Most of the Psalms were written by the Lord through the hand of David. Psalm 127 and 128 seem to be written by Solomon. The sad thing about this wise man is that in arranging multiple marriages and attempting to form more than one family unit, he sacrificed the blessing one big happy home. You can see the longing he held for the one thing in life that he missed…a happy home. We see he writes, "It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house" (Proverbs 25:24). In fact, Solomon makes this statement twice (Proverbs 21:9). We see he later says, "Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 9:9). It is rather touching that the Lord appointed Solomon to place in Inspiration words of inspired poetry that in 2007 still gives us divine insight as to what it takes to make a happy marriage.
1. It takes the LORD.
“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:1, 2). Solomon was a mover and a shaker. He could make things happen. But the very best things in life are not generated by our might or power. And a happy home is definitely in the category of the best things of life. Solomon is saying, I can draw up blueprints for great houses, but I don’t have the blueprints for a great marriage. Only the Lord can build the home. A happy home is not because I have arisen early, stayed up late, or worried my heart out about it. It is in God’s rest as we trust in Him that a house in reality becomes a home.
2. It takes a husband and a wife.
“Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Psalm 127:4). We live in a culture that is being indoctrinated to be accepting of unions between individuals of the same sex. Even some main stream Americans are falling prey to this indoctrination in the name of tolerance. Make no mistake, behind this plan is a very sinister and wicked plot of Satan to help destroy the home. In the natural process of marriage, the fruit of the womb occurs. To attempt to bless a union apart from the natural process is to invite perversion and the curse of Almighty God. Romans 1 says when we leave the natural plan of God in the matter of holy matrimony, we suffer the consequences. "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet" (Romans 1:26,27).
3. It takes the right attitude toward children.
“As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:5, 6). Not every family will have the commission by the Lord to bear or adopt children. But our attitude toward children is very important because children are important to God. And think of this, if families did not (as a rule) have children, families would soon cease to be. God says when you have children in your early years of marriage, you are equipped with weapons for the glorious cause of God and right. Your influence for godliness will not be in vain. God speaks of the blessing in the next Psalm; He says, “Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table” (Psalm 128:3).
Allow me to say a word about those who do not have children in the home. Do something that benefits other children. Maybe there is a Christian family that is having a hard time getting kids through college. Perhaps you could not do a “random” act of kindness, but perform an “on purpose” act of kindness by picking up some of a needy family’s financial load. You might say you cannot afford to pay for four years of college. How about one semester? I know an argument may be, but I don’t want to make it known. Being an anonymous giver brings the blessing of giving great glory to God. Believe me, there is a way you can give through a silent third party that is very appropriate. It may be a doctor’s or hospital bill, clothes, utility bill, or books. And if you do not have the wherewithal to give financially, will you consider giving something even more important – your prayers for our struggling youth? Pray that they might be "…strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man" (Ephesians 3:16). "He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack..." (Proverbs 28:27).
4. It takes the fear of God.
“Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel” (Psalm 128:1, 4-6).
Our grandson, Aidan was having bath time over at our house recently. He loves the company of rubber ducks. And thanks to Gramma’s generosity, he is working on his second set. When he finished up, he placed all twelve of them neatly in order on the bathtub’s edge. Aidan added a new meaning for me when I think of having our ducks in a row. As I have that sweet memory now etched indelibly in my heart of a happy little boy with his ducks, another sense of happy order comes to my mind. If we have the fear of the Lord which is the birthplace of wisdom and knowledge (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7), we shall have the “starting duck” of a happy life. ALL the other ducks will fall in line if we have the fear of God. The fear of God is living in awe of God and His power. It is being afraid to do wrong and willing at any cost to do the will of God and right. It is the very essence of following Jesus with the cross He has designated for us. And as we see in Psalm 128, we find the assurance of the one commodity required for a truly happy home…the blessing of God.
- Pastor Pope -