# 360 A journey through the Psalms. Psalm 127. How to live and not be ineffective and unproductive!

In the context of Jesus’ teaching to his disciples on how to lead a truly fruitful and productive life he said these outstanding words: apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5b)

This truth summarizes the message of Psalm 127 where the author uses the phrase in vain three times. It means, for no useful end or result, a waste of time and energy or as the author of Ecclesiastes says: “completely meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 1:2)

And so, we read:

¹ Unless the Lord builds the house,
    the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the guards stand watch in vain.
² In vain you rise early
    and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
    for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Certainly, none of us wants to live our lives in vain. None of us wants to work hard all our lives and in the end come to the conclusion that it was all in vain. And yet, the psalmist here is suggesting that is exactly what can happen, if, we forget one important person – God!

Another key phrase here is Unless the Lord.

Unless the Lord is the One accomplishing His eternal purposes in and through our lives, in all we do and say, then it is all in vain. Whether we are a carpenter, a policeman, an accountant, a mechanic, a pastor, a missionary – whatever is our calling in life – if we are a follower of Jesus, all needs to be done remembering that unless the Lord is directing and blessing our endeavours, they will all be in vain.

Kidner says: “The two human activities of verse 1 are samples of a great area of life: its enterprises and its conflicts, the work of creating and of conserving. For each of them this verse sees only two possibilities: either it will be the Lord’s doing or it will be pointless; there is no third option.” (# 29)

So, how do we live life in such a way as not to live it in vain and not to be ineffective and unproductive? Peter has some great advice when he writes:

³ [God’s] divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness…

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷ and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. ⁸ For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ…

¹⁰ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, ¹¹ and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.   (2 Peter 1)

And as Jesus said:

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)