서론
Psalm 127 Introduction
繁體中文
英文原文
This psalm is entitled "A Song of Degrees for Solomon;" in the margin, "Of Solomon." In the Syriac Version the title is, "From the Psalms of the Ascent; spoken by David concerning Solomon; it was spoken also of Haggai and Zechariah, who urged the rebuilding of the Temple." The meaning of the title may be either "for Solomon," or of Solomon; that is, it may have been either composed by him, or with reference to him. Many have supposed that it was written by David near the close of his life, and was designed to be a guide to Solomon, his successor, in regard to the principles which should govern him in his reign. There is nothing, however, in the title in the Hebrew which would indicate that it was composed by David; and there is nothing in the psalm which would seem to be especially appropriate to address to a young monarch just entering on his reign, unless it was the mere filet of dependence on God. The allusion to children Psalm 127:3-5, beautiful and proper as it is, would seem to have no particular pertinency to an entrance on the administration of a government, and would not be the topic which Would most naturally be suggested in such circumstances. The probability, therefore, is, that the psalm was composed by Solomon. On what occasion, however, it was written, it is now impossible to determine. The sentiments and style are such as agree well with the idea that Solomon was the author, and the whole psalm might have been introduced into the Book of Proverbs without any manifest discrepancy with the general character and style of that book. From the psalm itself it would seem that it was composed mainly with reference to one who was entering on domestic life, and that it was intended to set before such a one the views which ought to guide him, or the thoughts which ought to occur to him. Nothing could be more appropriate in such circumstances than the sentiments of the psalm:
I. The entire dependence on God for success, Psalm 127:1.
II. The vanity of all efforts - rising early, and sitting up late - without the divine blessing, Psalm 127:2.
III. The fact that children belong to God, and are to be regarded as his, Psalm 127:3.
IV. The aid which children might be expected to render to a father in supporting or defending him, Psalm 127:4.
V. The comfort which he might expect to derive from them, and the honor which, being properly trained, they would reflect on him and on the family, Psalm 127:5.
1
Psalm 127:1
繁體中文
「若不是耶和華建造房屋」——或者更恰當地說，「一座房屋」。「房屋」一詞既可指普通的居所；也可指聖殿——敬拜之所；或指家族——就其興旺繁榮而言，正如今日「家」字常見的用法。這陳述是普世性的，旨在表明人的一切事業都普遍倚靠神；不過本詩寫成之時，或許暗指某座正在計劃或已動工的建築。若本詩是大衛或所羅門所作，所指也許是即將興建的聖殿。然而這話語如此概括，適用於任何同類事業。
「建造的人就枉然勞力」——按字面是：「它的建造者枉然在其中勞碌」。這裏的思想是：他們完全倚靠神。無論他們的技巧、力量、勤勉如何——若神不幫助，一切都歸徒然。他們倚靠他得生命、得健康、得力量、得實用的智慧、得持續工作的意向，並在工作中得成功。他們的工作可能毀於火災、暴風、地震，或仇敵的侵襲；因此就結果而言，他們完全倚靠神。
「若不是耶和華看守城池」——同樣的倚靠觀念在此以另一形式重複。一座城的保全全然在乎神，無論人採取什麼防範或謹慎措施。
「看守的人就枉然警醒」——按字面是：「看守者枉然警醒」。譯作「警醒」的字，意思是不能入睡；繼而是守望。這話指派駐守城的守望者或衛兵；這裏的思想是：無論受派守城之人的勤勉、謹慎、忠心如何，城的安全惟獨倚靠神。火災可能在守望者防範之下仍然發生；暴風可能橫掃全城；武裝的幫夥可能攻擊它；瘟疫可能突然進入城中，使住處盡成荒場。本詩寫成之時，這話也許暗指當時守衛耶路撒冷的某項具體安排；但這話如此概括，不必把它限於那件事。普遍的真實乃是：人無論為保全自己用盡多少心思，他們的安全全然倚靠神。
英文原文
Except the Lord build the house - Or rather, "a house." The word "house" may refer either to an ordinary dwelling; to the temple, as a place of worship; or to a family, with reference to its success and prosperity, as the word house is often used now. The statement is universal, and is designed to indicate a universal dependence on God in human undertakings, though it is not improbable that there may have been an allusion, when the psalm was composed, to some building which was contemplated or commenced. If the psalm was a composition of David or Solomon, the allusion way have been to the temple about to be erected. The language, however, is so general as to be applicable to any enterprise of that kind.
