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2022 年 2 月 5 日/6 日                                                                                                                     Click here for English

「若非上主」的有福人生

周曉暉牧師


農曆年要談談福。去年跟大家提過詩篇一一二篇,今年我再譯一二七篇,藉此祝願北宣家的人在虎年常歷上主同在、同工的福樂!

詩篇一二七篇
1. (上行之詩.所羅門的)
 若非上主建立家園
 徒然的 就是建造者在其中的勞碌
 若非上主看護城市
 徒然的 就是徹夜未眠 看護它的人
2.徒然的 就是你們早早就起來的人
 遲遲才坐下 吃得下那勞苦得來之食
 祂已賜下 就在蒙祂愛的人甜睡時
3.看哪 上主賜的產業 就是眾兒子
 賞報 就是那腹中的果實
4.這些年輕時所生的兒子
 像是在勇者手中的一把箭
5.有福的人 就是箭袋被裝滿的人
 當他在城門口與敵對者說話時
 必不蒙羞受辱

詩歌表達了神子民歸回重建的心情。他們在百廢待興、滿有敵意的環境中,日間重建聖殿和家園,晚上看守城牆,防備破壞,實在是苦。

詩歌雖把人的勞碌和上主所作之工對立起來,但建立家園、房屋、家室、聖殿(原文都是「屋子」),原來也有上主的同工,正是苦盡甘來。

人之能經驗到「若非上主」這事實,是因上主令工匠們的勞碌建造不會徒然;因祂保守,那些徹夜未眠(和合本譯作「警醒」)的看守者因此不會徒然。

你呢?你一直忙著甚麼「建造」或「看守」的事?願北宣家人能看見上主一直在教會、工作和家庭中,與你同工。

早出晚歸、營營役役,是香港人的共通經驗。疫中在家工作看似方便,但不少人卻感到更勞碌,因為作息沒了界線,要不停回應工作訊息。

神子民明白,正因為上主早已賜下一切所需,所以他們才「吃得下」、「睡得甜」。今天我們是否常吃不下或睡不甜?願北宣家人信得過上主必賜下保護和日用所需,日子不會太苦。

詩人從建立的場景轉到面對敵對者的苦況。當時歸回重建的人並不多(尼希米時代約有五萬人,其中住進荒廢待建的聖城約有五千人),要守護這家,就需要有足夠人力(箭袋充滿)。沒有人能繞過神得到新生命,這要依賴上主的賜予。當然,詩句不單指肉身的兒女,更可指屬於上主的初信一代。

你看到自己可以怎樣參與日復日的「建造」和「看護」工作嗎?願北宣家人多求上主賜下新信主的人,大家也培育初信的人(不論是教會或是家中的人),加入與神同工的行列,一起經歷「若非上主」的有福人生。







Pastor's Sharing
A Blessed Life of "If Not for the LORD"

Rev Arnold Chow

Blessing is the topic for the Chinese New Year. Last year, I shared on Psalm 112 with you. This year, I translate Psalm 127 with which I wish and pray that members of the NPAC family will always experience the blessings of the presence of the LORD and His work together in the Year of the Tiger.

Psalm 127
1.(A song of ascents. Of Solomon.)
 If not for the LORD building the house,
 in vain it is the builders' labor.
 If not for the LORD guarding the city,
 in vain it is the watchman's keeping awake.
2.In vain it is for you to rise up early,
 to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors –
 for He has given to those He loves sleep.
3.Behold, a heritage from the LORD is children,
 a reward is the fruit of the womb.
4.Children born in one's youth
 are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.
5.Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
 When they speak with their enemies in the gate,
 they will not be ashamed.

This psalm depicts the feelings of God's people returning to rebuild the holy city. In an environment full of rubbles and hostility, they had to rebuild the temple and their homes in the day and keep watch over the city to guard against destruction at night. It was hard indeed.

Although the psalm contrasts human labor against the works of the LORD, the hand of the LORD is nevertheless there in building houses, families, and the temple (all these are "house" in the original language). That was light at the end of the tunnel.

Man can experience the reality of "If not for the LORD" because the LORD keeps the workers' labor from being vain. His care and keeping ensures that the watchman's efforts throughout the night (translated "keep awake" in NASB) would not be in vain.

And you? What have you been busy "building" or "guarding"? May members of the NPAC family see that the LORD has always been working with you in the church, the workplace and family.

Hard work from morn till night – that is the common experience of Hong Kong people. Working from home during the pandemic seems convenient but many feel it means even more work because the boundary between work and rest disappears, having to respond to work-related messages all day long.

The people of God understand that it is because the LORD has already bestowed all that they need that they can "eat well" and "sleep well." Do we often lack appetite or suffer insomnia these days? May members of the NPAC family trust that the LORD will protect and provide for our daily needs so the days will not be too hard.

The psalmist turns from the context of building to the plight of facing the enemy. Not many returned to rebuild at that time (There were 50,000 in the time of Nehemiah and among them, 5,000 lived in the ruined holy city). Sufficient manpower (quiver is full) is needed from God to guard this home. Dependence on the LORD's provision is thus necessary. No one can bypass God and have new life. Of course, the verse does not only refer to physical children, but also the generation of new believers who belong to the LORD.

Do you see how you can take part in the day-to-day work to "build" and to "guard"? May members of the NPAC family pray more to the LORD to give us new believers. Let us nurture the new believers (whether they are in the church or at home). Let us join in working with God and experience a blessed life of "If not for the LORD."