Psalms 127:2 - Exposition

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late (comp. Isaiah 5:11 ); i . e . to be "careful and troubled" about your work in the world, whatever it is. To eat the bread of sorrows . To feed, as it were, on sorrow—and trouble and care—to make your lives a burden to yourselves through your carefulness. For so he giveth his beloved sleep ; rather, surely he giveth to his beloved in sleep ; i . e . in their sleep. The teaching is similar to that of Exodus 14:14 ; Isaiah 30:7 , Isaiah 30:15 ; Matthew 6:25-34 . God gives to men that which he knows they have need of, if they have only the faith to "sit still" and "wait."