They labor in vain that build it - literally, "In vain toil its builders in it." The idea is, that they are entirely dependent on God. No matter what their skill, their strength, their industry may be - all will be in vain unless God shall assist them. They are dependent on Him for life, for health, for strength, for practical wisdom, for a disposition to continue their work, and for success in it. Their work might be destroyed by fire, by a tempest, by an earthquake, or by an irruption of enemies; and for the result, therefore, they are entirely dependent on God.
Except the Lord keep the city - The same idea of dependence is here repeated in another form. The preservation of a city depends wholly on God, whatever care or precaution may be used.
The watchman waketh but in vain - literally, "In vain waketh the keeper." The word rendered waketh means to be sleepless; and then, to watch. The allusion is to the watch or guard appointed to keep a city, and the idea is, that, whatever may be the diligence, the care, the fidelity of one thus appointed to guard a city, its safe-keeping must depend on God alone. Fires may break out in spite of the watchmen; a tempest may sweep over it; bands of armed people may assail it; or the pestilence may suddenly come into it, and spread desolation through its dwellings. There may have been an allusion in this to some immediate arrangement for guarding Jerusalem when the psalm was composed; but the remark is so general that it is not necessary to confine it to that. It is universally true that, after all the care for their own preservation which people can employ, their safety depends wholly on God.
2
Psalm 127:2
繁體中文
「你們清晨早起，乃是枉然」——詩人在此並不是說早起是不恰當的，也不是說早起沒有好處，更不是說人不早起反而更可能事業成功；而是說，儘管這樣行，他們仍要完全倚靠神。單憑早起，沒有祂的賜福，並不能得着他們所盼望成就的，因為一切仍在神手中。健康、力量、頭腦的清晰、以及成功，都在祂的掌管之下；雖然早起或許有助於帶來這一切——事實上也確實如此——但人在成功上對神的倚靠，並不因此稍減。
「夜晚遲睡」——為了可以勞碌或學習。正如在前一種情形中，詩人對早起的恰當與否不表任何意見，在這件事上也是如此。他只是說，即使這樣行，這件事本身也不能成就所求的目標；人即使這樣行，在成功上仍要倚靠神。然而就事實而論，夜晚遲睡比早起更少能促進人生的成功；但無論哪一種情形，對神的倚靠都是一樣的。
「喫勞苦得來的飯」——掛慮、憂愁、煩惱之餅；即以辛勞的艱辛賺得或換來的餅。這裏或許暗指神對人最初宣判的話，見 Genesis 3:17。這裏的意思是：你們辛苦勞碌、耗盡力氣，為要得餅喫，也是枉然，除非神賜福給你們。你們勞碌了一切之後，結果仍在於祂。
「如此，他賜他親愛的睡覺」——「因為」一詞原文中並沒有。這句子在其所處的連接中十分隱晦。七十士譯本與拉丁文武加大譯本把它譯作：「你們這喫憂愁之餅的人——當你們休息之後起來——當祂已將睡覺賜給祂所親愛的之後。」有人以為它的意思是，神使祂的子民不需勞碌便得安息，或者說，當別人勞碌的時候，祂的「親愛的」——祂的朋友們——卻睡覺；但這解釋並非希伯來文所必然要求的，也與聖經的一般教義不符。另有人以為其意思是，神在勞碌之後賜祂的親愛者安息；這雖然是真實的，卻不是特別地或專屬地對他們才真實。還有人以為——這同樣可能性甚微——其意思是：別人所盼望（卻徒然盼望）藉勞碌得着的，主在睡夢中賜給祂的子民，他們自己也不知道如何得來的。
其意思顯然是：神以某種別人所沒有的方式，將「睡覺」賜給祂的子民；或者說，就他們的情形而言，有些方面使他們與那些如此焦慮煩擾的人——為利益如此早起的人——勞碌到如此晚的人——喫憂愁之餅的人——不同。這意思似乎是：他們必享有平靜、安息、免於焦慮和掛慮。神使祂的子民——祂親愛的——心意平靜安穩，而周圍的世界卻滿了焦慮與不安——忙碌、熙攘、煩惱。由於這種心境的平靜，以及他們對祂的信靠，他們夜間得享不受攪擾的安息。他們不像別人那樣，為世上的事徹夜清醒、憂心忡忡，因為他們把一切交託給神，這樣，祂就「賜他親愛的睡覺」。「如此」——כן kên——或作「這樣」，據我看，所指的乃是前面所說一切的總意，而不是緊接在前的話；所指的事實是：一切成功都在乎神（Psalm 127:1），人得享平靜、成功、安息，總是藉着祂的干預，而不是人技巧、勞碌或疲勞的結果。惟有靠着神的恩惠，並承認自己對祂的倚靠，他們才得着安息、成功，並脫離掛慮。
英文原文
It is vain for you to rise up early - The psalmist does not here say that it is improper to rise early; or that there could be no advantage in it; or that people would be more likely to be successful in their undertakings if they did not rise early; but that, although this was done, they would be still altogether dependent on God. Mere early rising, without his blessing, would not secure what they hoped to accomplish, for everything is still in the hand of God. Health, strength, clearness of mind, and success, are all under his control; and though early rising may tend to produce all these - as it does in fact - yet still people are not the less dependent on God for success.
