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

Try these words on another tune

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.

Download Public domain (CC0 on everything generated). PDF · MIDI · LilyPond source (engrave it yourself — pairs with the music fonts).