“Behold, children are a heritage (gift NASB) from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Psalm 127:3).

The reason that humans can reproduce is because God gave them this ability.  He could have made them without this ability. However, He chose to bless man with the gift of reproduction.

Children are to be valued.  They are a gift (heritage) and a benefit (reward) from the LORD.

He blesses us with children. However, they ultimately belong to Him (Ezekiel 18:4).  We are stewards of this beautiful gift. This point should not be missed.

“Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.  Happy is the man who has quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:4-5).

The idea is that children can be a great protection one in his old age.  Adam Clark comments, “Each child will, in the process of time, be a defense and a support to the family, as arrows in the quiver of a skillful and strong archer; the more he has, the more… redoubted he shall be” (Clark’s Commentary, Vol. 3, p. 644).  Matthew Henry comments, “The family that has a large stock of children is like a quiver full of arrows, of different sizes we may suppose, but all of us one time or another; children of different capacities and inclinations may be several ways, serviceable to the family” (Matthew Henry Commentary, Vol. 3, p. 602).

Children are to be of help to their parents (1 Timothy 5:4, 8, 16; Matthew 15:3-6).  Zondervan’s Pictorial Dictionary says of the city gate, “The gate was the place where people met to hear an important announcement (2 Chronicles 32:6; Jeremiah 7:2; 17:19-27) or the reading of the law (Nehemiah 8:1, 3).  Or where the elders transacted legal business (Deuteronomy 16:18; 21:18-20; Joshua 20:4; Ruth 4:1, 2, 11)” (p. 300).  The point is that children can protect their aged parents from being taken advantage of in business and legal transactions.

However, children like arrows must be properly aimed to be of use.  It is up to the parent to: “Train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6).  This should be done from childhood, so that they may be of use later in life.