To sit up late - That you may labor or study. As in the former case the psalmist does not express any opinion about the propriety or impropriety of early rising, so it is in respect to this. He merely says that if it is done, this, of itself, will not accomplish the object; people are still dependent on God for success though they do it. As a matter of fact, however, sitting up late has less tendency to promote success in life than early rising; but in either ease there is the same dependence on God.
To eat the bread of sorrows - Bread of care, anxiety, or trouble; that is, bread earned or procured by the severity of toil. There may be an allusion here to the original sentence pronounced on man, Genesis 3:17. The meaning is, that it is in vain that you labor hard, that you exhaust your strength, in order to get bread to eat, unless God shall bless you. After all your toil the result is with him.
For so he giveth his beloved sleep - The word "for" is not in the original, The sentence is very obscure in the connection in which it stands. The Septuagint and Latin Vulgate render it, "Ye who eat the bread of care - rise when you have rested - when he hath given his beloved sleep." Some have supposed it to mean that God gives his people rest without toil, or that, while others labor, his "beloved" - his friends - sleep; but this interpretation is not necessarily demanded by the Hebrew, and is inconsistent with the general doctrine of the Bible. Others have supposed the idea to be, that God gives his beloved rest after labor; but though this is true, it is not true of them especially or exclusively. Some suppose, with as little probability, that the meaning is, that what others hope (but hope in vain) to get by labor, the Lord bestows upon his people in sleep, they know not how.
The meaning evidently is, that God bestows "sleep" upon his people in some sense in which it is not bestowed on others, or that there is, in regard to their case, something in which they differ from those who are so anxious and troubled - who rise so early for the sake of gain - who toil so late - who eat the bread of care. The idea seems to be that there would be calmness, repose, freedom from anxiety or solicitude. God makes the mind of his people - his beloved - calm and tranquil, while the world around is filled with anxiety and restlessness - busy, bustling, worried. As a consequence of this calmness of mind, and of their confidence in him, they enjoy undisturbed repose at night. They are not kept wakeful and anxious about their worldly affairs as other men are, for they leave all with God, and thus he "giveth his beloved sleep." The particle "so" - כן kên - or "thus," I apprehend, refers to the general sense of what had been said, rather than to what immediately precedes it; to the fact that all success depends on God Psalm 127:1, and that it is always by his interposition, and not as the result of human skill, toil, or fatigue, that people find calmness, success, repose. It is only by the favor of God, and by their recognizing their dependence on him, that they find repose, success, and freedom from care.
