is describing building a home, a marriage, a family. This is what many of us are doing.
b) But to do this we need the Lord’s help: “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builder’s labour in vain.”
The word “vain” is repeated three times in verses 1 & 2; it means empty or hollow. Unless the Lord helps us and gives us his favour, all we do will come to nothing. Unless he directs all that happens, it will be useless; unless he blesses our work all will be lost.
The psalm is not suggesting we should just sit back and relax and do nothing and leave it all to the Lord. No, we do need to build and work and labour in our families; we need to all we can to build a Christian home and to raise godly children. Many of you have promised to do this when you presented your children for baptism – you promised to instruct your children in the Christian faith and to lead them by your example to follow the Lord Jesus. That takes a lot of work and the Lord wants you to do your part and keep your promise.
But Psalm 127 reminds you that you can’t do this on your own – you are dependent on God. You need his help and hope, his guidance and grace. Without this everything we do is in vain.
c) Not only do you need God’s help but you also need to build on a solid foundation.
Sometimes cities and houses will be shaken by severe earthquakes. With this in mind it is essential that all buildings have solid and strong foundations. This is also true of our families – we too need solid foundations.
The apostle Paul wrote, “no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). Jesus must be the base of everything we are doing in our homes and families. Jesus himself urged us to build our lives on the rock rather than the sand. We do this by hearing his word and obeying it (Matt 7:24ff).
Is Jesus Christ the foundation of your home?
Are you aware that he hears every conversation?
Are you reading the Bible in your personal devotions, in your reading of the Bible as a couple, and as a family?
Are you doing your best to attend worship as often and as regularly as you can?
Are you building on the solid foundation of the Lord Jesus?
“On Christ the solid rock I stand,
all other ground is sinking sand.”
The theme of this psalm is that you can’t do this on your own. You need God’s help. And if you need help you must ask for it in prayer.
Are you praying earnestly for God’s help?
Do you often pray for God’s blessing on your children and grandchildren?
Do you regularly ask God to build your home and family?
Without God’s help all your work will be in vain. We are dependent on the Lord for shelter.
- And we are dependent on him for SECURITY
The people of Israel sang this psalm on their way to the city of Jerusalem to worship the Lord in the temple.
The city was defended by a high wall. Watchmen stood guard on the wall looking out for the enemy. At times enemy armies would lay siege to a city and try to capture it. They would attempt to scale the city walls with ladders, or tunnel under the walls, or batter down the city gate with a large battering ram.
The people of Jerusalem needed to take every precaution to protect their city. But the security of the city did not depend on its walls, or the watchmen, or their strong defences.
“Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchmen stays awake in vain.” (v 1b)
Only the Lord could keep them secure. We too need to trust in the Lord for our lives, and our children and our homes.
We need to take reasonable precautions against theft and fire. The police are often warning us to keep our doors and windows locked. Burglaries are increasing.
The fire department is warning to keep an eye on the wood-burner and on our stove and install smoke alarms. But we can have the best smoke alarms and electrical checks, and still have a fire. We can have high fences, dead bolts, security cameras and lighting, an alarm system, and a dog; but thieves can still break into your house and rob you. Unless the Lord watches over our homes and our lives all our security efforts will be useless.
We need to be careful and cautious, but at the same time we must pray that the Lord will protect and guard us. Before the Puritan army went to battle Oliver Cromwell told his men; “Trust in God and keep your powder dry.” That is, trust in God, and be responsible. Both are important. But ultimately we are dependent on God for our security.
- Shelter, security, and thirdly, SUSTENANCE.
We all need food, but the psalm warns us, “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil.” (v 2) Many of us rise early and work late. In our Reformed Churches we are part of what has been called “the Protestant work ethic”. Protestant Christians tend to work hard and have a strong work ethic. To work hard with your mind, and/or your body, is a good practice.
