Psalms 127:2

Psalms 127:2 [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.

Ver. 2. It is vain for you to rise up early ] Diluculantes surgere, tardantes sedere, to toil and moil a in the world. It were to be wished that this Nisi, nisi, frustra, frustra, were ever sounding in the ears of worldlings, who will needs act upon their own principles; "God is not in all their thoughts."

To eat the bread of sorrows ] i.e. Hardly gotten, or that men can scarce beteem themselves, they are so miserable and parsimonious; or, bread eaten with carefulness, as Ezekiel 12:19 : certainly men may sooner by their care add a furlong to their sorrow than a cubit to their comfort.

For so he giveth his beloved sleep ] Dilecto sue, to each of his beloved ones; not without an allusion to Solomon’s other name, Jedidiah, God’s darling. To these he giveth sleep, extraordinary, quiet, refreshing sleep ( שׁנא with an Aleph quiescent, which is not usual), that is, he giveth wealth without labour, as to others labour without wealth, saith Kimchi; the world comes tumbling in upon them, as we say, they have it quasi per somnium, as towns were said to come into Timotheus’s toils while he slept (Plut.); without anxiety, they break not their sleep for the matter, but live by faith, and make a good living of it too, Omnia necessaria benignissime Dominus quasi per iocum largitur (Beza).

a To make oneself wet and muddy; to wallow in mire