3
Psalm 127:3
繁體中文
「兒女是耶和華所賜的產業」——兒女是從耶和華而來的產業。他們之由祂賜下，正如建房的成就或守城的平安之由祂賜下一樣真實。其意是：凡我們所看重、所渴望的，都是神的恩賜，都當作從祂而來的領受，並當承認為祂的禮物。這裏的總意，與前幾節一樣，乃是完全倚靠神。
「所懷的胎是他所給的賞賜」——更確切地說，是「一種賞賜」；即是說，兒女具有神對敬虔人生所賜賞賜的性質；他們屬於神所應許的福分之一，是祂恩寵的明證。我們的譯本插入「是他所給的」等字，反而晦暗了原意，彷彿意思是說，兒女之於神，是祂為我們行事所得的「報酬」。其實恰恰相反——兒女是神用來賞賜、恩待祂百姓的福分。當然，這並非放諸四海皆準；這應許是一般性的，與聖經論到敬虔之結果的通常應許相符。兒女當算在神所賜給我們的恩惠之內；為著他們的生命、健康、德行，以及從他們而得的快樂，我們一如在其他事上一樣倚靠神——正如在建房、守城，或在勞碌後所得的安息與安慰上一樣。
英文原文
Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord - They are an inheritance derived from the Lord. They are bestowed by him as really as success is in building a house, or in guarding a city. The idea is, that everything which we value, or which we desire, is a gift from God, and is to be received as from him, and to be acknowledged as his gift. The general idea here, as in the previous verses, is that of entire dependence on God.
And the fruit of the womb is his reward - Or rather, "a reward;" that is, they are of the nature of a reward for a life of devotion to God; they are among the blessings which God promises, and are evidences of his favor. Our translation by inserting the words "is his" obscures the sense, as if the meaning were that they belong to God as his "reward" for what he does for us. The reverse of this is the true idea - that they are a blessing with which he rewards or favors his people. Of course, this is not universally true, but the promise is a general one, in accordance with the usual promises in the Bible in regard to the result of piety. Children are to be reckoned among the divine favors bestowed on us, and for their lives, their health, their virtues, and the happiness derived from them, we are, as in other things, dependent on him - as in building a house, in guarding a city, or in the rest and comfort derived from toil.
4
Psalm 127:4
繁體中文
「好像勇士手中的箭」——父母在危險中可賴以自衛、或賴以為自己和家人謀生計的，正是兒女——正如戰士或獵人倚靠他的箭。
「少年時所生的兒女」——指年輕力壯之時所生的兒子。把兒子比作箭或槍，在阿拉伯詩歌中很常見。見羅森米勒（Rosenmuller）對該處的註釋；並見《東方》（Morgenland）對該處的解釋。
英文原文
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man - They are what a parent may rely on for defense in danger, or for help in securing provision for himself and family - as the warrior or the hunter relies on his arrows.
So are children of the youth - Sons in their youth; in their prime and vigor. The comparison of sons with arrows or spears is common in Arabic poetry. See Rosenmuller, Com. in loc. Also Morgenland, in loc.
