Common Tune

Hymn · Psalm 127

Except the Lord Do Build the House

DETROIT · C.M. · words from the Scottish Psalter, 1650 · music William Bradshaw

Setting: PBHT 1907 (modern) · PBHT 1907 · Southern Harmony 1854 · TBH 1901

auto-underlaid These words and this tune share a meter but have no hand-edited setting; the underlay was fitted automatically (syllable-for-note, validated). The opening stress differs from the tune's — usually fine; trust your ear.

Except the Lord Do Build the House fruit er with re to their filled his rest lose his the or the ders from quiv womb's late buil those; ward. keep, pain: for py dren the hap chil is are you Lord 4. O 3. Lo, 2. 'Tis 1. Ex vain cept that i be the hath tage, times, house, man her rise build the God's to do be men men's un to hands lov watch shall for he the gate are, gives keep, speak strong his watch ed their pre in foes. pared. sleep. vain. un sons feed cept a of on the They The To Ex in ar bread; cit the rows so y sham youth sor Lord ed as rows' the Scottish Psalter, 1650 DETROIT C.M. William Bradshaw, 1820
Except the Lord Do Build the House fruit er with re to their filled his rest lose his the or the ders from quiv womb's late buil those; ward. keep, pain: for py dren the hap chil is are you Lord 4. O 3. Lo, 2. 'Tis 1. Ex vain cept that i be the hath tage, times, house, man her rise build the God's to do be men men's un to hands lov watch shall for he the gate are, gives keep, speak strong his watch ed their pre in foes. pared. sleep. vain. un sons feed cept a of on the They The To Ex in ar bread; cit the rows so y sham youth sor Lord ed as rows' the Scottish Psalter, 1650 DETROIT C.M. William Bradshaw, 1820

1.Except the Lord do build the house,
the builders lose their pain:
Except the Lord the city keep,
the watchmen watch in vain.

2.'Tis vain for you to rise betimes,
or late from rest to keep,
To feed on sorrows' bread; so gives
he his beloved sleep.

3.Lo, children are God's heritage,
the womb's fruit his reward.
The sons of youth as arrows are,
for strong men's hands prepared.

4.O happy is the man that hath
his quiver filled with those;
They unashamed in the gate
shall speak unto their foes.

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Other words for this tune

Same meter but needs editorial underlay: BALLERMA, CLEANSING FOUNTAIN, CRIMOND, GLASGOW, GRÄFENBERG, MANOAH, MARTYRDOM, MCKEE, ORTONVILLE, ST. MAGNUS, ST. STEPHEN, STRACATHRO.

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