Psalms
Why Look to Jehovah in All You Undertake?
NOTHING that is contrary to God’s will can succeed. From a human standpoint, a particular undertaking may appear to have a bright future. Eventually, though, it will fail miserably. Therefore, we should make sure to consider the Creator in all our activity.
Psalm 127 forcefully reminds us of the importance of doing this. We read: “Unless Jehovah himself builds the house, it is to no avail that its builders have worked hard on it. Unless Jehovah himself guards the city, it is to no avail that the guard has kept awake. To no avail it is for you men that you are rising up early, that you are sitting down late, that you are eating food with pains. Just like this he gives sleep even to his beloved one.”—Ps. 127:1, 2.
A man might build a house. But there is no guarantee that he will enjoy it. Sudden death, a disaster or an accident could result in his having worked in vain. A city might be well guarded and fortified. Still, it could be destroyed in warfare or by an earthquake or a fire. Men might rise early in the morning and labor until late in the evening before finally sitting down to rest and to eat. Yet, their work may bring them no satisfaction. Being too exhausted from their labor, they may not even enjoy their food. On the other hand, what such men gain from bitter toil, the servant of God gets without restless striving and struggling. His enjoyment of sleep or rest is really a gift from God.
Accordingly, the psalmist regarded as divine blessings such things as the security of a home, the safety of a city and the enjoyment of life’s provisions. He viewed a man’s having a good family in the same light, saying: “Look! Sons are an inheritance from Jehovah; the fruitage of the belly is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the sons of youth. Happy is the able-bodied man that has filled his quiver with them. They will not be ashamed, for they will speak with enemies in the gate.”—Ps. 127:3-5.
A man who fathered sons while himself still enjoying the strength and vigor of youth was rightly regarded as blessed. When his sons grew up, they were like arrows in his hand. They could defend their father before his adversaries at law. Since the city elders judged in the open area near the gates, it would be there that the sons would speak with opponents in a legal case, successfully putting to silence baseless accusations and false testimony.
Since Jehovah’s blessing is vital to the success of any undertaking, we should strive to conduct ourselves in a way that he approves. We should handle our affairs in harmony with the spirit of the inspired words: “If Jehovah wills, we shall live and also do this or that.”—Jas. 4:15.