5
Psalm 127:5
繁體中文
「便為有福」——希伯來文作「那人的福樂啊」。見 Psalm 1:1 的註釋。
「箭袋充滿的人」——箭袋是盛箭攜行的袋子；正如獵人或戰士箭袋滿了箭就感到穩妥，人的福樂也與他兒子的數目成正比。這與聖經經常陳述的觀念一致，也與聖經屢屢作出的應許一致——眾多的後裔是蒙神恩寵的明證。
「必不至於羞愧」——他們必不致羞愧困窘地垂著頭敗退。見 Job 6:20 的註釋。
「在城門口和仇敵說話」——邊註作「必制伏，或毀滅」。然而希伯來文字的意思是「說話」；意思是：他們要在爭戰之處向仇敵「發言」——因為城門或城入口的佔有，對攻城者和守城者都極其重要，所以戰鬥常發生在城門。意思是：他們說話必有功效；他們必嶄露頭角；他們必使人知道他們的存在。雖然訴訟的爭辯和買賣的交易通常也在城門口進行，但這裏的上下文不容我們如此理解。意思是：他們必以保衛自己城邑家園、或攻擊祖國仇敵之城時的英勇，為家族增光，使父母的心得安慰。本詩的目的，是要教導人在一切事上都須倚靠神方能成功的功課。
英文原文
Happy is the man - Hebrew, The happiness of the man. See the notes at Psalm 1:1.
That hath his quiver full of them - The quiver is a case in which arrows are carried; and as a man - a hunter or warrior - feels secure when he has his quiver full of arrows, so a man is blessed in proportion to the number of his sons. This is in accordance with the idea often presented in the Bible, and the promise often made there of a numerous posterity as a proof of the divine favor.
They shall not be ashamed - They shall not turn back discomfited, hanging their heads with shame and confusion. See the notes at Job 6:20.
But they shall speak with the enemies in the gate - Margin, "shall subdue, or destroy." The Hebrew word, however, means "to speak;" and the meaning is, that they would "speak" to their foes in the place of conflict - for a battle occurred often in the gate of a city, as the possession of a gate, or an entrance to a city was of so much importance to those who attacked, and those who defended it. The idea is, that they would speak with effect; they would distinguish themselves; they would let their presence be known. The connection does not allow us to understand this of forensic controversy, or of transactions in business, though these were usually performed at the gates of cities. The meaning is, that they would do honor to the family, and gratify the heart of the parent, by their valor in defending their city and home, or in attacking the cities of the enemies of their country. The psalm is designed to inculcate the lesson of dependence on God for success in everything.
本詩標題為「所羅門的上行之詩」；頁邊註作「所羅門的」。敘利亞譯本的標題是：「出自上行之詩；大衛論所羅門而說；也是哈該和撒迦利亞說的，他們曾力勸重建聖殿。」這標題的意思可以是「為所羅門」，也可以是「所羅門的」；即它可能由他所寫，或是指他而寫。許多人以為它寫於大衛臨近晚年之時，目的是作為他繼承人 所羅門的指引，指示他作王當遵循的原則。然而，希伯來文的標題中沒有什麼表明它是大衛所寫；詩中也沒有什麼看來特別適合對一位剛登基的年輕君王說的話，除非是倚靠神這一件事實。論兒女的那段（Psalm 127:3-5），雖然優美合宜，看來對開始執掌政務並無特別的切合之處，在那種境況中也不會是最自然想到的題目。因此，本詩大概為所羅門所寫。然而它寫於什麼場合，如今已無法斷定。其情感與風格，與所羅門是作者的觀念十分相合；整篇詩大可以收入箴言書中，而不會與那卷書的總體性質和風格有明顯不合。從本詩本身看來，它主要是為一位正要進入家庭生活的人而寫，目的是把當引導他的觀念、或當在他心中出現的思想擺在他面前。在這種境況中，再沒有比本詩的情感更合宜的了：
一、成功完全倚靠神，Psalm 127:1。
二、沒有神的賜福，一切勞碌——早起的、遲睡的——盡屬徒然，Psalm 127:2。
三、兒女是屬於神的，當視為他所賜，Psalm 127:3。
四、兒女可以期望在扶持或保護父親上給予的幫助，Psalm 127:4。
五、他可以期望從兒女所得的安慰，以及他們若受合宜的教養，必帶給他和家族的尊榮，Psalm 127:5。