1. The vanity of labor without faith 127:1-2

These verses recall the spirit of Ecclesiastes with its emphasis on vanity. It is foolish, frustrating, and futile to attempt projects without seeking God's blessing. This applies to building a house and building a household. It also applies to the much larger task of defending a city. Putting in long hours to work hard will only lead to weariness. Conversely those who trust in the Lord, His beloved, experience rest. Solomon was not denigrating hard work. He was advocating dependence on the Lord as one works.