Many of the proverbs of Solomon warn us against laziness; they direct our attention to the little ant that is always busy and planning for the future. The apostle Paul urged us to work, doing something useful with your hands so that you may have something to share with those who are in need (Eph 4:28). We are to work so we can provide for our families. The man who does not work shall not eat! (2 Thess 3:10)
But again, all this must be done in dependence on God. Jesus gave us a commentary on this in the Sermon on the Mount:
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them…
See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these” (Matt 6:26ff).
Many people in our world forget this. Some have worked hard and become very successful. They have become wealthy and well-known – “the self-made man”, “the self-made woman”. But many of these people are forgetting something; they are forgetting someone – they are forgetting God. Yes, you should work hard and use the gifts God has given to you; but you won’t achieve anything unless God blesses your work. We rely on God to sustain us.
The mention of sleep in verse 2 reminds us of this:
“For he gives to his beloved sleep.” (ESV)
The NIV footnote offers an alternate translation;
“for while they sleep he provides for those he loves”.
Yes, we need to do our daily work, we need to get up on time and work hard. Having done all that, we can lie down and sleep knowing that God will look after us and provide for us. This ties in with the 4th commandment, which commands us to work six days and rest on the seventh day as a day for physical and spiritual refreshment. Our rest from our usual labour on this Lord’s Day is an expression of our trust in God that he will provide for us while we rest. Do your work and keep busy, but remember that you are dependent on the provision of the Lord.
Psalm 90:17 expresses this trust in God as a prayer:
“May the favour of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us –
yes, establish the work of our hands.”
- We are dependent on God for shelter, security, sustenance, and finally, for our SONS (v 3-5).
The Hebrew word in verse 3 can be translated as ‘sons’ or as ‘children’. Modern Bibles vary in their translation. The NIV 1984 has, “Sons are a heritage from the Lord”, and the NIV 2011 has ‘Children’. The mention of sons in verse 3 is not slighting our daughters, as in the next line he includes all our children, who are described as “the fruit of the womb” and as “a reward.” The word ‘reward’ does not suggest merit or deserving, but rather means a gift from God.
Children are certainly a gift from the Lord. A lot can go wrong for a child in the womb, and in the process of delivery, both for the baby and the mother. We can be very thankful for modern medicine and experienced midwives who can help in the delivery of a baby. Sometime as parents we take our children for granted because they came easily.
But some of you have had to wait a long time for God to answer your prayers for a child, and for children. And God has given some of you remarkable answers to such prayers; but others have not had their prayers answered. The psalm focuses on sons because in Israel they could help their father in situations of conflict, and there was a lot of fighting going on in ancient Israel.
In v 4 we read; “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons on one’s youth.” A warrior with a bow needed a full quiver of arrows if he is going to be able to fight in battle. (v 5) His sons would be able to stand with him in battle and help him.
And, by the time he grew old his children would be able to take care of him and his wife.
Verse 5 explains another example of how his sons could help him: “They will not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.” This could be picturing a battle at the city gate where the enemy is attacking and trying to break through. A man is there fighting, and is surrounded by his sons who are fighting alongside him. Or it could be referring to court cases that were settled at the city gate. A man is being accused by his enemies, but he has his sons beside him to defend him so that he won’t be put to shame. Either way, the picture is one of a man finding security and strength in the sons God has given him.
If we apply this into the New Testament we know that we are not fighting against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. We are fighting a battle against evil. We need to do this together as families. We need to train our children so they can take part in this battle and fight alongside of us.
Derek Kidner notes that children are likely to be responsibilities before they become assets, and “a handful before they are a quiverful”! But we need to persevere with their training so they do become useful servants of Jesus. Children and young people, as you grow older you need to read your Bible, and listen to your family devotions, and to the Bible readings and sermons in worship.
As you do this the Holy Spirit will make you spiritually strong. Then you will be able to fight with us against the forces of evil in our country. You will be able to join the battle against Satan and his evil angels. You will serve as soldiers in the army of the Lord Jesus and as citizens of his kingdom.
In all of this we are dependent on the Lord: trust in him for shelter in your home and family, trust him for your security, trust him for your food and provisions, trust him for the sons and daughters the Lord may give you, and trust in him for the final victory of the Lord Jesus.
Amen