The Cyber Hymnal ‎#7033

7033. Unless the Lord the House Shall Build

1. Unless the Lord the house shall build,
The weary builders toil in vain;
Unless the Lord the city shield,
The guards a useless watch maintain.

2. In vain you rise ere morning break,
And late your nightly vigils keep,
And of the bread of toil partake;
God gives to His belovèd sleep.

3. Lo, children are a great reward,
A gift from God in very truth;
With arrows is his quiver stored
Who joys in children of his youth.

4. And blest the man whose age is cheered
By stalwart sons and daughters fair;
No enemies by him are feared,
No lack of love, no want of care.

Text Information

• First Line: Unless the Lord the house shall build
• Title: Unless the Lord the House Shall Build
• Meter: LM
• Language: English
• Source: The Psalter (Pittsburgh: The United Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1912)
• Copyright: Public Domain
• Notes: Al­ter­nate tune: ROSE HILL, Jo­seph E. Sweet­ser, 1849

Tune Information

• Name: ILLA
• Composer: Lowell Mason (1841)
• Meter: LM
• Incipit: 11171 33217 12223
• Key: F Major
• Copyright: Public Domain