Exhortations to a Church: Depend on God

Psalm 127 provides insight into the futility of human effort apart from divine blessing:

The psalmist presents a God-saturated view of life and work. God is involved in building, watching, giving rest, and blessing families with children. There is no middle ground: Either God blesses our efforts, or they are ultimately pointless.

This echoes Jesus’ own words: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4–5).

Verses 1–3 highlight four pictures of dependence on God.

“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labour in vain” (v. 1). Building a house could refer to constructing a physical building or establishing a family. Regardless, without God as foundation, human effort is futile. Jesus illustrates this in Matthew 7:26–27 with the parable of the foolish man who built his house on the sand: “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

At Babel, rebellious humanity built to “make a name for [them]selves” (Genesis 11:4). Their self-made motivation led to confusion and failure. Likewise, churches built for human acclaim rather than God’s glory are destined to crumble. True success comes from building in dependence on God, exalting his name rather than our own.

From families to entire communities, God’s protection is essential. “Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (v. 1). Political leaders, community organisers, and church leaders need divine blessing. Without God’s watchful presence, no amount of human vigilance can provide security and prosperity. As believers, we must pray for our communities and leaders, recognising that their success depends on God’s blessing.

“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep” (v. 2). Far from advocating laziness, these words condemn anxious toil disconnected from trust in God. The psalm contrasts two extremes: overworking without depending on God, and laziness that fails to participate in God’s work. Both demonstrate lack of faith.

The dependent approach is to work diligently while trusting God for the outcome. Colossians 3:23–24 instructs: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

God “gives sleep to his beloved” not as permission for inactivity, but as a gift of rest to those who trust him. This echoes Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28–30: “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Solomon affirms that children are “a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward” (v. 3). Family success isn’t determined by fortune or chance but by God’s blessing. Children raised to depend on God become like “arrows in the hand of a warrior” (v. 4) carrying forward parental legacy.

When we depend on ourselves rather than God, we rob him of the honour due to him alone. Self-reliance leads to anxiety, weariness, and ultimately failure. God sometimes allows difficulties to humble us and teach us to depend on him. These challenging seasons expose our weakness and redirect our attention to his sovereignty.

The psalmist understood this when he wrote: “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (v. 8). Similarly, Proverbs 3:5–6 instructs: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Dependence on God isn’t weakness but wisdom. It acknowledges God’s rightful position of authority and power. When we look to ourselves and depend on our own strength, we foolishly claim what belongs to God alone.

As we serve in our churches, raise our families, pursue our careers, and engage with our communities, we must remember that success comes only through dependence on God. In prayer, we acknowledge our need for divine intervention and blessing. Through faithful work, coupled with humble trust, we participate in God’s purposes while honouring his sovereignty.

In every endeavour, let us remember Solomon’s wisdom: Unless the Lord is central to our efforts, we labour in vain. But with him, even our sleep becomes a blessed gift, and our work bears eternal fruit.

This article is based on a sermon preached in early 2022 to the core group that Living Hope Church would send out to plant Pretoria West Bible Church.