Im-Yah lo-yivneh vayit,
shav amlu vonav bo

Unless God builds this house,
we just labor in vain. (Psalm 127:1)
[Click (or tap) to see the entire Psalm 127 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985).]

We are the builders, the doers, the ones that are trying to make things happen. We think that with enough egoic effort and determined will, we can build this world to our exact specifications. And sooner or later we run into trouble; the world we are trying to build is not working the way we want it. Perhaps we didn’t or couldn’t see the whole picture or foresee the consequences of our actions; perhaps we encounter difficulties, resistances or misadventures along the way. It is then that we must surrender to the Divine force within us, and become the vehicle for that Great Power. We realize that God is building the house (this world) through us.

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• Who Builds? (melody)  
• Who Builds? (harmony)  
• Who Builds? (mix)  

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Who Builds? PDF.