Psalm 127 is a great word for our ever-busy generation. We are so used to activity and achievement and purpose and outcome. However, this Psalm reminds us that behind it all stands our God. And the Psalmist tells us two things:

1. The Lord God must be in every work we put ourselves to. For if he is not then the builder labours in vain and the watchmen guard in vain. It doesn’t matter wether you are directing a firm, or raising a family or governing a country …. Even if every energy is spent and every endeavor explored, success can only ever come if God builds, God guards and God enables.
2. Success or failure comes only by God’s permission. This is a bold statement but we have seen this time and time again throughout the Bible. If God wants a nation to fall then watchmen wake and soldiers fight in vain. If God is to humble someone, none of their skill or power or intellect can possibly hold off the inevitable.

Therefore, if God holds the future of each of us and the future of our corporate endeavours in his hands then it also means two things:

1. Our prosperity is wasted unless it is directed towards the service of the one who granted that success. In many ways our society has so quickly forgotten this: On the one hand, when we used to face trials and distress then we would turn to God and pray … nowadays we will rather binge watch, binge shop and binge drink. On the other hand, success used to be greeted with “well done and praise God” … nowadays we only hear “aren’t I great and praise me!” Our right response to God is to offer our whole selves to God’s service.
2. We must entrust ourselves to God as wise stewards, managing the talents we’ve received and working hard with our hands. But we must recognize the ultimate reality that Christ Jesus is now seated at God’s right hand awaiting final judgement.